Why does God....

[TreeStandBowHunter]

In since I didn't get the answer I wanted, someone please tell me...in english...why God permits people to suffer. I mean let's look at the 9/11 hijackings for example. I am sure someone in those peoples families prayed for them before they left home to fly. Why would God not answer their prayers for them? Why does God allow such tragic things happen to helpless people? If all you have to do is pray, then why aren't all prayers answered? Now I am just using 9/11 as an example. There are tons of other things.

People say that their prayers were answered now that the boy in Colorado was found. Ok, so why him and not all the other 1 million kids that go missing? I mean I could go on and on here. Why does God allow these things to happen...especially to helpless children. I mean how many christian families out there have tragic things happen to them. Well let me answer that for you, ALOT. I would like to here somebody answer this. I mean it's all about believing and praying right? I mean, I want to have a safe trip down to Pennsylvania next week with my family, but do you think praying about it is going to change anything from happening on the way down?

[johnf]

There is and has always been tragities. God say "The rain falls on the just and the unjust" to me this means this. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. In reference to 911. The bible clearly shows that when a nation turns it's back on God, He has allowed them to be attacked, invaded, taken over, and sent in slavery untill they turned back to God. I think as testiment in the media and everywhere else, our nation, has turned it's back on God and he has allowed us to be attacked. This is not a punishment for an indiviudal, but for an entire nation.

My daughter, on occation, has asked for things that she really wants or thinks that she really needs. As her father, I know more of what she really needs and what is good for her. Sometimes we ask for things that we don't need or things that God knows that we shouldn't have.

All prayers are answered. Sometimes God says no.

[buckee]

The other thing is that the closer we get to the return of our Lord Jesus, the more rope Satan is given in the world. Daniel and revelations talks about it quite a bit.
If you believe there is a God who created everything and you trust in his word, you'd better believe also that Satan has been given free reign here on earth until that day. That's one of the reasons for prayer right there, is asking God to protect us from that clown. The bible says (yeah, that's right..the bible says ) that "Satan goes about like a roaring lion, seeking for whom he can devour" Just take a good look around ...Satans rule is quite obvious in the world, but God is greater. That's why we need to put our hopes and trust in him.
Yes, bad things happen to Christians and non-Christians. God says he causes it to rain on the just and the unjust.
God has a plan, where it comes to dealing with Satan and all his rebellious angels. I wish I understood fully why things happen as they do sometimes, but I trust in God's plan.
It can get discouraging..no doubt about it, but that is why we are to build our house upon the rock (Jesus), instead of the shifting sand. When the storms come and the wind blows, at least I know I have my house built on the rock. (that's biblical to by the way )
When I see kids getting molested and murdered on the news, all I can think is "Come Lord Jesus, Come"

[spyderpancake]

Good answers guys. As for your original question, God allows people to suffer for many reasons. One is so that we will grow stronger. Another is to get people's attention. Have you ever seen people who were more open to God than after 911? In my 18 years I haven't. And your qustion about prayer, God promises to answer I prayers, but that doesn't mean he will always give us what we want. That would be stupid. We would be asking for things that would NOT be good for us. Which we do a lot of times anyway. Have you ever read the book of Job in the Bible? It tells the story of a man who was morally upright, and God allowed Satan to afflict him. He lost his children, his possesions, and his health. His wife even turned her back on him. But he remained faithful, and God gave him double of everything that he had lost. Who knows why God let him go thru it. Maybe to show Satan that His followers were able to resist him? Or maybe to be a witness to his friends? God has a reason for everything, and while we can't always see it, everything is for our good and His glory.

[wtnhunt]

Because there are evil men on this earth and God as good as he is does let some prayers go unanswered for reasons only he knows.

[TreeStandBowHunter]

Well he obviously knows more than me because for what reason he would let a young child die such a horrible death is beyond me. Well not let it happen to the people doing the bad stuff out there

[TreeWalker]

When bad things happen it also steers us in certain directions........we need to use the discouragement, that Satan heaps upon, and use it as a rudder to steer us in the right direction......

How many of us have found ourselves cruising through our day to day lives and have forgotten how we got there or where we are going ?? I know I have and still do.......God allows certain things to happen, to get our attention, but all for the greater good......it is not for us to comprehend or question his motives, but to trust in him. He longs for a personal relationship with each and everyone of us, as a father does his children....we are his children....but that won't happen if we are not actively seeking him.....

Sometimes a tragedy happens, and it brings people closer to God, doesn't it.......

And on the topic of prayer, unfortunately I know I've been one to shout out a hollow prayer now and again.....sure I have good intentions, but there has not been faith behind them.......some prayers go unanswered because we do not have our lives right with the Lord.......

Matthew 6:33 says: Seek first the kingdom of God, and his his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you........

[TreeWalker]

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Well he obviously knows more than me because for what reason he would let a young child die such a horrible death is beyond me.

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Jesus died an exceedingly horrible death......as unselfish an act as any could imagine.....

Our bodies are of the earth, but our spirits are of God....and I am quite sure that God was with that child as with many others through out history...young and old....the suffering here on earth pales in comparison to the rejoicing that is and will be done in heaven.......or to the torment of an eternity in he!!

