Have you ever wondered why a loving God would allow pain and suffering in the world He created? You are not alone. This question has plagued Christians across the world for centuries. While there are many Christian beliefs on suffering in the world, the believers at the Institute for Pure Christianity understand that suffering plays a unique role in helping us build character and become the people God wants us to become.
What Is Free Will?
God has gifted every human being with the ability to make choices. While we have instincts, we also have the ability to deny our instincts and act differently. This free will is an essential part of our existence, but it also means that we can make mistakes and bring suffering into the world. Humans can choose to hurt each other, start wars, or bring suffering upon themselves through selfish acts.
Our Heavenly Father accepts that we will make mistakes, but He also gives us guidelines to alleviate some of this suffering. If we are obedient to His words, we can avoid potential mistakes that create unnecessary suffering. He also teaches us how to repent and change our ways so that we can overcome suffering through Jesus Christ.
How Do We Benefit From Suffering?
You may still wonder about the seemingly random suffering that isn’t brought about by anyone’s choice, such as illness. Why would God release unnecessary and unprovoked suffering on innocent people? The answer is that suffering is necessary because it is through suffering that we learn and grow, and God will help us through our hardships.
In Romans 5:3-5, Paul says, “But we rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us.” We build character and become more loving, understanding, and strong people when we go through suffering, and that is what God wants us to become.
To learn more about our Christian view on suffering in the world, or to get personal help surviving your suffering, read our blog post or contact us.