Why Does God Allow Tragedy and Suffering?

Transcription

1 R4D Week 5 1 Why Does God Allow Tragedy and Suffering? Tragedy, pain, and suffering we see it everywhere. Entire villages have been massacred. Untold numbers of women and children have been ripped away from their families and sold into slavery. Shootings in schools, malls, military bases, and most recently at a concert in Las Vegas have become almost commonplace. And then add to that natural disasters earthquakes, hurricanes, Cires Why God do you allow such things? Then there is the everyday pain and suffering that we experience individually. There s illness, injury, abuse, broken relationships, betrayal, sorrow, disappointment, heartache, crime, and death. And perhaps you ve been asking the question, Why? Why me? Why now? That why question goes back thousands of years. It was asked in the Old Testament by Job and the writers of the Psalms, and it has often been repeated in our time Why does all of this happen if there s a loving and all-powerful God? Why do bad things happen to so many good people? But if you ve never asked why our world is infected with pain and suffering, you will when pain and suffering strike you or a loved one with full force. And Jesus said they are coming. John 16:33, In the world you will have tribulation (trouble). He didn t say you might; he said it is going to happen. But why? If you asked me point-blank, Why did God allow Stephen Paddock, to kill 58 people and wound 489, who were there to enjoy a concert. The only answer I can honestly give consists of four words: I do not know. I can t stand in the shoes of God and give a complete answer to that question. I don t have God s mind. I don t see with God s eyes. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:12, For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So when you ask about specicic events and want to know why a particular thing happened, we won t get the full answer in this world. Someday we ll see with clarity, but for now things are foggy. We can t understand everything from our Cinite perspective.

2 R4D Week 5 2 Sometimes the worst thing we can do is get all philosophical with people who are in the midst of suffering. What they need initially is just the real and comforting presence of Jesus Christ in their lives. Usually we re better off, at least during their immediate season of grief, to use fewer words and to show more love. But when we focus on the more general question of why God allows suffering, we can discover some important things to say when the time seems right. And even though we can t understand everything about it, we can understand some things. During the Depression, Pastor Gardner Taylor was preaching a rural church in Louisiana. The little church had one light bulb hanging down lighting the whole sanctuary. One night in the middle of the sermon, the electricity went out. The building was pitch black. Being a young preacher at the time, Taylor didn t know what to do, so he stumbled around then one of the elderly deacons in the back cried out, Preach on preacher! We can still see Jesus in the dark! Sometimes, that is the only time we can see him, in the dark. And the good news of the gospel is that whether we can see him or not, he can see us in the dark. There are some key biblical truths some points of light that can illuminate the dark for us. Maybe you are in the dark right now as we talk about these points of light, let me Cirst state that I am not attempting to explain away pain or any suffering that you are going through, that s not helpful. Maybe these points of light can be a type of roadside light for you as you journey forward. And If we reclect on these considerations before suffering comes into our lives, we will be better able to trust God through those inevitable trials. What are those points of light? FIVE POINTS OF LIGHT (1) The Yirst Point of Light: God is not the creator of evil. One question we hear so often is, Why didn t God just create a world where human tragedy and human suffering did not exist? One answer to that is, He did! Genesis 1:31 says: God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. God did not create the world with human suffering. But if God is not the author of human tragedy or evil or death, where did they come from? Well, keep in mind that God has existed from all eternity as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who are united in a relationship of perfect love. So love is essential to the very nature of God..

