If the Creator Cares, Why So Much Suffering? - From Where Did Suffering Come?

Although many people would object to being consider sinners, the Bible puts the facts in proper perspective, saying: "Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because  they had all sinned."  (Romans 5:12) The first human couple reaped the consequences of their own harmful course, but their offspring were affected too.  (Galatians 6:7)  Their progeny inherited imperfection, leading to death.  Some find this more understandable when they consider the scientific fact that even now children  may inherit diseases or defects from their parents.  This can be so with hemophilia, thalassemia (Mediterranean anemia), coronary artery disease, one type of diabetes, and even breast cancer.  The children are not personally at fault, yet they may suffer as a result of what they have inherited.

Our genetic ancestors, Adam and Eve, chose to reject Jehovah's way of ruling mankind. You know from history that humans have tried all sorts of governments in an effort to rule the earth.  Some men and women involved in these efforts were well-intentioned. Yet, how do you evaluate the results of man's self-rule?  Has most human suffering been relieved? Hardly.  On the contrary, many policies and national wars have amplified suffering.  Some 3,000 years ago, a wise ruler observed: "Man has dominated man to his injury. -Ecclesiastes 8:9.

Do you see the situation as being much different now, perhaps better?  Most would answer no.  Many men, women, and children suffer not only because of inherited sin and imperfection but because of what the or others have done. Think of the human mismanagement of the earth, which is often due to greed.  men are guilty, too, of causing pollution, creating poverty, and contributing to hunger or to disease epidemics. Even some natural disasters, which many call acts of God, are man-made.  (Note: Well, Duh! No surprise there!)  There is another major cause of suffering that is usually overlooked.

Next time: If the Creator Cares, Why So Much Suffering? - The Person Behind the Suffering

From the book: Is There a Creator That Cares About You?