Confessions - WHY SUFFERINGS COME

Main message: Suffering and tragedy can still come on believers under the New Covenant for several reasons, but they are not automatically God’s punishment — we live in a fallen world, Jesus has overcome, and God can use trials to reveal his glory and mature us. Believers need wisdom, cling to their identity in Christ, and trust that God is not the author of evil.

Key points:

• We live in a fallen world (John 16:33; Romans 8:22), so trouble, sickness, disasters and death can affect even those who love God.
• Bad things are not necessarily God’s punishment; Jesus rejected the assumption that suffering always results from personal sin (John 9).
• God is not the author of evil; he does not tempt people with evil and every good gift comes from him (James 1:13, 17).
• Trials often serve to display God’s glory, bring growth and greater understanding, and should prompt expectation of God’s work rather than blame or self-condemnation.
• Wisdom and a close relationship with Jesus help believers navigate suffering and resist the pressure toward an “identity collapse.”

Scriptures mentioned: John 16:33, Romans 8:22, John 9, James 1:13, James 1:17