Why Does God Allow Pain & Temptation?

Relevant Bible Verses:-

1) 1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

2) 1 John 4:4 You , dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

3) Matt 6:13 And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

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I attended the weekly Friday evening cell group meeting in one of the brother’s new house. Currently we are pursuing a series of discipleship and last week’s subject was “Victory over Temptation”. Amongst the many issues that were raised, discussed and studied, one very good question (which was not answered with full satisfaction) that was asked particularly in reference to verse 1 Cor 10:13. In this verse, it says that God is faithful; He will not let us be tempted way beyond what we can bear and that God will provide a way for us so that we can stand up under it.

The question was, “Why do we still see devoted and committed Christians (even leaders and pastors) fall under the power of temptation, if God will not allow us to be tempted way beyond what we can bear? Why didn’t God provide a way for them when temptation was before them?

The same questions could be asked about Adam and Eve.

In the Christian world, we believe that God is the creator of the universe. When God created and fashioned human beings in His own image (Gen 1:27), the greatest gift that God gave to mankind was in the freedom for self-determination, i.e. the right to choose (Gen 2:16…"You are free to eat from any tree…") and the entrustment attached along with it.

Thus, we can either trust and obey God in the definition of right and wrong attained or to become our own definer of right and wrong. By the exercise of the will to reject (disobey) God’s claim on good and evil or right and wrong, man “sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.

Re-defining good and evil by man was the instrumental source of evil, temptation, pain and downfall.

In addition, for centuries God has mentioned that the fundamental problem with man is his own very heart that’s something twisted, almost demonic within the heart of man. The insatiable human heart desires to have plenty causing the misalignment of the heart with God’s great economy and plan. I have even heard from a finest evangelist confessing, “The worst thing I can say to you ladies and gentlemen is that sometimes minutes before delivering a sermon on the enormous theme of the holiness of God, some of the most unholy thoughts are still raging in my heart.” How deceitful and desperately wicked is the human heart? (Ps 36:3).

I have also a short story which, I hope to further answer the above questions.

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed
As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation.
They talked about so many things and various subjects.

When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said:
"I don't believe that God exists!"

"Why do you say that?" asked the customer. "Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people?
Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.

Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber:
"You know what? Barbers do not exist."

"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber.
"I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"

"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me."
"Exactly!" affirmed the customer.

"That's the point! God, too, DOES exist!

That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help.
That's why there's so much pain, temptation and suffering in the world."

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry, everything to God in Prayer.