Why is there pain and suffering?

I would guess that the biggest reason people don’t believe in God is that they can’t accept that a loving God would allow so much suffering in the world. I feel like I am going to wrestle with the Holocaust my whole life. It is difficult to see why God allowed such slaughter. Sometimes pain allows us to grow, but sometimes horrible things happen: children are killed, and we don’t get to see the redemption this side of heaven. We don’t get to see the children killed in the Newton tragedy enjoying heaven with Jesus. But that is where they are, and my prayers for the parents are that God would give them a vision of their children happy and whole.

We may not have sufficient answers to why God allows pain and suffering. I was struck the first time I heard the question “Why do WE allow pain and suffering?” I don’t know who said it, and I think there is certainly a limit to what we are responsible for, but it is worth considering. Are Christians known overall for making every effort to alleviate the pain and suffering in the world? Are we as individuals known for that?

There are matters outside of our control, but let us be diligent in responding to the pain of those around us. Let us be part of the healing.