R. Read Genesis 1-2 again. You’ll note that the creation God created was not just good, but very good! Animals, humans, plants all coexisted peacefully. God was so close to us he used to walk through the Garden in the cool evening breeze (Gen. 3:8). Suffering is not present in this good creation.
Suffering comes as a result of the sinfulness of human beings. Our desire to be like God, to know what God knows, to believe that we know better than God. The consequence of our sin is to have a life apart from God. That is not how God created the world to be.
The story of scripture is the story of God’s pursuit of God’s people. To restore this relationship and bring creation back into what it was supposed to be; a place of peace, health, wholeness, grace, mercy, justice.
All that to say, I don’t believe God did make suffering, but that it stems from the rupture of our relationship with God and our corruption of the good creation God created.
Let me know if you have further questions by contacting me.
God’s Blessings,
Pastor Brian
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