Why is there suffering in the world? Why doesn't God just reveal himself to us and live with us in paradise?

Question

I am a believer, who often struggles with his faith. I backslide occsaionally, but I have found that over time I always come back a little stronger.

I know that there are countless good and rightous people in the world. And that there is great beauty and charity. I believe there have been miracles all throughout history.

But why is there so much suffering in the world? Why is there so much pain, inequality, poverty, war, and hunger?

Have you ever wondered why God does not just fully reveal himself to us and live with us in a perfect paradise?

I know many people will say that there is suffereing because God wants us to turn to him, and have faith in him objectively. But have you ever wondered why this would be necessary? Why can't God just present himself to us and remove the need for us to find him or struggle with our faith?

Why?

Answer 1

It's good to believe in something. The alternative would be to realize nature doesn't care. But there is great beauty in that. Go out into the wilderness and commune with the mountains. They don't care, yet, like the lilies of the field, Solomon in all his glory don't even come close.

Of course I've wondered why God doesn't just just come clean and say "just kidding." All I can offer is there is much information out there about how life, and our universe, works. It is interesting indeed. No one knows what set existence into motion, but once it got going, the resultant processes are well explained. All the way back to the first trillionth of a trillionth of a billionth of a second. This is hubris indeed for scientific knowledge, but the information is there. The idea of God may have something to it, but it was not necessary for God to lift a finger since creation. The universe pretty much took it from there on its own. God has not had anything to do for the last 14.5 billion years. Unless, of course, you think that God influences who'll win next Sunday's football game, or more poignantly, that Timmy will walk again. I personally find this concept of God absurd.


In the words of Woody Allen: "I don't think God is evil. The best I can say about Him is that He's an underachiever."

Answer 2

It is also the fact that the element of good is more in the creation than the element of evil. We all see that there are more people who are healthy than those who are sick. There are more that eat well then those who starve. There are more that live decent life then those who commit crimes. Goodness is the rule and evil is the exception. Virtue is the norm and sin is the aberration. Generally trees bear fruits, the flowers bloom, the winds move smoothly. .

This is a temporary world and every thing here has a time limit. When its times comes it will die, come to an end and finish. Neither the good things of this world are forever, nor the bad things eternal. We are here for a short time and we are being tested. Those who will pass this test they will find an eternal world that is perfect and permanent. Those who will fail this test they shall see the evil consequences of their sins and corruption.



How many times it happens that we are not careful and still we reach safely to our destinations. The way people drive in some cities, it is a miracle that more accidents do not happen and more people do not suffer. Allah says: (Allah) Most Gracious! 2- It is He Who has taught the Qur'an. 3- He has created man: 4- He has taught him speech (and Intelligence). 5- The sun and the moon follow courses (exactly) computed; 6- And the herbs and the trees both (alike) bow in adoration. 7- And the Firmament has He raised high, and He has set up the Balance (of Justice), 8- In order that you may not transgress (due) balance. 9- So establish weight with justice and fall not short in the balance. 10- It is He Who has spread out the earth for (His) creatures. (al-Rahman 55:1-10)

Abu Yahya Suhaib bin Sinan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him".

[Muslim].

Answer 3

The answer is very simple. Every religion can tell you this is a life of probation, where we all should probe with actions we are worthy to go back to God. Every soul comes here not just to get a body and learn from their suffering, but from their ability to help anothers to stop suffering. But we are so selfish we only care about ourselves, so we dont help the others, the suffering never ends, and the cycle goes on and on...

Indeed, salvation is an individual matter. God has played its part. Now it's your time to play yours!

Answer 4

God won't be able to be shown. i don't believe of that God will ever be shown. basically depending on the quantity of lack of documents and belittling that comes alongside with the former adage of attempting to teach God's life. i imagine that information superhighway web site is phoney extremely. the only about proving psychic issues and God like issues. the only which supposedly supplies the guy like a million money to teach that this stuff is actual. It could be a funny tale. If some one become waiting to teach that God is actual, I pretty doubt that that they'd come ahead, in consumer-friendly words to be drowned and trampled on by way of the voices of the overall public. basically my opinion.

Answer 5

Excellent question... and one that has been posed by more people than I could recount.

The first thing we have to remember is that we had paradise... and we (mankind) willingly yielded control of it to "the serpent". Does that mean God is no longer in control... absolutely not... but it does mean that (as sad as it is to say) sometimes stuff happens... and He allows it to happen because He gave the planet to us... and for the time being, it is US who have to take steps to make it better...

