Why Does a Loving God Allow Suffering?
If God Is Loving, Why Does Suffering Exist?
This verse touches on one of the most difficult and debated topics in theology.
If God is loving, why does suffering exist?
Rabbi Harold Kushner wrestled with this question in his bestselling book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People. His conclusion? God is all-loving, but not all-powerful, and therefore, we should "forgive" Him for His limitations and move forward.
Millions resonated with this idea—it sold over four million copies in its first year.
But as we see in Isaiah 59:1-2—and all throughout scripture—this is not true.
God is neither weak nor deaf. The suffering Israel faced wasn’t because He lacked power. It was because of their sin.
The original readers and listeners of Isaiah 59 understood this. They had seen it play out in their history. Sin causes relational separation from God.
Yet, even today, many still ask: Why does God allow it?
Think About Your Own Childhood
As you continue reading, reflect on a moment when you disobeyed your parents.
Did they stop being your parents? (No.)
Did you feel confident in their love for you when you disobeyed? (Probably not in the same way.)
Were you able to thrive at home while walking in rebellion? (No—because disobedience creates tension and distance.)
The same is true in our relationship with God. Sin doesn’t remove us from His family, but it absolutely affects our ability to experience His closeness, power, and joy.
Does God "Allow It," or Are We Reaping What We Sow?
One of the most common phrases we hear in sermons, articles, and conversations is:
👉 "God allowed it."
But I’ve come to realize that this phrase can strip us of responsibility.
Yes, God is sovereign. But He also established spiritual laws—one of the most foundational being sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7-8).
✅ Sow into the flesh → Reap corruption and death. ("Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction..." — Galatians 6:8)
✅ Sow into the Spirit → Reap life and peace. ("...whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." — Galatians 6:8)
This is how God designed the world. What you plant is what you harvest.
If you live in fear, you will attract what you fear the most. (“What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.” — Job 3:25)
If you live in faith, you will move mountains. (“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed… nothing will be impossible for you.” — Matthew 17:20)
God’s will is for everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). But are all people saved? No. Why? Because we have a choice.
We can choose to sow into the Spirit—or we can choose to sow into the flesh and reap separation, brokenness, and suffering.
The people of Isaiah’s time weren’t distant from God because He "allowed it." They were reaping what they had sown.
And the same is true for us.
This is where the Never Finished Challenge begins.
The 8 Ways Sin Creates Relational Separation from God
1. Grieving the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)
The Holy Spirit is our guide, comforter, and power source. But when we hold onto bitterness, anger, impurity, or unforgiveness, we grieve Him.
This doesn’t mean we lose salvation, but it dulls our sensitivity to His voice. The more we resist conviction, the fainter His direction becomes.
2. Hindering Our Prayers (Psalm 66:18, 1 Peter 3:7)
David said, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18).
Sin interrupts the power of our prayers. Even Peter warns that mistreating our spouse can hinder our prayers (1 Peter 3:7).
Your wife is your first ministry. Christ loved the church and treated her with great dignity. If we do not honor our wife, our prayers are weakened.
3. Loss of Joy and Peace (Psalm 51:12)
After David’s sin with Bathsheba, he didn’t lose salvation—but he lost the joy of it.
He cried, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation” (Psalm 51:12).
Sin robs our joy, peace, and rest. Repentance restores intimacy.
4. Weakening of Faith and Confidence (1 John 3:21-22)
John says, “If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God” (1 John 3:21-22).
Persistent sin brings shame. It makes us hesitant in prayer, worship, and stepping out in faith.
5. Opening the Door to the Enemy (Ephesians 4:26-27)
Paul warns that sin—especially unforgiveness, anger, and bitterness—gives the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:26-27).
This doesn’t mean demon possession, but habitual sin makes us more vulnerable to deception, oppression, and discouragement.
6. Dulling Our Spiritual Hunger and Sensitivity (Hebrews 5:11-14)
Sin hardens the heart and makes scripture, prayer, and worship feel routine or empty.
Hebrews warns about becoming “dull of hearing” when we ignore conviction.
7. Weakening Our Witness and Ministry (2 Timothy 2:21)
God uses clean vessels (2 Timothy 2:21).
When we persist in sin, our spiritual authority weakens. Not because God is powerless, but because sin compromises credibility and effectiveness.
8. Loss of Spiritual Vision (Proverbs 29:18)
Sin clouds our sense of purpose and ability to see God’s next steps.
Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Sin dulls our clarity, discernment, and mission.
The Never Finished Challenge: Sowing Into the Spirit Daily
🔥 Sow fear, reap destruction.
🔥 Sow faith, move mountains.
What are you planting today?
Here’s how to restore intimacy with God:
1. Confess Sin Immediately (1 John 1:9)
God isn’t waiting to shame you—He’s waiting to restore you.
2. Repent and Return (Acts 3:19)
Repentance isn’t just saying sorry—it’s turning away from sin.
3. Obey God Fully (John 14:21)
Obedience sharpens spiritual sensitivity and restores joy.
4. Live by Faith, Not Fear
God didn’t move—we did. Come back.
What does today say about God?
Would I make an unconditional covenant with me?
Think about it—before Christ, or even now, if I were living as a hypocrite, would I bind myself to someone as inconsistent and flawed as me?
I wouldn’t.
Yet, in His perfect love, God did. Before the foundation of the world, He set His heart on making a way for you and me to have a relationship with Him. Before we even existed, before we could do anything to earn it, He chose us.
We are a messed-up bunch, made in His image, yet constantly falling short. And still—He redeemed us in the most unfathomable way.
He humbled Himself to become like us, taking on human form, living the life we could never live, and dying the death we deserved—all so that we could be restored to Him forever.
He is sovereign.
He is beyond humble.
🙏 Thank you, Jesus. 🙏
Your Next Step
Comment below: What are you sowing today—fear or faith? What step will you take to start sowing into the Spirit?
🔥 Want to grow stronger in faith and endurance?
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