If I had to name the top two reasons that people disbelieve in the God of Jesus Christ, I would have to pick hypocrisy and suffering. While both subjects are extremely important, right now the one that is on my heart to write about is suffering.
There is a great, heartfelt doubt over the existence of the God described in the Bible. That doubt is generally stated this way: “If God is such a loving God, why is there so much suffering in the world?” It’s a very legitimate question and I blame no one for asking it. When we are in pain, be it physical, emotional, or spiritual, the question that screams out the most in our minds is “Why??”
Well, there is not just one answer . There are several different sources of suffering that I have observed both in life and via God’s Word. In time I hope to address all of them. For now though I want to focus on the one that stands out far above the rest, and that is evil.
Think about it. How much of this world’s suffering can be traced back to some form of evil? To some sin? Some wickedness? Or even simply a failure to do what is right?
Drugs lead to stealing, lying, homelessness, prostitution, disease and even death.
Men get drunk and then commit acts of violence against their family. People get drunk, get behind the wheel of a car, then kill and/or seriously injure someone.
Someone has lost everything they have because they were scammed by an email, a false job advertisement on the internet, a stolen credit card number, or some other sort of cyber trick.
A woman, a child, a youth, maybe even a man has sex forced on them, an act that is like setting off a spiritual grenade in one’s psyche.
We refuse to save sex for marriage and what does that lead to? Emotional hurt, veneral disease, other diseases, emptiness, abortion, unloved children.
We make and view porn which only exponentiates all forms of sex-related suffering.
We do not forgive so our insides are full of bitterness and anger.
Person X is angry with person Y, so they lie about them, try to shame them, play cruel jokes on them, or commit acts of violence.
We get so caught up in entertaining oursevles that the sick don’t get visited, the hurting don’t get called, the opportunities to do good just waste away.
The list could go on ad infinitum.
While I will address how all this relates to God and disbelief, for now I simply ask you to engage in this meditation:
Take some time to think about some of the suffering that you and the people you love most have experienced. How much of it can be traced back to evil? to sin? to people failing to do good? To people refusing God’s ways and following their own?
Til next time!
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