Nevertheless, you may wonder, ‘If God is the almighty Creator, why does he allow suffering to continue?’

Jehovah has granted mankind the ability to exercise free will, and that tells us something about what God is like. Do we not treasure our freedom to choose how we will live? But sadly, many people misuse their freedom and cause suffering for themselves and others. Now here is a question worth thinking long and hard about: How could God eliminate suffering without taking away man’s freedom?

Why Does the Hearer of Prayer Allow Suffering?

EVEN though they may pray, some people have doubts that God exists. Why do they doubt? Perhaps it is because they see so much suffering in this world. Have you ever wondered why God allows suffering?

Did God really make humans as they are now​—imperfect and subject to suffering? We could hardly respect a god who would purpose for humans to suffer. But consider this: If you walked admiringly around a new car only to find that the far side was damaged, would you assume that the manufacturer made it that way? Of course not! You would conclude that the manufacturer made it “perfect” and that someone or something else caused the damage.

Similarly, when we admire the marvelous order and design in the natural world and then notice the chaos and corruption that blight the human family, what conclusion should we draw? The Bible teaches that God made the first human pair perfect but that later they caused themselves to become damaged. (Deuteronomy 32:4, 5) The good news is that God has promised to repair the damage​—to restore obedient humans to perfection. Why, though, has he waited so long?

Why So Long?

The reason has to do with the question of who should rule mankind. Jehovah never intended that humans should rule themselves. He was to be their Ruler. The Bible itself says: “It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.” (Jeremiah 10:23) Sadly, the first humans chose to rebel against God’s rulership. Their lawless act made them sinners. (1 John 3:4) As a result, they lost their perfection and caused damage to themselves and their offspring.

For thousands of years, Jehovah has allowed humans to rule themselves, and history has demonstrated that humans do not have the ability to do so. It shows that all human governments cause suffering. Not one has ever eliminated war, crime, injustice, or disease.