Consider: who has perished when he was innocent? Where have the honest been destroyed? Job 4:7 HCSB
On September 11, 2001 America was attacked by a radical religious group when they commandeered planes and crashed them into the Twin Tower buildings in New York and into the Pentagon in Washington DC. Over 3,000 people lost their lives that day, many of whom were first responders. Some people have questioned, “Where was God on 911?” or “Why would God allow innocent people to suffer?”
This was the same attitude of Eliphaz, one of Job’s friends. His words in the verse listed above to Job suggested that innocent people did not suffer and that if someone was suffering, his pain was God’s punishment. God does punish sin and sin usually causes suffering. But not all suffering is a punishment for sin. Our imperfect world is filled with sin, pain, and suffering. Even though we do not understand, God sometimes allows suffering because He has set in motion a world that has freedom of choice. People often make bad choices that cause pain and suffering. The radical religious group had the freedom of choice to do what they did. Because they made wrong choices, they caused pain, suffering, and death. God can take the bad choices of our world and turn them into something good when we trust Him with everything in our lives.
Challenge: People who are suffering and in pain need your acceptance and understanding instead of judgment and accusations. Pray for and seek ways to minister to those who are suffering around you. You can be the hands and feet of Jesus when you help those who are hurting.