Daily Devotional
God Did Not Create Suffering
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28
September 1, 2023
Ponder This
Here’s the faulty logic many people follow: “God is the author of all things. Evil, pain, and suffering is ‘something,’ so God is the author of evil, suffering, and pain.” That’s not the right argument. Here’s the argument: God made everything, and He made it perfect. When God finished, God rested. God said, “It is good.” He made man. He made man perfect, but He made man perfectly free. That is, He gave man a choice.
Why did God give man a choice? Because God wanted something from man that is unique, special, wonderful, and glorious. He wanted man’s love. He wants you to love Him. That’s the highest good—to love God and to love one another, for God is love. Now, why didn’t God just force us to love Him? Well, forced love is a contradiction in terms. There’s no such thing as forced love. Love must choose. For lovers to choose to love, they must be able to choose not to love, or else it’s forced love, and it’s not love at all. So, God has given us a choice.
- How do you express your love for God?
- Have you ever blamed a hard situation on God? Reflect on that situation and how you might view it differently.
Practice This
Spend some time thanking God for the freedom He gives us to love Him.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Real Truth Never Changes
Real truth never changes, and the truth about government is that it is God who ordains it, leaders who are responsible for it, and citizens who are accountable to it. The privilege of being called Americans comes with significant responsibilities—to God, to each other, and to the world.
