There have been so much news about mass killings, kidnapping and so much more suffering all over the world, and most time this suffering and pain happen to the believer/Christian so I understand why anyone would ask the question
IF THERE IS A GOD WHY IS THERE SO MUCH SUFFERING IN THE WORLD?
But let us remember that even Jesus himself told us in John 16:33 that as believers we will suffer trials and tribulations on earth, he didn't say might or may suffer, he said we will suffer these things but he assured us to be of good cheer in everything we face .so this is a fact that before any suffering he knows but I know the question says why we have to suffer at all
Well I don't know the mind of God or how he operates, I have already been told from my childhood Sunday school classes that God has a reason for everything but at least we have the Bible to guide us through some facts and one fact I know is that
suffering was never created by God
In the creation of the world, from genesis, God saw all he had created and said it was Good, with emphasis on the word good, so in creation, God didn't create suffering or evil. all. he created was Good but then one will wonder where the suffering came from?
It came from us humans, we deliberately cause each other suffering and pain and this is because God gave us the free will to choose, how to live, who to. serve and humans have completely abused this privilege.
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God even had to send his son Jesus to take upon himself our suffering and pain. show us salvation and give us eternal life but still because of our free will most humans choose to believe otherwise. so when you think of suffering and pain in the world understand that it was never in God's intention, we created the suffering by ourselves.
We should also understand that the suffering would not last forever, he watches and sees all things because he hasn't stepped into the situation yet that doesn't mean he would never step into him. I believe when the time is right he can turn the worst type of suffering into the best thing that can happen to the world just like he did with Jesus on the cross.
When the psalmist says
suffering may endure for a while but joy comes in the morning.
I believe it because even the word of God says our suffering now is nothing compared to the glory he has to install for us(roman8:18)
Imagine it is the beginning of the year and everything around you is falling apart, family, finances, and health for the first three months and all of a sudden everything became rosy in. the fourth month, promotions at work, good bill of health, and from there you began to enjoy an incredible year and forgot all those days of suffering at the beginning. But it didn't just happen overnight you had to believe God for peace and courage to go through the suffering rather than soak in anger and turn bitter.
In summary,
God is not a creator of suffering and pain, he gave us free will to choose love or hate, good or bad and most people choose bad and their decisions are the result of the suffering we face. God sees everything and in his own time, the right time he will intervene. But for now when suffering, pain, tragedy strikes it would be in our best interest not to question God and hate on him for what has happened instead we run to him to comfort, peace, and a way out of the pain. there you will find the courage to face any problem.