I was fascinated by the topic of this challenge the first time I read it. I just couldn't stop thinking about it. I like to share my thoughts on this challenging question in this blog.
I am aware that my readers are likely to be exposed to many other write-ups on this topic and I don't want what I have to share to just slip away so easily from my readers, so I am going to attempt to simplify my thoughts and make them memorable to my readers. Let's begin at once.
The Fallacies Distorting our Minds
The idea of the average person about God is amazing. If you randomly select 100 people from different nations of the world and ask each person about his or her concept of God, you are likely to get many diverging ideas about God. Let me attempt to summarize to you a few of the most likely ideologies you may get as answers from people if you do the exercise I suggested above.
polytheism says there are many gods.
Omnitheism believes in all gods.
Pantheism deny a personal being called God but espouses the idea that the universe is god and god is the universe.
Deism declares that the Supreme Being called God created the world but is neither interested nor involved in the daily running of human affairs much like a watchmaker will leave a watch to run on its own after making it.
Agnosticism says there are no sufficient evidences to prove the existence of God, therefore the agnostic is not sure of the existence of God.
Materialism says that there is nothing in existence beyond what is physical.
Evolution postulates that higher forms of life were not created but originated from lower forms.
Atheism asserts that there is no God.
Fatalism suggests that all things are subjected to fate. In other words, what will be, will be. Human beings have got no say in what happen to them.
Well, with all these conflicting and divergent ideologies about God, is it any wonder that the very question for which we seek answer is biased? What do I mean? To ask the question, "if there is a God, why is there so much suffering in the world? " is to ask the wrong question.
Wait a minute. Think about this analogy. Someone asked a student, if there is a teacher, why did you fail your exam? This question, like the question, "if there is a God, why is there so much suffering in the world?" already assumes that the only way a student can fail is if there is no teacher or in case of the question we are dealing with, the only way there can be so much suffering in the world is, if there is no God. But we know better, don't we?
The Fact Demanding Meaning
The truth is that many other things could have led to the failure of the student even if there is a teacher. In like manner, there are other reasons for the many suffering in the world even when there is God.
So, the right question will be: Why is there so much suffering in the world? This is the question that is begging for answers.
To be sure we are on the same page about our idea of God, I shall attempt to answer this question from the biblical perspective of God.
The Fall and Devolution of Mankind
The Bible identifies the presence of three classes of personalities in the world namely- God and His angel, the devil and his demons and Mankind- male and female.
The common attributes of these three classes of personalities is that they have a Will and therefore capable of making choices.
In the Bible's account of creation as recorded in Genesis, the devil, an enemy of God, deceived the forebear of mankind into making a choice which was clearly against the will of God, the creator. The consequence of which was the devolution or degeneration of mankind and the introduction of suffering and death into the world.
Since that time, every generation of mankind have had to deal with the issue of suffering and death. The New Testament summarizes this thought in the book of Romans thus:
Therefore, just as sin (disobedient) came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.....For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man....
Foolishness Destroying Mankind
Well, someone says I don't believe in all that Bible jargons. I can understand how you feel in part. The Bible is an old book, how relevant is it in this modern day?
Though the Bible is an old book, I submit to you that it is very relevant today. If you take a look at a huge part of the cause of the suffering in the world today, you will realize that it can be partly explained (without fear of any contradiction) by the foolish choices of people in the past or presently.
For example, it is no secret that a number of diseases are directly or indirectly linked with lifestyle. There is no lack of resource on the planet to warrant the prevalence of poverty and destitution being suffered by many. The problem is with the foolish choices that leaders and individuals made in the past or are making presently.
The point I am making here is that the biblical account of man's choice resulting in suffering in the world is still evident today for us to verify.
The Faith that Dominate all Maladies
For me, it is not enough to write on the reason for the suffering in the world. I know that there is a faith that can carry a person through any form of suffering in the world.
We know intuitively that if there is sickness, health exist. If there is hunger, there exist a means by which it can be quenched. So, if there is suffering, we know consciously or unconsciously that freedom from suffering exist.
The biblical belief that God is not only just, but loving, good and has good plans for every of His creature, is a faith that will carry all believers in the bible God through any form of suffering.
This thought is well expressed in the book of Romans (I heartily recommend that you read the entire book of Romans, it has much to say on the subject at hand) thus;
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
The God of the Bible has taken the necessary steps to redeem mankind from our fallen condition. This truth is explained by the inspired author of the book of Roman thus;
For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
I hope this truly helps someone. Feel free to ask me any question(s) and seek for clarification in the comment section.