Why Does God Cause Bad Things To Happen?

Many people find pain and suffering troubling. How could a God of love let masses of people die from killer hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, and disease? It is common for people to interpret illness, loss of finances, loss of relatives, loss of status, and other types of suffering to be the result of sin. Is God pouring out his anger upon sinners? We are quick to think the suffering person is being punished by God for some type of disobedience. God’s people are not immune to suffering physical, emotional, and spiritual pain.

Job, from the Book of Job, reminds us that we live in a world filled with sin and a world of suffering. Job said he did not sin and that he was innocent. He said he did not deserve to be punished and did not understand why God was doing so. At one painful time or another, many of us have felt the same way Job did. We ask: “Why is God doing this to me?” Job’s suffering did not come from God, but rather from Satan. The devil and his actions in the world are partly to blame for the cause of pain and suffering that we see around us today. Humanity’s own free choice at the very beginning of creation is also to blame.

God created us to live forever in perfect health and safety. When God created the earth it was perfect and free of pain and suffering. All that changed by the fall of mankind. Pain, death, and suffering are the result of the “free choice” to sin. God may allow mankind to suffer, but he is not the cause of it. The ultimate cause of suffering is the devil and the evil that he brought into the world. In one way or another, the devil is directly or indirectly responsible for suffering and the evil in our world.

It was Satan, who caused sickness, pain, and death to afflict humanity when he led Adam and Eve into sin. (Genesis 3:1-5, 17-19; Romans 5:12) He persuaded Eve to disobey God, and Adam followed her disobedience. Satan deceived Eve and she led Adam to sin. Since Adam was the head of the human race, Satan claimed that Adam had chosen him to become “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Adam and Eve disobeyed God, which in turn let Satan claim dominion over the earth. Sickness and death were part of the outcome of this sin. (Romans 5:19)

Satan is shown to be an accuser who seeks to sow discord and condemn (Zechariah 3:1-2), incites people to sin against God (1 Chronicles 21:1), and uses humans and the elements to cause great pain and suffering (Job 1:6-19; 2:1-8). The New Testament is very clear in telling us that Satan is the controlling power of the present evil world.

God must allow the devil to have his own way to make God’s entire creation understand the vile nature of sin. This shows the detestable things that will happen when we disregard God’s law. God allows Satan free reign on earth to cause all kinds of havoc. God must allow this because if He does not then Satan could accuse God of limiting his actions. Then when things become worse Satan could claim that it was God’s fault because God restricted Satan’s actions. God must allow Satan to run things as he sees fit, otherwise all this misery and unhappiness on the earth will have been in vain and the great controversy of free choice or force devotion would remain unsettled.

God is loving, gentle, meek, kind, unselfish, just and fair. His own love prevents Him from doing anything that is unfair. Satan claims that it would be unfair for God to interfere with human’s free choice. Satan claims that God must allow those who choose sin to follow him and reject God.

Sin is not fair. When Adam sinned he handed all of humanity into the hands of the devil. God did not want Adam and Eve to sin. God allowed it because He gave humans the gift of free choice. God could have destroyed Satan, Adam, and Eve and started over but God would have been ruling from the standpoint of force, rather than love. In order for love to flourish, it must operate on the principle of free choice.

I want to point out three lessons in the book of Job that will help answer our original question. First is that human suffering does not result from God’s displeasure with us. Second, God is with His people all the time. He is with us even during our times of suffering. Lastly, suffering may be permitted by God but it is ultimately brought about by Satan.

God does not abandon us at times of pain and suffering or at any other time. God is in the business of rescuing, helping, and healing. God has compassion. He wants to help us, not hurt us. He holds out salvation and everlasting life to all who will receive Him. By means of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, born again Christians are redeemed from their sinful condition and will eventually have access to perfect health and eternal life in a new paradise earth. (Matthew 5:5; John 3:16) Remember, the promise of God to be with us in all things, both good and bad (Romans 8:28). God has wonderful things in store for those who exercise faith in Him. We need to be patient and endure. In the meantime, God dispenses practical wisdom and spiritual direction by means of the Holy Bible.

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