When the Cure Is Better Than Prevention

Perhaps the most significant, and heartbreaking, question of all: Why does God allow suffering? Unsatisfactory and wrong answers to this question have led some persons to believe God is either not reasonable or just wicked. On the extreme side, these not up to scratch answers have bred some atheists. Here’s the thought flow: ‘He expects us to believe He is a loving God. Yet, take a look at what happens in the world He created. Is that sensible?’ That’s where it stops for some. For others: ‘God had/has the power to disallow – even stop – all of the suffering. Yet, He chose/chooses to allow them. I don’t think He’s a loving God; He must be wicked.’ Some things must be appreciated about these opinions, though: An understanding of the bible to some extent and honesty. Here are the inferences from these opinions: God rules this world. Where was God (since He’s all-knowing) when mankind was falling i.e. while Adam and Eve ate the fruit? Just how many more years will God allow mankind suffer i.e. how long will these last days last?

To respond to the first inference, try reading 1 John 5:19 and Rev. 12:9. These two should suffice. On second thought, I should have started by saying we should try getting a bible. Just kidding! From the two, it is obvious that the devil rules this world. As much as I hate to admit this, the devil has done – and is still doing – a great job hiding in plain sight (or should I say plain reasoning?). He has done so much to make mankind think God rules this wicked world. Think about this: Is it not logical to think that a society doing so well perhaps has a ruler who means well for the people and vice versa? Of course, it is. But one may ask: How is the devil the ruler of this world when God created it? Beautiful question! I’ll tie this in with the response to the second inference.

The cure is better than prevention if, for perfect reasons, the pain will be worth it – this is life’s greatest lesson since the fall till the end. As off as this may seem at first, mankind’s misfortunes have being worth it. At least, they all lead to these central, and greatest, truths: Mankind will never be at an advantage exclusive of God’s rulership (and obedience to Him), or Mankind will be worse off under Satan’s rulership. In other words, we can’t do without Him if we want lasting happiness. Really, all living creatures need God to remain living. Yes, God chose to provide the way – His son Jesus Christ – rather than absolutely (we’ll be talking about having the devil and our first parents destroyed, then starting anew) preventing all of this. Besides, Jehovah already gave His word that they would fill this Earth with their offspring; He keeps His word. If I take the second inference literally, there’s no way I can provide an answer to that because it is not stated in the bible. Moreover, God already warned them of the consequences of disobedience. So, does it really matter if God watched as they ate the fruit? No, if you ask me.

Let’s take a look at the perfect reasons. A perfect reason for not stopping our first parents from eating the fruit was because Jehovah wanted them to use a gift He endowed them with: Free will. It seemed best to Jehovah to allow them use their free will (a gift angels, and former ones like the devil and demons, also possess) to decide rather than impose His choice on them. To illustrate, which will please you more? Absolutely controlling the use of a gift you gave, or seeing that the person you gave uses the gift well – with a bit (a great number, perhaps) of advice every now and then – but without absolute control of how it’s used? If there were no ulterior motives (manipulation, for instance) behind your gift, the latter should please you more. For as long as Jehovah is God, I think this is how He’ll always interact with beings He has gifted with free will: Lay bare the consequences of their actions, help them choose that which is right, and then let them make their choice. Sadly, this is one of the reasons why some people will never opt for what is true. For reasons known to them (and because they can choose), they’ll look the other way even when things that are true stare at them. We sometimes – all the time, maybe – blame our first parents for the misfortunes of humanity, yet we fail to realize that we sometimes commit the same errors by using our will wrongly. Our errors may not necessarily affect the whole of humanity, but the wrong use of free will is the wrong use of it.

An additional perfect reason: The disobedience, or act of rebellion, by our first parents with the devil as the mastermind questioned Jehovah’s right to rule. That act of rebellion wrote these words on the wall: We can do without God; we can govern ourselves. Yes, that was what the act insinuated. The best way to settle the issue was to allow the devil rule mankind. That way, every sincere creature (men and angels alike) will be able to tell if they were wrong or right. Over 6,000 years down the line, the calamities of these last days make that allusion even more pathetic. I imagine our first parents had no idea that their disobedience meant they chose the devil as ruler of the world they and their offspring would live in, but that’s how the devil became ruler of this world. He’s got demons as co-rulers, so let’s say he’s the chief ruler. We must also realize that Jehovah can’t be part of a lie. The lie, as we have seen: We can do without God. How can God be part of this? By deciding to help the devil rule this world. What's more, we’ll never really comprehend the extent to which we can’t govern ourselves if God helps to rule.   

What was needed to help our first parents and the devil prove their allusion? Time – and enough of this Jehovah has given. Once more, over 6,000 years down the line, it is evident that we need God. But why so long, we may wonder. This is an understandable feeling as we’ll love to see this wicked system of things end right away, but that time is simply at Jehovah’s discretion. Instead, we should concern ourselves with trying to help others understand What The Bible Really Teach. This is certainly one of the factors influencing Jehovah’s discretion i.e. He wants people, as many as possible, to understand the bible and make informed choices. He is Love for His sake! Furthermore, how many of us can confidently say we’ll see all of our loved ones in Jehovah’s new world if this system ends now?

I believe I have done an OK job providing answers to why God allowed/allows suffering. No, the bible already has. When it comes to why we suffer, we’ve got our imperfect/sinful nature (you can guess what that means for people led by sinful human leaders – Ec. 8:9), time and unexpected events, and the real rulers of this world who love to hide in plain sight – or reasoning – to blame. Still in doubt? Think about it this way: God had/has the power to halt every form of suffering in any way He liked/likes. If He had decided to destroy the first rebels and start anew, are we going to be bothered that God blessed them to fill the Earth with their offspring but went back on His word – for whatever reason? I doubt we are going to. On the contrary, we won’t really care that God went back on His word in that instance. We’ll just be glad we never knew pain. God had his perfect reasons for permitting, or not preventing, all of this; He provided the cure – talk about being true to one's word, and justice.    

I know the contexts are different, but life’s greatest lesson turns out to be the reverse of a very popular maxim – that’s funny, perhaps not.           

                NOTABLE MENTIONS (AND FURTHER READINGS)

1) Of course, THE BIBLE.

2) A book by Jehovah’s Witnesses: What Does The Bible Really Teach?