Is Suffering God's Will - Does God Want Humans to Suffer?

The Bible clearly tells us that suffering came as a result of the sin of the first humans God created; Adam and Eve. After the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, the relationship between God and mankind was broken , God banished man from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. The consequence of the sin Adam and Eve committed is suffering, while the reason for this suffering is directly related to the curse that came upon the earth as a result of sin. 

God is sovereign over everything that happens in our lives, and though he is not the author of sin, nevertheless he does bring calamity and consequences to both believers and unbelievers in order to accomplish his good purposes. 

Suffering serves a purpose in our lives - the book of Job in the old testament is a good example of this. Job was a righteous and blameless man and one who feared God, yet he suffered greatly . He lost everything in his possession, including his children and was afflicted with painful sores all over his body. In all of these, Job continued to trust God. Job's faithfulness in the midst of his suffering was an example to everyone and this brought him blessings than he had before and ever imagined. 

God in his knowledge of all things does not want Humans to suffer, nor is He responsible for suffering but yet he permits it.  

Paul writes in the book of Romans 5:3-5 , " Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance ; perseverance , character ; and character , hope. And hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the holy spirit , who has been given to us".

In our world today, there so many reasons why God permits suffering;

1. Suffering can serve as a test of Faith

God tests our faith in order for us to become stronger christians and also to refine us. Knowing this will help us face inconveniences and challenges of our everyday life.

Suffering shows the truth of our faith to the world. In times of turmoil and pain, we hold fast to what we have placed our hope in; God. . In this way, it shows whether our faith is a reality or a joke. Suffering reveals whether our faith is based on God or the circumstances surrounding our lives.    

The suffering that God permits is temporary and small compared to the joy and eternal glory that awaits the children of God in heaven. 

Read: Can there be a Life without Problems?

2. Suffering brings you closer to God.

The Book of Genesis 37 tells us the story of Joseph , who was sold into slavery by his brothers , he was also imprisoned by Potiphar's wife because he refused to engage in sin . Despite all his sufferings, he kept his faith and eventually he rose to a position of power in Egypt. Most importantly his faith was deepened through his sufferings as he draws closer to God. He responded to this with humility, faith and meekness . God exalted him through his sufferings and he did not trust in his own strength but looked unto God. 

3. Suffering helps to grow our dependence on God

Suffering can grow our dependence on God because it shows that we are not self sufficient. When we go through life's challenge, we might feel helpless and that is when we can turn to God for help. God is our source of strength during hard times. As we learn to rely on God, we experience peace and our lives changes for the best .

4. Suffering conforms us to Christ. 

If we want to be parts of Christ's body, we must want to be like him, and his life was a series of sufferings. It is good to be like Christ and conformity often comes through suffering. Apostle Paul wrote that if you are a child of God , then you are " heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ , provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. " ( Romans 8:17) .

It would be clear and scriptural to say that while we live on this earth, in our human bodies it is God's will for us to suffer . Philippians 1:29 says " For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him , but also suffer for his sake. " 

However, God's permission for us to suffer does not mean he does not love us , he knows that suffering is a part of this life that we live in and he uses it to accomplish his purpose. The Bible tells us suffering produces perseverance, character and hope . God can use even the most difficult situations for our good. 

As Christians, we must approach suffering with the right attitude . We must be submissive to the will of God . The scripture says " But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering When his glory shall be revealed , ye may be glad with exceeding joy If ye be reproached for the name of Christ , happy are ye ; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you : on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part, he is glorified ". ( 1 Peter 4:13-14)

We may feel suffering, but the grace of God abounds because we have Jesus who has overcome the world . Jesus willingly suffered the greatest pain because he knew the end of the story. How we react to suffering reveals the glory of Christ in us. 

How to keep a right attitude in hard times

# Fix your eyes on Jesus ; when you focus on Jesus, hope will grow strong in your heart. 

# Walk in confidence knowing that God is on your side; If God is for you, who can be against you? 

# Stand firm because God alone brings victories. 

# Acknowledge the good things in your life. 

# Accept that trials are a part of life. 

# Know that all things work together for good, ( Romans 8:28) tells us that. 

# Establish a very good relationship with God.

# Seek Godly Counsel.

# Effective reading of the word of God 

# Practice Gratitude; give thanks to God for being faithful. 

# Pray ; During hard times, seek the face of God 

Conclusion

As christians, we should be reminded of the fact that suffering is certain but it is for a short while. We should make sure to honor God with the right attitude in the midst of suffering. We must also understand that Sin is the cause of sufferings in our life but it doesn't mean that our lives will be trouble free because we have been delivered from the power of sin. 

God is present in times of our pain, and he is grieved by seeing a world that causes his children to suffer. He sees our pain and like any good father, he restores everything good that we have lost. So, suffering for a believer in Christ, is a call to live out a better life and to be a faithful witness to the world. It might at times be a result of our actions, but suffering is absolutely achieving God's will. This is why our suffering never concludes without God's power working through it supernaturally.