Why does God allow suffering? Why He can’t stop disasters, earthquakes, tornadoes and storms from occurring?

The Nature of Suffering and God’s Sovereignty

Suffering is a pervasive reality that has burdened humanity since our earliest recorded history. From earthquakes and tornadoes to personal grief and pain, individuals have long questioned why disasters occur and why God does not halt every calamity. The Scriptures present suffering not as senseless or uncontrollable chaos but as something that occurs within God’s sovereign plan. The following sections examine why suffering is part of our world and how Scripture addresses the existence of disasters.

1. The Created Order and Its Original Goodness

When God created the heavens and the earth, He pronounced His handiwork “very good.” According to Berean Standard Bible, “God saw all that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). This original creation did not include the brokenness and corruption that we see today. Rather, the physical world and humans in particular were reflections of God’s creative and life-sustaining power. There was no place for death, destruction, or disorder in that pristine creation.

2. The Entrance of Sin and the Fracturing of the World

Scripture consistently teaches that sin entered the world through human disobedience. Romans 5:12 declares, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.”

From that historic moment, creation itself was subjected to a “curse” (Genesis 3:17). This curse brought decay and difficulties, including the possibility for natural disasters. Paul states, “The creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay” (Romans 8:20–21). Earthquakes and storms are reminders of a physical world waiting to be restored to its original harmony.

3. Human Free Will and Moral Responsibility

Although nature’s upheavals can occur apart from human choices, Scripture often links the origin of suffering to humanity’s exercise of free will:

• Adam and Eve’s disobedience (Genesis 3) introduced sin on a cosmic scale.

• Individuals and societies continue to make choices with broad repercussions.

Some disasters, like ecological devastation or certain community hardships, arise from human actions that degrade the environment or harm one another. Conversely, many natural events follow physical processes set into motion in a cosmos that, while orderly, operates under the consequences of sin’s entry into the world. Free will permits both the moral good of cooperation and kindness as well as the moral evil of negligence and exploitation.

4. The Purpose Behind Allowing Suffering

Scripture points to multiple reasons for God’s allowance of suffering and calamity while still highlighting His love and sovereignty:

1. Divine Justice and Redemption: Disasters in Scripture sometimes serve as judgment but also as a call to repentance—such as the Flood in Genesis 7 or various accounts in the prophets (e.g., Amos 4:7–11). Even in these sobering cases, there is a redemptive aim: returning hearts to God.

2. Refining and Growth: Suffering can deepen a person’s character. James 1:2–3 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

3. Demonstration of God’s Power and Compassion: God’s response to disasters can manifest His power, drawing people to recognize their need for Him, as seen when Jesus calmed a storm in Mark 4:39.

“In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). This does not mean all events are good in themselves, but that God can work through every circumstance to bring about His ultimate good.

5. God’s Sovereignty over Nature

Though the forces of nature can appear random, Scripture discusses God’s control over creation. Psalm 115:3 affirms, “Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.” In the Book of Job, the Lord describes His authority over the boundaries of the sea, the elements of weather, and even the foundations of the earth (Job 38:8–11, 22–30). These passages are not meant to paint God as uncaring; rather, they highlight that He is neither absent nor powerless when disasters strike.

God’s sovereignty means He has the right to intervene or permit events. Because His perspective vastly exceeds ours, and His plans stretch into eternity, God can allow temporary suffering to bring about far-reaching, ultimate redemption. “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” He declares (Isaiah 55:8).

6. Natural Disasters in Biblical Accounts

Scripture recounts numerous instances where nature’s fury aligns with God’s overarching wisdom:

- The Global Flood (Genesis 7): Archaeological and historical records, including Flood epics from ancient civilizations, support the notion of a major prehistoric flood. While the Flood acted as judgment on rampant wickedness, it also preserved Noah’s family as a righteous remnant, underscoring a pattern of both judgment and salvation.

- Earthquakes and Geological Events: Earthquakes are mentioned throughout the Bible (e.g., Amos 1:1). Scientific studies show tectonic activity shaping geographically volatile regions such as Israel’s Jordan Rift Valley. Even these align with the biblical account of a world that is “groaning” (Romans 8:22) and awaiting restoration.

Such incidents illustrate that disaster can serve as both a sober warning and a catalyst for faith.

7. Insights from the Book of Job

Job’s trials included devastating loss, illness, and personal anguish. In Job 1:12 and 2:6, God granted permission for these afflictions, but did not publicly explain Himself. Eventually, God responded from the whirlwind (Job 38–41) by emphasizing His omnipotence and perfect understanding of the cosmos.

• Human Limitation: Job 38:4 poses, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” God’s question highlights that finite creatures cannot fully grasp His infinite wisdom.

• Trust in God’s Character: Despite having lost nearly everything, Job ultimately confessed, “I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).

This narrative underscores that our inability to see the full picture should not undermine confidence in God’s justice and righteousness.

8. The Ultimate Restoration: A Creation Made New

Scripture insists that suffering—both moral and natural—will not endure forever. The plan of redemption encompasses the entire universe. Romans 8:19 declares, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.” Revelation 21:4 promises that when God creates a new heaven and a new earth, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”

While this future fulfillment is not yet realized in our present experience, Christians hold to the certainty that disaster and suffering have an expiration date. Until that divine completion, we exist in a period where both natural evils and spiritual redemption take place concurrently.

9. Practical Responses to Suffering

1. Compassion and Aid: Believers are called to display God’s heart through practical assistance. Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) encourages active mercy.

2. Trust in God’s Providence: Though He does not remove every calamity, God assures us of His presence, saying, “Do not fear, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10).

3. Growth in Faith: In adversity, individuals often grow in empathy, perseverance, and reliance on God. Suffering can refine character as “fire tests and purifies metal” (1 Peter 1:7 paraphrased context).

10. Historical and Archaeological Corroborations

Several historical and modern studies underscore that Scripture aligns with real-world evidence rather than existing in a vacuum:

• Ancient Flood Narratives: Global flood stories from Mesopotamian and other cultural sources corroborate the Bible’s record of a catastrophic worldwide flood.

• Geological Indications of Rapid Changes: Some geological features, such as bent rock layers and massive fossil beds, are consistent with the effects of a major water-based cataclysm.

• Manuscript Reliability: Numerous early manuscripts, including fragments documenting biblical events, affirm that Scriptural accounts about calamities and divine interventions were recorded soon after the described occurrences.

Such lines of evidence support that biblical narratives about disasters and God’s interactions with humanity are rooted in real events.

Conclusion: A Call to Hope and Faith

While the existence of suffering and natural disasters raises challenging questions, Scripture presents God as sovereign, wise, and ultimately good. These phenomena are best understood within the broader context of sin’s entrance into the world, human free will, the universal need for redemption, and God’s overarching plan to restore creation. Our current reality is one in which suffering temporarily remains, but it does not exist without purpose or the possibility of hope.

For those wrestling with the deep sorrow surrounding disasters, the Bible points to a God who is intimately aware of every trial (Psalm 56:8), is present to comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3–4), and promises a coming day when “these words are faithful and true” (Revelation 22:6), signaling the end of suffering and the full restoration of all things.