Why God Allows Suffering

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 

2 Peter 3:9 

“If there is a God and He is good, as you say He is,” someone asks, “why does He allow suffering in the world? Why doesn’t He just get rid of it?” There is an answer to that question—if people are willing to hear it.  

Suffering gets its start in sin. It’s just part of the “package” of living in a fallen world that has ignored God and gone its own way. So if God were to get rid of suffering, He’d also have to get rid of sin. And if He did that, untold billions of people would be burnt to a crisp in a nanosecond.  

Today’s Scripture reads, “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” God delays closing the curtain on suffering and sin because it gives more time for us to tell people who ignore God about the grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Let’s do that today… while there is time. 

Lord, please open my eyes to the opportunities You bring across my path today. If I have the chance to share a Scripture, put it into my mind. If it’s just a word that’s needed, help me to speak that word. If there is only time for a friendly smile, help me to smile from the heart.