Suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress. Evil in this context refers to something that brings sorrow, distress, or calamity.

Have you ever come across any of these questions ;

Did they really have to suffer all these problems?

Why did God allow such an evil thing to happen to such a good person?

Why is the world so evil?

The bible has answers to all these questions

Origin of Suffering and Evil

According to the Bible, God created the entire world in six days (Genesis 1) and saw that everything He had created was good. In the six days He never created or introduced evil.

Where did evil and suffering originate? We find the answer in Genesis 3.God created man and woman and gave them free will. Adam and Eve  had the freedom to obey or disobey God’s command (Genesis 2:15-17).

Adam and Eve disobedience marked the beginning of suffering of people (Genesis 3:16-19). Their disobedience resulted in disconnection between God and humanity exposing Adam and Eve (the first generation of human beings) to evil.

In this world there are two kingdom that are in constant battle; the kingdom of Light and that of darkness. Nature abhors vacuum. Once we were disconnected from God’s kingdom (kingdom of Light) we entered the kingdom of darkness. We all inherited the sin caused by the disobedience of the first generation.

Redemption plan

God loved humanity very much. Even though we disobeyed, He came up with a plan to save all of humanity (Genesis 3:15). He made sure they were clothed appropriately despite their act of disobedience.

God exist in three forms yet He is one (John 1:1). You also exist in three forms yet you are one person.

How can that be possible? You have a spirit, soul and body. This is shows how we are all created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27).

God the Son came in the shape of His most cherished creation, humans, with the specific purpose of restoring our relationship with Him (Matthew 1:18–24).Jesus lived for almost thirty-three and a half years on earth. He taught us the rules of the kingdom of Light and fulfilled the commandments that God had given us. Christ shed His blood on the cross  so as to reconcile us to God.  

Why is suffering and evil still very rampant?

God granted man dominion over the earth(Genesis1:28). However, man lost that power when he disobeyed God and blamed the woman. Eve in turn placed the blame on the serpent. The serpent became the prince of this realm by remaining silent. Consequently, the devil and all the fallen angels were able to lawfully introduce evil into the world.

People suffer due to different reasons, I will focus on three reasons; Ignorance, out of obedience and for growth.

Ignorance

Let us study the ministry of Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, Jesus took around eighteen years preparing for his active ministry (Luke 2:52). The wisdom and capacity Christ had obtained made Him effective in ministry.

Dr. Mike Murdock once said, “Christians have embraced the love of God and disregarded the principles of God while non-believers have embraced the principles of God and disregarded the love of God” explaining why some Christians testify of the love of God yet they remain poor having to beg for bread because they have not studied about basic financial principles which is in the Bible.

On the other side unbelievers suffer from unrest, mysterious sickness and broken relationship despite them amassing massive wealth. This is because they have not embraced the love of God.

Obedience

Jesus said that if we love Him, we should obey his commands (John 14:15). There is a cost associated with obedience. Jesus Christ is only one of many individuals who have experienced suffering as a consequence of their obedience. He provided the ideal illustration of how hardship for a short while might be endured in service of a greater good.

I want to stress that suffering of this kind will only be fruitful if it is in accordance with God’s will and not because of ignorance. The Bible contains a long list of sufferers who carried out God’s will, including Joseph, Job, Paul, and several other noble servants.

Growth

James 1:2–4 states that suffering can help us grow in our faith and character. God never tempts us, but before giving you an obligation or mantle, He will always put you to the test. Whether we advance to the next level depends on how we act or respond throughout this period. We must learn to always place our trust in God.