Suffering...

...why does it happen?

It really hurts seeing all these things happen around us.

Christchurch is a beautiful city, with really nice people too. as if they deserve what they got.

And so was Queensland, who were hard hit by floods, then realised a poweful Cyclone was on the way to rip through their beautiful state.

A lot of people come up to me and ask why on earth does this happen? If God is in charge of this world then why is he creating all this suffering? Sure. I was asking myself this question a few times too. ‘why?’

Getting frustrated at God is a common thing that a lot of people do. In some cases it even deters our faith.

Once, my Auntie was working in a nursing home. With her was a new, young doctor who was on his first week. After he had finished his shift he was hit by a car. Strangely enough all of his body was fine, except his head which got hit the hardest. As a result he was then in a vegetative state, and was unable to speak, or eat or even move. All he could do was to roll his eyes around everyday. My auntie was really frustrated and angry at God and saying:“why!? Why did you do this? You could have used this young doctor to heal many more people but instead you choose to let him get run over”

She was angry for days on end but then a voice finally made it clear to her.

“Who are you? Who are you to judge me? Everybody’s life is in my hands..”

And from there she realized that there is a God.

An all powerful God.

An all knowing God.

The one that created and breathed life to all living creatures on this earth.

So back to the original question, why is there all this suffering here on earth? Why does God let it happen?

God did make a perfect world for us once upon a time. A place where we didn’t have to work, a place that was for us all to admire. A place without any rules except one, to not eat that one specific fruit.

But hey, man stuffed up. As a result God expelled us from that perfect world.

So God did intend the world we live in to be perfect. But it was man’s wrong doing that stuffed it up. Why do people fall sick? Why do people lose loved ones? Why do tragedies even exist? Why do people even suffer in this world?

Well it was sin, man’s wrong doing that made this world imperfect. The consequence of sin is an imperfect world for us all to live in.

Sin is in all of us. It was in Adam and Eve once they ate that forbidden fruit.

Everybody has sin in them.

Everybody commits it.

God gave you life. He gave life to everyone who ever lived, and he will give life to generations to come. He has your life in his hands, so why question him?

"Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:25)

"But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”" (Romans 9:20)

All in all, God has a plan, and know the outcome of all circumstances. While for now he may let trials and suffering enter our lives, he also is a merciful and loving God.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

God Bless to all,

and our hearts are with all those who were affected by the recent tragedies.

-Wilko