Whenever we consider the providence of God, one question always comes up: why does God ordain suffering? This is an age-old question that is often asked as a question to Christianity. “If God is so good, why is there so much evil and suffering in the world?” Of course, Christianity has had an answer to this question for centuries: God didn’t create the world like this. Genesis 1:31 testifies that God created a perfect world where there was no suffering or death. We inaugurated suffering in the world when we chose to rebel against God.
Nevertheless, the question can still persist in our minds because its never just a philosophical question. There’s always a personal element to such questions because we all suffer. As Christians we acknowledge that every trial comes from the hands of a good Father, and we trust him in them, yet we cannot help but want to know why he ordains these things in our lives. I must first admit to you that I cannot give a specific answer for why God has done something, and I don’t think anyone else can either. If you ask me why God has ordained a particular trial in your life or any national tragedy, I cannot give an exact answer because no man knows the secret counsel of God. Nevertheless, Scripture does give us a number of different reasons why God ordains suffering. No doubt there are more reasons than these, but here are some I have learned:
- As a warning of the reality of judgment and a call to repentance. In Luke 13:1-5 Jesus responds to two tragedies (one at the hands of Pilate, one “natural”) and first rejects the notion of karma, that these people died because they were worse, but then he uses these disasters to teach that “unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Every tragedy and every death in this world, great and small, serves as a reminder that there is judgment coming and that all need to repent. So suffering first serves as a call to repentance.
- As an instrument to advance the Gospel. In Philippians 1:12-14 Paul explains that his own imprisonment (in an ancient Roman prison, which would no doubt be considered inhumane by today’s standards) has led to the proclamation of the Gospel to Caesar’s household and the emboldening of other Christians. It may be that God has ordained suffering for his church and particularly for you so that his kingdom may go forth.
- To drive God’s wayward children back to repentance of their sins and into fellowship with God. In 1 Corinthians 5:4-5 we see that one of the purposes of church discipline (so churches ought not to withhold discipline from a wrong understanding of love) is for the unrepentant to learn the misery of sin, repent, and be saved. This purpose is also seen corporately for the Old Testament church in the example of Hosea 5:14-15.
- For the sanctification of his children. In John 15:2 Jesus teaches that the Father prunes every branch that bears fruit in order to bear even more fruit. Pain is often much more effective at teaching and maturing us than ease and comfort, so God may ordain suffering in your life for your spiritual growth, maturity, and usefulness in his kingdom.
- To discipline his children. In Hebrews 12:5-7 we are taught that God disciplines us because we are his children. God may ordain suffering to restrain sin in your life, as he did even in the life of the Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7).
- As a temporal consequence of sin. While believers will never fall into judgment on account of their sins (which are forgiven in Christ), sin still has consequences in this life, and sometimes they are quite painful (2 Samuel 12:13-14; 1 Corinthians 11:27-30).
- To reveal who is elect and who is not. In Mark 4:16-17 Jesus teaches that though the elect endure tribulation, the reprobate do not, but fall away. As the same sun softens the wax but hardens the clay, suffering reveals who are truly God’s children because they endure.
- That we would not grow comfortable in this world, but long for Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:2-4 we are reminded that we groan for our heavenly dwelling. Suffering is a present reminder that this world is not our home, but the believer’s home is with Christ. Suffering weans us from our love of this sin-saturated world and causes us to fix our eyes upon Christ and pursue him ever more fervently.
So when we look at all of this suffering around us, we can know and confidently assert that God does have his good purposes (Genesis 50:20), even if we do not know exactly what they are. When suffering comes into your own life, I want to gently encourage you not to run from God, but to him, acknowledging that this is from his hand (Ecclesiastes 7:14), and is ultimately for your good (Romans 8:28).