One of the most common objections to the gospel is, “How can I trust in a God who allows such suffering?” Around us we see wars, earthquakes, floods, disease, and death. But after someone you love dies from a fentanyl or opiate overdose, the question becomes painfully personal: Why did God allow this death? Why didn’t He answer our prayers?
You remember the person before addiction. You remember their laugh, their plans, and the times you thought things were finally getting better. Now there is an empty place at the table, and answers that once seemed sufficient may feel very small.
The Bible speaks to this grief. Its answer gives us reasons to trust God while we mourn.
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Help and healing are possible through our Christian rehab programs.
If you are ready to take the next step and learn more about how a Christian rehab center can aid in your recovery, feel free to reach out to us at any time.
Jesus Himself Wept
Isaiah 53 foretold this about Jesus: He would be “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”
Christian faith does not require a grieving parent, spouse, or sibling to pretend that death is anything less than terrible. Scripture calls death an enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26). Jesus Himself wept at Lazarus’s grave, even knowing He would shortly raise him.
The Son of God stood before a tomb and shed tears. Grief is no evidence that you have failed to trust Him.
In the Living Waters Podcast discussion on suffering below, the speakers caution Christians against shallow cheerfulness: “we’re called to weep with those who weep, mourn with those who mourn.”
God’s goodness should make His people tender toward your sorrow. You should be able to speak your loved one’s name, tell their story, and cry without someone hurrying you toward a lesson.
The question of suffering is one of the most commonly raised objections to Christianity, but it becomes much easier to answer when we consider a few fundamental truths. Listen as the guys dive into this topic to offer biblical wisdom and encouragement.
A Broken World Does Not Mean an Absent God
Still, why would a good Creator allow a world where addiction and overdose exist?
The Bible begins with a perfect creation and then records humanity’s rebellion against God.
- Genesis 3 explains the entrance of sorrow and death.
- Romans 8:22 describes creation groaning under that ruin.
Ray Comfort argues in the Living Waters discussion above that suffering is consistent with the Bible’s account of a fallen world. A wrecked car does not prove that it had no maker. Its condition tells us something has gone terribly wrong.
Scripture therefore gives us reason to take evil seriously. Addiction’s destruction belongs to a world that needs redemption.
This does not tell us why your loved one died when someone else survived. It does establish that death and suffering have never surprised the God who has promised to overcome them.
God’s Sovereignty Gives Us Hope Without Explaining Every Loss
Could God have prevented the overdose? Yes. Scripture gives us no reason to diminish His power, even when that truth makes our questions harder.
In the sermon “Why Does God Allow So Much Suffering and Evil?”, John MacArthur argues that God remains sovereign over evil while remaining perfectly holy. He permits nothing that can finally defeat His purposes.
There is comfort here: evil has limits because God rules over it. His promises would offer little assurance if death could overthrow Him.
But we must distinguish confidence in His rule from knowledge of His particular reasons. In his discussion of sovereignty and suffering, John Piper explains that Scripture reveals broad purposes for suffering while often leaving individual circumstances unexplained.
No counselor can tell you exactly why God allowed this death. Nor can your unanswered questions prove that He has ceased to be good. We know His character through what He has revealed, even where His providence remains hidden.
God never promised that we wouldn’t go into the valley of the shadow of death. What He did promise was that He would go with us. Knowing this, how should we respond when suffering enters our lives? In this message, R.C. Sproul investigates the biblical view of suffering and explains its meaning in the Christian life.
The Cross Gives Us Reason to Trust
The greatest injustice to ever happen in the history of the world is when God came to earth to redeem and was rejected, mocked, blasphemed, tortured, and killed.
MacArthur points to the crucifixion: guilty men killed the sinless Son of God, yet Acts 2:23 places that event within God’s appointed plan. Through an act of appalling wickedness, God accomplished salvation.
At the cross, His righteousness and mercy were displayed together. Sin received judgment, and Christ bore that judgment for His people. His resurrection broke death’s dominion.
This is why the Christian can trust God without understanding every sorrow. The Lord who asks for our trust has demonstrated His love through the giving of His Son.
An overdose also gives us no authority to pronounce a verdict on someone’s eternal state. Salvation rests in Christ. We must leave judgments that belong to God in His hands.
God’s Care Can Reach You Through Other People
Piper observes, “Our suffering may be intended by God to draw out of others something they wouldn’t otherwise have experienced.”
He draws on 1 Corinthians 12, where members of Christ’s body are commanded to care for one another. Suffering calls the church to patient service. A grieving family should find people willing to bring meals, listen, and remain present after the funeral.
That care also includes helping those still struggling with substance use. When a woman needs addiction treatment, researching a women’s rehab center can be one practical part of helping her find appropriate care. Faith in God’s sovereignty gives us reason to act with compassion toward people whose lives remain before us.
Seeking help does not dishonor the person you lost. You can carry love for them while receiving support for your own grief.
Get Help Today
Help and healing are possible through our Christian rehab programs.
If you are ready to take the next step and learn more about how a Christian rehab center can aid in your recovery, feel free to reach out to us at any time.
Death Will Not Have the Final Word
For those who belong to Christ, Revelation 21:4 promises a future without death, mourning, crying, or pain.
That promise cannot remove the ache of an empty chair today. It can sustain us with the assurance that God will finish His work of redemption.
You do not have to understand every reason for your loss before you come to Him. Bring Him your grief, your questions, and whatever words you have left. The Savior who wept beside a grave is the Savior who conquered it.