This post was last updated on December 20, 2025

Day 301, Year 1

The Root Cause of Suffering

“Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.” (Matthew 23:36 NASB)

The words “all these things,” said by Jesus, refer to the previous verses about “the sentence of hell” and “the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth.” The phrase “this generation” in today’s verse refers to the period between Jesus’ first and His second coming on earth. In fact, the Common Era, which is used in most parts of the world, is used to calculate the time of this age.

In this and the previous verses, Jesus made clear the original cause of the world’s suffering. Because God views the human race as a whole, it is inevitable that future generations will suffer the consequences of the sins committed by those before them, such as global warming and even global boiling in recent years. With this understanding, we can let go of questions like, “Why does a loving God allow suffering in the world?” “Is the present situation fair?” Etc. From an individual point of view, it may be unfair. But God, from the perspective of the human race as a whole, defines justice as a whole. In a similar way, God has planned the earth as oval, and even if man thought it would be better to be perfectly round, who could change that reality after all? Moreover, those who did bad things in the past have been sent to hades and then to hell, to suffer eternally. How can we question God and say that He is unjust?

Thinking equity in the midst of suffering often involves the experiences, understanding, and feelings of those who suffer. For those who are innocent of suffering, they tend to think, “Why did suffering choose me?” These kinds of sad or blue emotions are understandable. In fact, on an individual level, the occurrence of those sufferings is very random. However, if we look forward, we may have to see the bigger picture. In the face of our own suffering, it may also be necessary to think from different angles to find a better way out. Believers and unbelievers alike have the probability to accept those unwarranted calamities and disasters. Therefore, being prepared for danger in times of peace is desperately needed for us. It is for the good of the people to take precautions and prepare for disasters and calamities before they befall us. In other words, we need to strengthen our ability to combat and endure suffering. Perhaps your preparation can also help those who are suffering. Anyway, this is a time when God tests our love for neighbors in the age of sin and punishment, and this is also the age of God’s salvation.

Reflection questions:

1) God put this generation into various calamities and disasters. What do you think about this?

2) Have you been preparing to combat and endure suffering? If you can’t bear suffering, what can you do to make some progress?