IF GOD CARES, WHY DO I SUFFER?

Throughout mankind's existence, no question is asked more frequently than this. Suffering and evil seem to plague our every aspect of life. Some seem to suffer more than others, but we all at various points in our lives will experience pain and suffering. If there is a God, surely He did not intend this to be; or does He enjoy watching us hurt in pain? Maybe He's punishing us or maybe He doesn't care or doesn't exist at all.

I also have experienced pain and suffering many times in my life. I have examined all the evidence for and against the existence of God and have settled it in my heart that He surely as you and I, does exist. So where is He when life is beating us up? Why does He allow rape and poverty and injustice? Why do we see the starving and diseased?

If there is one major thing I have learned is that the viewpoint of God and man are polar opposites. What we think is think is the right way, is not usually God's way. Humans are limited in knowledge and ability, but big on ego; we "think" we know and can do anyting and everything better tan even God Himself. We do not wish to accept that we have a limited view of our situations and cannot fully see the end result. Everyone views their particular situation through "their own eyes". Each person wants to believe that their situation is unique only to them and no one else can understand what they are going through. What does God have to sat about all this?

EVIL

Many people think the existence of evil is proof that God does not exist, but without the presence of good, there would be no knowledge of evil. Without God, there is no good or frame of reference for good or evil. Without God, there is no moral standard and hence no good or evil; hence, there can no judgments of right or wrong, even for the murderer, rapist and thief. Simply put, the existence of evil proves there is a higher moral good; God.

From scripture, we read that evil came to existence when Lucifer, God's chiefest angel rebelled and has since waged war on those whoi God loves; people. God gives "free choice" Without free choice, you would be nothing more than a robot, not human with freedom of expression. Evil exist because we "choose" to do evil. We do things our own way, following Satan's lead in rebelling against God. For God to wipe out ALL evil everywhere, He would wipe out the whole human race since we ALL are guilty to some degree at one point or another. A Just and Righteous God cannot punish the rapist but let the sexually immoral go free.

In short, evil exist because man is fallen. It's in our blood. Bad things WILL happen, but this is the price we pay for being sinners. We have ourselves to blame for this, not God.