How Can a Good God Ordain Suffering?
And it is here
This is a thoughtful question that delves into the heart of God's character and His relationship to suffering. To answer it, we must consider the interplay between God's nature, His purposes, and the fallen state of creation.
God's Nature: Ultimate Goodness
God's nature is perfectly good (Psalm 34:8, 1 John 1:5). He is the ultimate standard of goodness, and everything He does is consistent with His character. This means that God cannot do anything morally evil or inconsistent with His goodness. James 1:13 affirms that God neither tempts anyone to sin nor is He Himself tempted by evil.
Because God is good, His purposes for creation are also good. However, the existence of suffering does not contradict His goodness when we view it through the lens of His eternal purposes.
What Does It Mean to Ordain?
To "ordain" means to establish or decree something in accordance with a higher purpose or authority. When applied to God, ordaining refers to His sovereign decision to allow or establish events within the framework of His eternal plan. Importantly, ordaining does not imply that God directly causes evil or suffering, but rather that He permits these realities to unfold within His sovereign will, using them to accomplish His greater purposes.
The Ordination of Suffering: A Redemptive Purpose
Suffering is not inherently good, but God can ordain it within His sovereign plan to achieve a greater good. This distinction emphasizes that while suffering occurs, it is not beyond God's control or outside His divine purpose. Instead, it fits within His overarching plan for redemption.
Suffering as a Consequence of the Fall Suffering exists because of humanity's rebellion in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin entered the world, bringing death, pain, and suffering (Romans 5:12). This brokenness is not God's original design but a consequence of human free will and sin.
God’s Sovereignty Over Suffering While God did not create evil or suffering, He remains sovereign over it. This means He can use suffering to fulfill His purposes without compromising His goodness. For example:
The Cross of Christ: The crucifixion of Jesus, an act of human evil, was ordained by God to bring about redemption (Acts 2:23). The suffering of Christ, though horrific, resulted in the ultimate good: salvation for humanity.
Paul’s Suffering: In Acts 9:15-16, God declared that Paul would suffer for His name. This suffering was not arbitrary but served to spread the gospel and deepen Paul’s reliance on God (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
Why Suffering Can Be Ordained Without Being Inherently Good
Suffering as a Tool for Growth God uses suffering as a means of sanctification and spiritual growth. Hebrews 12:10-11 describes God's discipline as painful but ultimately yielding a harvest of righteousness and peace.
Suffering as a Path to Eternal Glory In 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, Paul calls suffering "light and momentary" compared to the "eternal weight of glory" it produces. While suffering itself is not good, its outcome is good when it aligns with God’s purposes.
Suffering to Reveal God’s Glory In John 9:1-3, Jesus explained that a man’s blindness was not due to sin but so that the works of God might be displayed. Here, suffering becomes a stage for God’s glory to be revealed.
A Mystery Beyond Human Comprehension
There is an element of mystery in how God ordains suffering without contradicting His goodness. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that God’s ways are higher than ours. What may seem incomprehensible or contradictory to us fits within His perfect and eternal plan.
The Key Distinction: Suffering Redeemed by God
The difference lies in understanding that God does not call suffering "good" in isolation. Instead, suffering is redeemed through His purposes. God’s sovereignty ensures that suffering, though painful and undesirable, is never meaningless. It is always woven into a larger tapestry of His redemptive plan.
Conclusion
God’s ordination of suffering is not a contradiction of His goodness but an extension of it. While suffering itself is not inherently good, God’s purposes transform it into a tool for good. Whether through sanctification, redemption, or the revelation of His glory, suffering serves to fulfill God’s ultimate plan—a plan rooted in His perfect goodness and love.
This perspective invites us to trust Him, even in the midst of pain, knowing that He works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).