Why So Much Pain?

Pain is one of the primary reasons that some people have lost their faith in God. Some say if God is all-loving and powerful, he should fix all the pain in the world. A girl I knew in high school who claimed atheism explained to me that she prayed that her parent would not get a divorce, and yet they still did. That she claimed is why she believed there was no God. She felt that God was this genie-in-a-bottle type of God and that her wish was His command. This view has a few points to discuss.

One, pain is a byproduct of free will and sin. In the garden, Eve listened to the serpent, and she and Adam ate the fruit that God had told them not to eat. They had free will to do in the garden as they pleased and disobeyed God’s command. Sin entered the world, and there is a possibility of sin wherever there is free will. Scripture teaches that all have sinned. (Romans 3:21-24) Other people’s sins can cause us pain, and yet we still sometimes blame God.

Two, not every prayer will be answered as we want. David’s story is a testament to a strong faith. The child that he prayed to live died anyway, and while the child was dying, David was in great pain and heartache. When the child died, he responded with, “But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:15-23)

Takeaway: As long as there is free will on earth, sin can happen. As long as we live east of Eden, we do not live in the incredible paradise of heaven. But if we are baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38) and walk in the light (1 John 1:7), we can have the hope that comforts us for eternity without pain, heartache, or tears.