Why does God allow children to suffer?

[Lindsey]

||May 27, 2011||
Why does God allow children to suffer?

Lately it seems as though children are suffering needlessly and for no apparent reason. Why does God all these horrible things to happen?

The whole issue of God allowing evil is a tough one. It takes a low of thought – and prayer – to even begin to understand how a loving and holy God can allow the tragedies of child abuse, murder, and other horrors.

First, it’s important to know that God does allow evil. If you didn’t believe that He allows evil, then you would have to believe that God is powerless to stop it when it happens. And we know that isn’t true. As the sovereign, all-powerful God and Creator of the universe, God allows everything. Nothing good – or bad – happens outside of His control. This is different, however, than God initiating and causing the evil and suffering. As a holy and perfect God, He is incapable of evil, and He cannot cause evil.

Let’s look at it another way. If God did not allow evil, then He would have to destroy everything that is evil, including us (by that we mean all of humanity, not just Bruce and Stan). But in His great love and mercy, God not ony allows us to live, but He has given us a way to get back into a right relationship with Him (Romans 5:5-11).

⁵And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. ⁶For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. ⁸But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. ¹⁰For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. ¹¹And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Even though God allows evil now, that doesn’t mean He will allow it forever. The Scripture is clear that right now, God is being patient with us so that more people will repent. But His judgment of sin will come (2 Peter 3:8-10).

⁸But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Just as sin has infected the human race (such that we cause evil not intended by God), so the natural world is under the curse of sin, sometimes causing terrible disasters that take the lives of babies and children. In general, our world operates in marvelous ways. Simply by looking at the wonder of God’s creations, we can see the glory of God (Psalm 19).

¹The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
²Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
³There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
⁴Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
⁵Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
⁶His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
⁷The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
⁸The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
⁹The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
¹⁰More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
¹¹Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
¹²Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
¹³Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
¹⁴Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

As the same time, creation isn’t perfect. Scripture says, “Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God’s curse. All creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time” (Romans 8:20-22).

²⁰For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, ²¹Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²²For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Just as the earth groans under the weight of sin, so do most people groan in shock, dismay and disgust at child abuse. But that is the effect of sin. At the same time, we shouldn’t lose hope. We can be confident that such evil will come to an end in God’s timing.

Meanwhile, when we learn of tragedies like the ones in the news recently involving children, we need to pray for those affected by this unspeakable evil done by sinful people, that God’s grace and comfort would come upon them in a powerful way.