The second thing I want you to remember is that Jesus himself said things would get worse and worse before His return... famine, pestilence, wars and rumors of wars... and he said all that would be just the beginning of sorrow...

So... believe it or not.. God doesn't just allow suffering so that people will turn to him... rather he allows it because we still have the opportunity to take control of what he gave us... in the end, though, he knows that mankind as a whole will not do what is right... and in fact greed and distrust will cause men to plunge this world into chaos unlike any period in history...

It is incumbent os us as Christians to first make sure we are ready for his return... (Paul said we are to examine ourselves - for if we judge ourselves, we won't have to be judged). That means when we backslide (and we all do), we have to ask for forgiveness and move on (why do so many of us dwell on the past). We also need to let others know that he is coming back and they need to be ready... we don't have to beat them up (or down) with the message... just share it and let them do with it what they will.

Answer 6

That is probably the most asked question from believers and non-believers. I don't think anyone really knows the answer. But it doesn't make God any less than we know Him to be. That is called 'faith'. Perhaps it is one of the things He allows to test our faith. I don't know, But:

We will know the answer to all our questions one day. That is a day to look forward to. Eventually, He will live with us or us with Him. The earth will be new, our bodies will never ware out, there will be no need to lock a door - if there are doors. No more too hot, too cold, sad, mad or hungry.

Answer 7

The first thing you must realize is there is more than one God in this world; 2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. Now the God of this world is the Devil and the word devil means accuser of the brothers. So you must understand the World was given to Lucifer when Adam and Eve fell, because Lucifer offered it to Jesus if he would fall down and worship him; Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 8Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Notice the words ALL the KINGDOMS of the WORLD, the devil showed him the future in a vision.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
This battle for the world started in Heaven but is not over yet; Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, Because Lucifer does not care about his subjects on earth there is suffering, he is the cause of all the evils and the 1/3 of the angels that fell with him; 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Paridise will begin when Satan is removed from the earth and all of his followers. Satan will be bound for 1000 years and that will start Paridise on earth, Jesus got the keys of Hell and death but Satan is still ruling and has many followers that hate God's people. But you must not be carnal in your understand, Jesus is ruling Heaven and preparing a place for his followers but Jesus Christ says you can be healed and you will never die if you are in him because if you die in this body you have another one already prepared and waiting for you. 1 Corinthians 15: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
But to answer you further God uses all things to work for your good and if Jesus learned perfection by the things he suffered why would you suppose your life should be any different; Hebrews 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
All Christains backslide and that is not uncommon, but continuing to believe God is faithful to forgive that is what faith is about, but you must confess the faults to be forgiven. You also must remember to God since Jesus Christ was here has been only 2 days in Heaven; 2 Peter 3:8 But, 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.
God does not want suffering but if you die you have a greater reward for suffering for God; 1 Peter 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
I think the Bible does have most of your questions covered if you can recieve it?

Answer 8

We all have failed and come short of the glory of God. It says so in the Bible. All of us struggle with faith but, faith is believing. It seems as though the world is running rampant with evil doers and that the good people suffer the most but, that is because the devil runs the world. Have you noticed the nasty people get their rewards here on earth? We get ours in Heaven and that is for eternity. I would much rather get mine then. God does reveal himself in our hearts and with our guilty feelings. He lets us know when we are doing something he doesn't approve of, it's that "gut feeling" that people get. All of us suffer and that's when we have to lean on our faith to get us through. Just know that vengeance is his and he SHALL repay the people who do bad things to his children. We all question God but, that's OK. He wants us to come to him. Little children ask their parents all kinds of things and that's why we are called the children of God. Ever wonder why we raise our arms when we are praising him or asking something of him? It's because we are like little children, wanting him to lift us up. Keep your faith, pray when you are feeling alone and down. God is ALWAYS there and listening.

Answer 9

Satan is the prince of the earth right now. God does not allow suffering, people want to suffer because they are disobedient and do not want to know God, they think that they can go by there own beliefs. the scriputes says

Isa 29:16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

Answer 10

The reason for pain and suffering in this world is because of Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden. When they disobeyed God, that is when God brought forth sorrow, pain, disease, etc. to humankind. It is His righteous and perfect judgement on man because of disobedience. Read the first few chapters of Genesis. That explains it.

God will reveal Himself in HIS time. Only God knows when He will return for the last time. It's not for us to know.