3 R4D Week 5 3 When God decided to create human beings in His image, he wanted us to experience real love love for God but also love for one another. But to give us the ability to love, God also had to give us the freedom to decide not to love. Why? Because genuine love always involves free choice. If we were programmed to say, I love you, it wouldn t really be love. Maybe you ve seen one of those dolls that kids play with the kind with a string in the back. When a child pulls its string the doll says, I love you. Now, does that doll really love the child who pulled its cord? Of course not. It was programmed to say those words. To experience genuine love, that doll would need the ability to choose to love or not to love. Again, real love always involves free choice. So in order for us to experience real love, God granted us free will. But unfortunately, we humans have abused our free will by rejecting God and walking away from him. And that has resulted in the introduction of two kinds of evil into the world: moral evil and natural evil. Moral evil results from the immoral choices that people make. When we choose to be selcish, arrogant, uncaring, hateful and abusive, suffering is a natural consequence. And unfortunately, moral evil is something that affects us all. Romans 3:23 says for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We have all contributed to moral evil. So much of the world s suffering results from the sinful action or inaction of ourselves and others. For example, people look at a devastating famine and wonder where God is, but in reality the world produces enough food for each person to have 3,000 calories a day. It s our own irresponsibility and self-centeredness that prevents people from getting fed. Here s another example: look at your hand. You can choose to use that hand to feed hungry people or you can use it to hold a gun and shoot someone. It s your choice. But it s unfair to shoot someone and then blame God for the suffering that results. It s like that old cartoon that said: We have seen the enemy, and he is us. The other kind of evil is natural evil. This includes things like wildcires, earthquakes, and hurricanes that cause suffering. But these tragedies are also the indirect result of human sin. Genesis 3 makes it clear that the curse on creation is a result of human sin against God. Nature itself became corrupted. Pain, and human death entered the world. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul points to this ongoing consequence when he says in Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation has been

4 R4D Week 5 4 groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. In other words, nature longs to be made perfect once again. But for now, it is in a fallen condition. In a sense, when we told God to shove off, he partially honored our request. The earth was cursed. Genetic breakdown and disease began. And suffering and death became an unavoidable part of human experience. Let s make this crystal clear once more: God did not create evil, and human suffering and death were never something that God desired. Now, it s true that God created the potential for evil to enter the world because that was the only way to create the potential for genuine goodness and love. But it was human beings, using our free will, who brought that potential evil into reality. Some people ask, Couldn t God have foreseen all of this? No doubt he did. But look at it this way: many of you are parents. Even before you had children, couldn t you foresee that there was the very real possibility they will experience disappointment or pain or heartache in life, or that they might even hurt you and walk away from you? Of course. But you still decided to have kids. Why? Because you knew there was also the potential for tremendous joy and deep love and a wonderful relationship. Now think about God. He knew with certainty that we would rebel against him, but he also knew that many people would choose to follow him and have a loving relationship with him. Ultimately, it was worth it to God to create us with human freedom, even though he also knew that it would cost his own Son great pain, suffering, and even death to make it right again. So, as we ponder the mystery of evil, I hope it is helpful to be reminded that God did not create it. (2) The second Point of Light is this: Though suffering is not good, God can use it to accomplish good. He does this by fulcilling his promise in Romans 8:28: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Notice that the verse does not say God causes evil and suffering, just that he promises to cause good to emerge. And notice that the verse doesn t say we all will see immediately, or even in this life, how God has caused good to emerge from a bad circumstance. Remember, we only see things dimly in this world.

5 R4D Week 5 5 Also notice that God does not make this promise to everyone. He makes the solemn pledge that he will take the bad circumstances that befall us and cause good to emerge if we re committed to following him. The Old Testament gives us a great example in the story of Joseph, who went through terrible suffering, being sold into slavery by his own brothers, unfairly accused of a crime, and falsely imprisoned. Finally, after about a dozen years, he was put in a role of great authority where he could save the lives of his family and many others. After all of that, here s what he said to his brothers in Genesis 50:20: As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. If you re committed to God, this is so encouraging. He promises that he can and will take whatever pain you re experiencing and draw something good from it. You might say, Not in my circumstances. The harm was too great, the damage was too extreme, the anguish of my suffering is too deep. No, in my case there s no way God can cause any good to emerge. But if you doubt God s promise, seriously consider this thought: God took the very worst thing that has ever happened in the history of the universe the horriaic and undeserved death of the innocent Son of God on the cross and turned it into the very best thing that has happened in the history of universe. If God can take the very worst circumstance imaginable and turn it into the very best situation possible, can he not take the negative circumstances of your life and create something good from them? He can and he will. God can use our suffering to draw us closer to himself, to mold and sharpen our character, to realize our reliance on him, and to incluence others for him. He can draw something good from our pain in a myriad of ways if we patiently and persistently trust and follow him. Bobbie - Darla Communion

