Why does God allow evil and suffering

Many people question why God allows evil and suffering, especially considering recent world events. But if we take God out of the equation, evil and suffering still exist - all you do is remove hope. This observation was inspired by a talk by Dan Paterson that I heard recently. He pointed out that if you assume that there is no God, we are still left with the problem of evil and suffering. I believe that evil is a result of the fact that we live in a fallen, broken world. Jesus died and rose again to forgive our sins but according to the Bible, the complete annihilation of evil and suffering won't happen until he comes again. Revelation 21:4 says, He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

I don't believe that God inflicts us with suffering but he allows it for our growth and maturity. If you ask any successful person in the world if the road to success was easy, almost all of them would agree that success came after a lot of pain, difficulty and suffering. God can redeem any situation. Romans 8:28 says, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

Three things to remember when you are suffering:

1. Don't give up - James 1:12 says, God will bless you, if you don’t give up when your faith is being tested.
   
2. Something better is coming - Romans 8:18 says, I am sure that what we are suffering now cannot compare with the glory that will be shown to us.
   
3. God is with us - Hebrews 13:5 says, For God has said, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.”