Why do innocent children have to suffer with terminal diseases such as cancer? What part of ‘God’s plan’ is this exactly?
Perhaps the most difficult and emotionally charged question ever asked the pastor or apologist is why God let a particular child suffer or die. The question is rarely abstract. I’ve never been asked why God lets children die. I’m asked why God let six-year-old Ethan get killed by a car while he was skateboarding or why God let four-year-old Kaylee die of leukemia. The typical Christian answer is, “We won’t know until we get to heaven.” Of course, we will certainly know more when we get to heaven, but is that all we can answer? I suggest we know more than that. We may not know all of God’s reasons for letting a particular child die at a particular moment, but we can answer why God allows children to die.
Note that this article isn’t directed toward those who have just lost a child. My wife, Jean, and I experienced five miscarriages, which led to our never having children and we know firsthand what it is like to have Christians try to “solve” grief.1 Those who grieve rarely search for explanations of how God works in the universe. Instead, they need hugs and maybe meals. The Scripture tells us to “weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15). But there comes a time, when the initial anguish subsides, that people seek the larger picture of what God is doing in the universe.
WHAT CAUSES CHILDREN TO SUFFER AND DIE?
Children suffer and die due to three main causes. First, children suffer and die due to pestilence and disease enabled when the Lord cursed the ground after Adam and Eve sinned. He banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, thus barring humans from the rejuvenating power of the Tree of Life. God warned Adam and Eve that if they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, “you will surely die” (Gen. 2:17), and He didn’t add “at a ripe old age of natural causes.” He just said, “You will surely die,” and we’ve been attending funerals ever since. Second, children also suffer and die because of the mistakes and sins of others, such as leaving a pool gate unsecured, drunk driving, murder, and so on. Third, children suffer and die because natural laws work in regular ways: the gravity that keeps us on planet Earth also enables fatal falls; the fire that warms also burns; the water in which we swim can also drown.
Disease, sins, and consistent natural laws, then, are the main reasons that children die. That brings us to the question, why doesn’t God afford children special protection?
Here’s what the Lord Jesus said when He was asked about why bad things happen to people who didn’t seem to deserve them.
Luke 13:1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
In essence Jesus was saying that all have sinned and need to repent because we live in a fallen world where bad things happen to everyone regardless of what they may personally have done. So if we want a future hope we have to turn from our sins and trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God does not do such things!
(James 1:12-13) . . ." When under trial, let no one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone."
God created mankind to be perfect…
(Deuteronomy 32:4) “The Rock, perfect is his activity, For all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; Righteous and upright is he.”
Man used his free will to choose to ignore God and try to rule himself.
(Deuteronomy 32:5) “They have acted ruinously on their own part; They are not his children, the defect is their own. A generation crooked and twisted!”
Since the time Adam sinned and brought imperfection and death to the human family all have suffered.
(Ecclesiastes 8:9)" . . .man has dominated man to his injury."
It is God Himself who is going to restore things to the perfect way they were designed to be. Including resurrecting billions who have died and He will bring all suffering to an end.
(John 5:28-29) “Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.”
(Isaiah 25:8) “He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces. And the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for Jehovah himself has spoken [it].”
Soon the time will come when all suffering has ended.
(Revelation 21:1-5) . . .And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” 5 And the One seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new.” Also, he says: “Write, because these words are faithful and true.”
God does not give little children cancer. It is not a test. It is something that makes a mom grieve, cry and scream. It makes men fall to their knees and openly weep and wail. It’s a pain that goes to the core of our hearts. No one is ok or accepts the thought of a child with a terminal illness. One of the horrible prices that the human race pays for being thrown out of the Garden of Eden. Once we were banished from the Garden our bodies were subject to injury, illness, disease, and death. When little children are terminally ill it is a horrible painful reminder of the price humanity pays. I do pray for all the sick children and their families. I wish I had words to make them feel all better again, but I am afraid I don’t.
We are Humans and we got a nature with delicate systems of numerous operations taking place naturally in our body, Now when we Humans as a Society behave and continue to behave against the “Human Nature”, Then such diseases like child cancer, AIDS, Swine flu etc: begin to occur, Yes, such diseases are Gods plan under living “Against the Human Nature”, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~… Okay, please answer this question…with regard to an advanced machine or electronic device, who would be the one to know the most about its mechanism or functioning? Can we agree that it is the maker or creator of the product who would know every-thing there is to know about the product, YES, Then strive to Find our Creator, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If God wants a person to believe in a principle, He should make it clear and evident. He is the Most Fair and Just. He knows that belief is not a voluntary thing; 1. Never embrace a doctrine when evidence stands against it, 2. Never accept popularity at face value. 3. Inherited religious principles should be examined. 4. Doubters are not excused. When a person is not committed to any religion and doubts the whole religious concept, he should not be satisfied with his doubt. It is his duty to protect himself and his vital interests in this world from any harm and damage. Similarly, he has the same responsibility and duty in protecting his spiritual interest from being damaged. 5. When you conduct a religious research, let no one make decisions for you. Do not rely on the judgement of any other person, even if he is sincere and highly intellectual. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~… By “Reverting” to our true Human nature, and by adopting social values recomended by Our Creator, we may overcom such mishaps occuring today, and increasing day by day.