School Writing

Does God Exist? Then Why is There Suffering?

Some say God is dead, or that God didn't even exist. But, I believe that God did exist back then and that God still exists today. I believe God exists because I can see how he does things for me, and others. Let me give an example. You don't see the wind. You can't see the way it moves. Yet, we know it exists because we can feel the breeze hitting against our skin, blowing through our hair, and ruffling the leaves in the trees. We can hear the wind howl and make the leaves chatter. That's how we know the wind is real. So, the same can be said for God.

Now, one of the questions that are hardest for people to talk about, and even some Christians lose their faith about. So, If God exists, why does he allow suffering, why do we have suffering? My brother lost his faith for this very reason. God made humans because he didn't want robotic creatures who followed, his every command. You may ask, why he'd want this. Well, when someone follows you willingly and does what you say because you asked, it brings much more glory to yourself, or in this case, God. Because, it doesn't feel fulfilling for someone to always obey your orders only because they're made to do that; because it's their purpose, their job. They have no will to do so. So, someone who obeys God because they want too, it makes God much happier than a robotic creature. Humans chose, in the very beginning chose to disobey, and so, because of our mistakes, we have created our own suffering.

So, the final question is why does suffering still exist. Why does God allow it? There's a verse in the bible that God won't let you suffer more than you can handle with you believe in God. In other words; It'll be more than you can handle, but if you trust, and believe in God, he will guide you through it. In the story of Joseph, God allows Joseph to be sold into slavery by his own half brothers, be imprisoned, but somehow, he still ends up as second in command of all Egypt. God didn't allow these struggles because he wanted to see how Joseph would react. He knew how he'd react. These things were for Joseph, so he could see what he himself was capable of as long as he trusted in God, which he did. Another reason he did this, is so Joseph could save his family.

Israel (also known as Jacob), lived in the land of Canaan. Israel was Joseph's father, and the reason God brought Joseph into Egypt, was because one, he had been taught useful things that would be needed to be in that rank of power, and he worked hard. However, there was another reason. The family of Israel was located in a place where they could be killed, as they were considered a small family at the time. So, God initiated a famine and drought, and Joseph, having gone through struggles, realized how influential, and how smart he could be. So, he helped Egypt become the strongest nation at the time, by making water and grain storage. This caused the family of Israel to seek help from Egypt, and when they realized Joseph lived there, they went there and were protected for a long period of time.

In conclusion. God does exist, he allows suffering to strengthen us, protect us from other things in the long run, and because of our own mistakes.