6 R4D Week 5 6 (3) Now, the third Point of Light: The day is coming when suffering will cease and God will judge evil. A lot of times you ll hear people say: If God has the power to eradicate evil and suffering, then why doesn t he go ahead and do it? The answer is that just because he hasn t done it yet doesn t mean he won t ever do it. It s like reading a novel. If someone read only half of a great novel and then slammed it down and said, The author did a terrible job with that book. There are too many loose ends with the plot. He didn t resolve all the issues with the characters. I d say, Hey, you only read half the book! The Bible says that the story of this world isn t over yet. It says the day will come when sickness and pain will be eradicated and people will be held accountable for the evil they ve committed. Justice will be served in a perfect way. That day will come, but it s not here yet. So what s holding God up? One answer is that some of you may be one reason for God s delay. Perhaps God is actually holding off the consummation of history to give you more time to put your trust in him. Maybe God is delaying things because of his love for you. Don t believe me? Take a look at 2 Peter 3:9 that says: The Lord is not slow to fulcill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. To me, that s compelling evidence of a loving God that he would care that much for you and those you love, to give you a little more time to come to him. But don t wait too long. The return of Christ may not be today, but the length of your life is always uncertain. You can respond to God s loving invitation even today! (4) The fourth Point of Light: Our suffering will pale in comparison to what God has in store for us as his followers. I certainly don t want to minimize pain and suffering, but it helps if we take a long-term perspective. Look at this verse, and be aware that it was written by the apostle Paul, who experienced beatings and stonings, shipwrecks, imprisonment, rejection, hunger and thirst, homelessness and far more pain than most of us will ever face. Yet these are his words in 2 Corinthians 4:17: For this light momentary afyliction Wait a second light and momentary afaliction? Five different times Paul s back was shredded when he

7 R4D Week 5 7 was Clogged 39 lashes with a whip; three times he was beaten to a bloody pulp by rods. The guy was shipwrecked and bitten by a snake. Yet he says, For this light momentary afaliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. Paul also wrote in Romans 8:18: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Think of it this way. Let s say that on the Yirst day of this year, you had an awful, terrible day. You had an emergency root canal at the dentist and they ran out of pain-killers. You crashed your car and had no insurance. Your stock portfolio took a nosedive. Your spouse got sick. A friend betrayed you. From start to Cinish, it was like the title of that children s book: Alexander & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. But then, every other day of the year turns out to be incredibly terriyic. Your relationship with God is close and real and intimate. A friend wins the lottery and gives you $100 million. You get promoted to your dream job. Time magazine puts you on its cover as Person of the Year. You have your Cirst child and he s healthy and strong. Your marriage is great, your health is fabulous, and you get a six-month vacation in Tahiti. Then next year, on New Year s Day, someone asks, So, how was your year? You d say, It was great; it was wonderful! And they d say, But didn t it start out bad? Didn t you go through a lot of trouble that Cirst day? You d think back and say, You know, you re right. That really was a bad day, no denying it. It was extremely difcicult at the time. It was hard. It was painful. But when I look at the entire year, when I put everything in context, it s been a great year. The 364 terricic days far outweigh the 1 bad day. By comparison, that day sort of fades away. I believe that s a good analogy for what believers will experience for all eternity with God. Listen. this is not to deny the reality of your pain in this life. It might be terrible. It might be chronic. Maybe you re suffering from a physical ailment or heartache at this very moment. But in heaven, after 654,484,540 days of pure bliss with incinitely more days of bliss yet to come if someone asked, So, how has your existence been? you d instantly react by saying, It has been absolutely wonderful! Words can t describe the joy and the delight and the fulcillment! If they said, But didn t you have a tough time before you got here, you d probably think back and say, Well, yes, it s true that some of those days were painful. I can t deny that they were difcicult. In fact, they were really bad. But

