Why Are we Suffering When We Have an Omnipotent God?

Pastor Maurede gives a nine point answer to the above question.

By Dr Masimba Mavaza

Pastor Clayton Maurede took ten minutes of unpacking the Human experience in pain and suffering. Human experience is vast and varied, but few things exist as a universal experience like suffering. The pains and problems vary from person to person, but we all suffer. This fact leads to the common question: why does God allow suffering? Given this constant part of life, the wise person should seek to understand heartaches and how to react to suffering when it arrives.

One of the most common responses is bitterness — a deep resentment for the pain we all go through. While suffering can undoubtedly sow the seeds of bitterness and resentment, that is not how Christians should respond to it. Instead, we are called to see suffering as a part of life meant to dissatisfy us with the present fallen world and to instill in us a longing for eternity.

To unpack this idea, pastor Maurede considered the nine main aspects of suffering:
Pastor Maurede stated that, the question “why we suffer” is usually indicative of a challenge of God and question of His presence. People have no problem with God when things are good. The way you view God affects the way you worship God. The first thing is free will. God created man and gave him the free will. People choose what they want to be and their choices come back to haunt them. When kids make mistakes it is free will.

Then there is what is known as Soul making theodicy. Theodicy is the vindication of divine providence in view of the existence of evil.
“The question of theodicy”
Evil exisits because there is good. This is called prevention theodicy. Pastor Maurede described the Natural law theodicy when you believe in law. There is the fifth one to say everything is working for a good greater this is called good theodicy. Eschatological theodicy.

In the aftermath of any evil much theological debate within Christianity, and beyond centered on the question of theodicy, or how God who is good coexists with a world that is often evil.
Put it all together and we’re left with a story of moral progress on multiple dimensions that serves as a kind of theodicy for most of Christians.
The pastor laid it out that Each, entity in its way, engages with questions of theodicy.

In his moments of delivering powerful messages his resonating word retained enduring relevance among men and Christians wrestling with the question of theodicy, or how God who is good could coexist with a world in which evil often prevails.

That paradox—Why would a benevolent God create evil and permit suffering?—the question of theodicy, triggered does trigger crisis of faith. The pastor warned men not to construct our own theodicy from the simple process of observing and reasoning is like watching the passage of two thousand years over a few months. It is like making an opinion of an eagle using a still photograph.

Best possible theodicy. Sceptical theodicy. Sceptical theism. When you don’t want to confront God. When you believe you cannot confront God.

Punishment theodicy. This is seen in the case of Job. Where people think we are being punished.
People take a view or they have a hybrid. Where you take everything. But there is the theodicy of love which exposes evil. This is a cosmic conflict which started before our own existence. You cannot ask why?
You will never have a complete story when you look at the static picture.

Man can not finish the great controversy. It is bigger than man. God is in the business of reminding us that the battle is not ours. Just stand behind God.
The pastor reminded people that the Pope is sick right now the battle is bigger than him. He can not be a player in the great Controversy. Just stand behind God. The folly of man they try to put the human events in the great Controversy.

The lucky fall. Adam had to fall so that we experience redemption. God was demonstrating the power of love.
He became a man and showed the power of love. Not the love for power. When we go through hard times God is demonstrating the power of love.
We must be able to see the love in the evil and not the evil in the love.

Why the seed of a woman was another question thrown to the pastor. It is a man who carried the seed. Words have gender. It is called Mother earth because it reproduces. There is dualism in Genesis 3:15.
Christ was born to end it all What does Christianity teach about evil and suffering?

Evil and suffering could make Christians question God’s
omnipotence, omnibenevolence or his omniscience
People ask the following questions.
* If God was all-powerful, wouldn’t he stop natural disasters?
* If God was all-loving, wouldn’t he stop suffering?
* If God was all-knowing, wouldn’t he know that people were going to do something evil and stop them?

Christians may give one or more of the following answers.
God has given people free will. He has shown people how they should obey the Ten Commandments and follow Jesus’ life and teaching. It is then up to human beings to decide whether or not to follow God’s instructions. God has a plan for people’s lives that they may not always understand. This may include evil and suffering but Christians should trust and have faith in God’s plan. God wants people to follow the example of Jesus and help those who are suffering. God must have a reason for allowing evil and suffering but the reason is beyond human understanding. Christians also pray for those who suffer and try to help them. Evil and suffering in this life is a preparation for Heaven. Evil and suffering give people a chance to become better people and improve their souls. Christianity teaches that God will reward them in Heaven.