Introduction:

A. Many people play the “blame God” game when they are suffering:

1. Why did God take my baby?
2. Why did God make my husband drink all that beer and run his car into a tree at 110 mph?
3. Why did God make me ill?

B. Find in God’s creation of the earth where he created pain and suffering (hint – HE DID NOT):

1. On day one (24 hour period) God created the sky, the earth without form and empty, light, darkness, and divided light from darkness making day and night (Genesis 1:1-5).
2. On day two (another 24 hour period) God created the sky with an atmosphere of moisture (Genesis 1:6-8).
3. On day three (another 24 hour period) God created division of the waters making land and seas.  He also created plant life on this third day of creation (Genesis 1:9-13).
4. On day four (another 24 hour period) God created the sun, the moon, and the stars producing seasons and division of times (Genesis 1:14-19).
5. On day five (yet another 24 hour period) God created sea life and bird life that were fully capable of reproduction (Genesis 1:20-23).
6. On day six (another 24 hour period) God created living creatures of the land, male, and female (Genesis 1:24-31).
7. On the seventh day (a 24 hour day), God rested (Genesis 2:1-2)
8. Genesis 1:31 “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

I. Adam and Eve Made a Choice That Had Consequences

A. What happened?

1. God gave a specific command to Adam with consequences if broken (Genesis 2:16-17).
2. Eve was deceived and had Adam partake in the sin (Genesis 3:1-6).
3. The consequences God warned of were brought about.
4. We also see in this context the first sight of pain that would come upon a woman in childbirth (Genesis 3:16).

B. Man brought about pain and death through disobedience, but was not created to be disobedient and God does not wish for man to be disobedient (Ezekiel 18:20-32 and II Peter 3:9):

1. Ecclesiastes 7:29 
2. James 4:17 

C. Even though man has been disobedient all his days, God has sacrificed that man may have those sins forgiven:

1. John 3:16
2. Romans 5:6-9; 12-21
3. I Corinthians 15:21-22 
4. Does this sound like a God who wants us to suffer?

D. We cannot claim that God has delivered unjustly any hardship to our lives or that God has made us sin (James 1:12-17).

A. God promises that we will never have more than we can bear that will challenge our faith (I Corinthians 10:13).

1. God promises to provide for those faithful that are in need (Romans 8:28).
2. The Bible shows that faith in God will allow us to endure trials as faith improves our perspective (Hebrews 11:32-38).
3. Surely, not one of us could claim the perseverance Job needed (Job 1:7-22; 2:2-10, and James 5:11). 

B. The trials of our faith will provide us with more endurance to finish the race:

1. James 1:2-3 
2. I Peter 1:3-7

A. We have a choice as to whether or not we obey God (Joshua 24:15).

1. We will answer for our actions (Romans 14:11-12).
2. Our reward or punishment will be based upon our deeds (II Corinthians 5:10).

B. If we have obeyed God we will have eternal life with God in Heaven (Matthew 7:21).

1. John 14:1-3 
2. II Corinthians 5:1
3. Hebrews 13:14
4. Revelation 21:4-7

C. But, the pain and death we witness here is nothing like that of eternal damnation which is just as eternal as Heaven (Matthew 25:46).

1. Mark 9:43-48
2. Revelation 20:14-15; 21:8

A. We suffer here such a little while, yet there are great things that make any suffering here worth the eternal reward from our God of love (I Peter 5:10). 

1. I Peter 2:19-21
2. I Peter 4:19 
3. Revelation 2:10 
4. Romans 8:17-18 

B. Whether saved or lost you will have some pain and affliction here that is beyond your control, but the eternal rest or pain you will face is completely up to you and you will to be blamed if Hell is your eternal destination (Galatians 6:7-8).