Why Do Good People Suffer?
...s leave their fields and join the armed forces. In some cases, an army has deliberately created a famine to starve an enemy into surrendering. The army destroys stored food and growing crops and sets up a blockade to cut off the enemy's food supply. Blockades prevented shipments of food from reaching the region of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War (1967-70). A famine resulted, and more than a million Biafrans probably starved." Especially did some wrongly blame God during World War II, when many good people suffered and died. Yet, humans break God's laws by hating and warring against one another. When Jesus Christ was asked which commandment was "first of all," he answered: "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah, and you must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind and with your whole strength.' The second is this, 'You must love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."-Mark 12:28-31. When humans break God's laws by engaging in mass slaughter, can anyone properly blame him if suffering is the result? If a parent tells his children not to fight among themselves and they disregard his good counsel, is he responsible if they suffer injuries? The parent is no more responsible than God is for human suffering when people disregard divine laws. Though suffering may result when Jehovah's laws are ignored, the Bible does not indicate that disasters in general are acts of God designed to punish the wicked. When the first human pair sinned, they forfeited his special blessing and protection. Except for cases of divine intervention to accomplish Jehovah's purposes, what has happened to mankind from day to day has been governed by this Scriptural principle: "The swift do not have the race, nor the mighty ones the battle, nor do the wise also have the food, nor do the understanding ones also have the riches, nor do even those having knowledge have the favor; because time and unforeseen occurrence befall them all."-Ecclesiastes 9:11. Both Good and Bad Suffer Actually, both good and bad humans suffer because of inherited sin and imperfection. (Romans 5:12) For example, righteous and wicked people alike experience painful diseases. The faithful Christian Timothy suffered from "frequent cases of sickness." (1 Timothy 5:23) When the apostle Paul mentioned his own "thorn in the flesh," he may have been alluding to some physical affliction. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9) Even for his loyal servants, God does not now remove inherited weaknesses or susceptibilities to disease. Godly people may also suffer because of using poor judgment or failing to apply Scriptural counsel at times. To illustrate: One who disobeys God and marries an unbeliever may suffer marital troubles he could have avoided. (Deuteronomy 7:3, 4; 1 Corinthians 7:39) If a Christian does not eat properly and does not get sufficient rest, he may suffer because of ruining his health. Emotional suffering may result if we succumb to weakness and engage in wrong conduct. King David's adultery with Bath-sheba brought him great suffering. (Psalm 51) While trying to conceal wrongdoing, he suffered intense distress. "When I kept silent," said he, "my bones wore out through my groaning all day long. . . . My life's moisture has been changed as in the dry heat of summer." (Psalm 32:3, 4) Anguish over his guilt reduced David's vigor as a tree might lose life-giving moisture during a drought or in summer's dry heat. He apparently suffered both mentally and physically. But Psalm 32 shows that such suffering can be relieved by a person's repentantly confessing sin and receiving God's pardon.-Proverbs 28:13. Bad people often suffer for pursuing a licentious course, not as divine punishment. Herod the Great was disease-ridden because of evil habits. In his final days, Herod "suffered horrible torments," said the Jewish historian Josephus. "He had a terrible craving to scratch himself, his bowels were ulcerated, and his privates gangrenous and wormy. He tried in vain to relieve his gasping and convulsions in the warm springs at Callirrhoe. . . . Herod was now suffering such terrible agony that he tried to stab himself, but was prevented by his cousin."-Josephus: The Essential Writings, translated and edited by Paul L. Maier. Adhering to God's law provides some protection against such things as sexually transmitted disease. Yet, why do good people seeking his favor seem to have more than their share of suffering? Why Godly People Suffer A primary reason why godly people suffer is that they are righteous. This is illustrated in the case of the patriarch Jacob's son Joseph. Though Potiphar's wife continually urged Joseph to have sexual relations with her, he asked: "How could I commit this great badness and actually sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9) This led to unjust imprisonment, and Joseph suffered because he was upright. But why does God allow his faithful servants to suffer? The answer lies in an issue raised by the rebellious angel Satan the Devil. This issue involves integrity to God. How do we know? Because this was shown in the case of the righteous man Job, mentioned earlier. At a meeting of God's angelic sons in heaven, Jehovah asked Satan: "Have you set your heart upon my servant Job, that there is no one like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, fearing God and turning aside from bad?" The Devil's reply proves that there was a contention about whether humans would maintain integrity to Jehovah under test. Satan asserted that Job served God because of the material blessings enjoyed and not out of love. Satan then said: "For a change, thrust out your hand, please, and touch everything [Job] has and see whether he will not curse you to your very face." Jehovah replied: "Look! Everything that he has is in your hand. Only against him himself do not thrust out your hand!"-Job 1:6-12. Despite everything Satan could do, Job maintained a righteous course and proved that he served Jehovah out of love. Indeed, Job told his accusers: "It is unthinkable on my part that I should declare you men righteous! Until I expire I shall not take away my in...