8 R4D Week 5 8 when I put them into context, in light of all God s outpouring of goodness to me, those bad days aren t even worth comparing with the eternity of blessing and joy that I m now experiencing. It s like a story British church leader Galvin Reid tells about meeting a young man who had fallen down a Clight of stairs as a baby and shattered his back. He had been in and out of hospitals his whole life; and yet he made the astounding comment that he thinks God is fair. Reid asked him, How old are you? The boy said, Seventeen. Reid asked, How many years have you spent in hospitals? The boy said, Thirteen years. The pastor said with astonishment, And you think that is fair? And the boy replied: Well, God has all eternity to make it up to me. And he will. God promises a time when there will be no more crying, no more tears, and no more pain and suffering a time when we will be reunited with God in perfect harmony forever. Let the words of 1 Corinthians 2:9 soak into your soul: What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him. That s absolutely breathtaking, isn t it? (5) Finally, the Yifth Point of Light: We can decide whether to turn bitter or to turn to God for peace and courage. We ve all seen examples of how the same suffering that causes one person to turn bitter, to turn away from God, to become hard and angry and sullen can cause another person to turn to God, to become more gentle and more loving and more tender, willing to reach out in compassion to help others who are in pain. Some who lose a child to a drunk driver can turn inward toward chronic rage and never-ending despair; while someone else can turn outward and help others by starting an organization like Mothers Against Drunk Driving. We will all face adversity and tragedy. But we can make the choice whether to run away from God or to run to him. I started this talk with part of what Jesus said in John 16:33. Now let s look at the entire verse: I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. In other words, the power of God through the person of Christ offers us the two things we most need when we re hurting: peace to deal with our present and courage to face our future. How? Because according to that

9 R4D Week 5 9 verse he has overcome the world! Through his suffering and death, he has deprived this world of its ultimate power over you. Suffering doesn t have the last word anymore. Death doesn t have the last word anymore. Jesus is the last word! Christian philosopher Peter Kreeft krayft explains that God s ultimate answer to suffering isn t an explanation; it s the incarnation. Suffering is a personal problem; it demands a personal response. And God isn t some distant, detached, and disinterested deity; he entered into our world and personally experienced our pain. And he did it for me and for you. Jesus is there in the lowest places of our lives: Are you broken? He was broken, like bread, for us. Are you despised? He was despised and rejected by men. Do you cry out that you can t take any more? He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Has someone betrayed you or turned against you? He was sold out and some hid their faces from him as if he were a leper. Are your most signiaicant relationships broken? He loved, yet he was rejected. From the depths of a Nazi death camp, Corrie ten Boom wrote these words: No matter how deep our darkness, he is deeper still. Dr. Kreeft goes on to say that it s not just that God knows and sympathizes with you in your troubles. After all, any close friend can do that. Any close friend can sit beside you and comfort you and empathize with you. But Jesus is much closer than your closest friend. If you put your trust in him, then he is in you. And, therefore, your sufferings are his sufferings; your sorrow is his sorrow. So when tragedy strikes, as it will; when suffering comes, as it will; when you re wrestling with pain, as you will; and when you make the choice to run into his arms, here s what you re going to discover: You will Yind peace to deal with your present, you will Yind courage to deal with your future, and you will Yind the incredible promise of an everlasting life with God. At the beginning of the message I described a number of tragic events that have happened recently in our world. While these events may still leave us somewhat confused, one truth they clearly illustrate is that life is fragile and short. These things often happen suddenly! People about to face such tragedies often have no clue that this might be their last moment in this world.

10 R4D Week 5 10 Friends, in this sin-scarred world, we never know when death will come. Often, we don t get any warning when a heart attack strikes, or when a drunk driver crosses the centerline, or when a wildcire sweeps across a Cield, or when an airplane has a mechanical failure. So I m compelled to ask each of you: Are you ready? One of the best verses you can memorize is 1 John 5:13: I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. God doesn t want you wondering. He doesn t want you steeped in doubt and anxiety over your status for eternity. He says you can know for sure. Don t rely on the fact that you come to church or you ve gone through some sort of religious ritual in the past. The Bible is clear that we can be religious but not be in a loving relationship with God. Mere religious activities and afciliations never saved anyone. Salvation doesn t come by attending a great church, by the mere act of baptism, by just taking communion or by simply hanging out with a bunch of Christians. It comes by God s grace through your faith in the work of Christ. It comes by choosing to turn from your sin and turn to a Savior. It comes by trusting God s grace to forgive and by relying on God s grace to help you walk faithfully every single day. THAT is how you experience God s peace and assurance. So settle it now! Resolve this today. If you are experiencing pain or hurt right now, wouldn t it be wonderful if God used your suffering to bring you closer to Him? Or even if tragedy were to take your life this very day, God can offer you the concidence that what immediately comes next is actually the very best thing of all.