[SaskMan]

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Sometimes a tragedy happens, and it brings people closer to God, doesn't it.......

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I can't see how a tragedy such as losing a child or having a loved one taken from you in a horrible way, or having a loved one abused, raped etc.. would bring anyone rational closer to God, the one who is supposed to be watching out for us all. There is way too much evil in this world for me to buy any of it.

[TreeWalker]

Well, every born again Christian in here(or elsewhere) I am sure can vouch for it.......it took me hitting rock bottom, to wake me up........sometimes you gotta fall into a hole to see the light at the top.....

We can not let our selfish needs or wants rob of us of greater things......and the fact that you acknowledge that there is evil in the world, lends me to believe that you understand that there is also good.....

Why is it you non-beleivers find it so easy to lay blame for all bad occurrences on God, but hesitate to lay it at the feet of Satan.....the one who is responsible for all evil ??

[TreeWalker]

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......would bring anyone rational closer to God, the one who is supposed to be watching out for us all.

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Can we as parents prevent things from happening to our own children ?? sometimes yes......how 'bout if we don't know where they are ?? Odds decrease don't they........it's all about communication.....Just as people long for reuniting with long lost loved ones, so does God long for a relationship with his children on earth........and just as it is hard to protect our loved ones (within our means) when we don't know them or know where they are, so does God have a hard time protecting us if we don't know him or let him know we're here......and if we don't ask for additional help through sincere prayer when we hit some snags, how can he then recognise each of our dilemas and pour donw his blessings upon us ....he also gave us freedom...free will.....if we walk away from him and don't keep in touch, it is hard for God to keep tabs on us......but doesn't mean he cares less.....he loves us just the same...........and just as in any one of our lives, no matter how hard we try to protect ourselves and our loved ones, accidents and tragedies will occur.......just like, as hard as God tries to protect us with his grace and mercy, there is still the evil actions of Satan at work......and Satan will do everything in his power to tear us all apart.......threads like this, are evidence of that.....

[johnf]

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I can't see how a tragedy such as losing a child or having a loved one taken from you in a horrible way, or having a loved one abused, raped etc.. would bring anyone rational closer to God, the one who is supposed to be watching out for us all.

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Have you ever seen the movie "A Time to Kill"?

Even though it's not real, every time is see it, at the end of the movie. I can't help but get all teary eyed and go in and hold my daughter, kiss her and pray for her safty and ask God to watch over her. Then I start praying for other things and thanking God and praisning him for his many blessings. The tragity that never even happend to that little girl on a movie causes me to be closer to God.

If that one little 2 minute segment can do that to me, how many others have gone through the same thing. How many people are closer to God because of 911? How many have given their lives to Christ because of the tragity there? How many people have come closer to God because of the guys who took over the plane that went down in Penn?

My guess would be a lot more than that died.


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There is way too much evil in this world for me to buy any of it.

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The closer we get to the end the worse it's is going to be. Satan has more control over the world than he ever has, and tomarrow it's going to be worse. It is biblical, if you would like me to look it up I will.

[slugshooter]

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Why is it you non-beleivers find it so easy to lay blame for all bad occurrences on God, but hesitate to lay it at the feet of Satan.....the one who is responsible for all evil ??

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Because God is the one who allows bad things to happen, even if satan is the culprit behind it all, God allows it to happen. Why? I don't know, and that is the purpose behind this whole thread that TSBH started. The pastor of the church I attended when I was a little kid said in a sermon one time that "God doesn't do bad things to people." Well, if he allows them to happen, is God considered complacent in these matters? Isn't He just as responsible as satan for the horrors that people encounter on a daily basis if he allows them to happen but does not intercede?

[TreeWalker]

There is more to this than you and I will ever comprehend....we were not meant to, or we would be all-knowing like God....so too, there will be no other God's before him.

His plan for us is bigger than the a simple "here and now".....if the tragedy to some, causes many to become reborn, than the better has been achieved.....

The problem is that the negative effects are always seen and remembered because we are merely human, and that's what sticks in our short term memory........as in 9/11, it was a horrific tragedy and I can not fathom the suffering that was endured on that scale......but legions of people came to know Christ because of it, and others remewed their faith.........and a renewed pride in the United States as citizens, sprung out of the rubble..........in the past couple decades there was a moral degredation......we are now seeing a moral rebirth.............

It is easy to only regonize the bad that happens in our lives....but it is merely a sliver in time compared to what the future holds.......and none of us can predict the future......only God knows what that holds...........but history does speak for itself, and I would venture to guess, that for every tragedy that happened through out history...regardless on what scale....there was rebuilding and rebirth.....more positives than negatives.....can you imagine where we'd be if there wasn't ??

[Tominator]

I simply don't know Mike. Why has my cancer been found so early, and it's always been operable? And yet, my brother's was found late, and eventually became inoperable? Why did he suffer for 6 years with that pain?

In the last few years, this is yet another thing I've thought about.

I've come up with 2 things; I guess we'll never know if it's true or not, but #1--we have a purpose here, it's your job to figure it out and do it to the best of your ability.

#2--when your time is up, it's up, and God knows when your mission is done.