Coming up next on renewing your mind, we're praying that God would help us to become more holy.

We're praying that God would help us to give him more glory and that we would not

be self-centered, that we would not seek glory, but that we would give it to him.

And he does that through suffering. If we're united to Christ, we will share in his sufferings.

Hello and welcome to renewing your mind, I'm Lee Webb. One of the most requested

series that R. C. Sproul taught is called Surprised by Suffering. He gave it that title because

typically the first reaction we have when we're faced with a devastating diagnosis,

a debilitating injury, or the death of a loved one is surprise. One day we're healthy,

comfortable and happy. The next day we find ourselves ill or injured, struggling. We didn't see it

coming. Tomorrow and through the remainder of this week, we will feature Dr. Sproul series,

but we want to begin by listening to our recent webinar hosted by Ligonier on this topic.

Our president and CEO Chris Larson was joined by Dr. Burke Parsons and Dr. Derek Thomas.

And the first question deals with the why. Why do we experience suffering?

Well, the Bible is very clear that suffering is the consequence of sin. The fall in the garden

of Eden had there been no fall. There would have been no suffering. And we look forward to a day

when the world will be restored. Paul speaks in Romans 8 of creation, groaning and

traveling in birth, waiting for the regeneration of all things. And in the new heavens and new earth,

there will be no tears, there will be no pain, there will be no sorrow, there will be no suffering.

So the general answer to that question is there is suffering in the world. And all of that

is a consequence of a damaged sin. I think one of the things that we are often curious about is how

there can be so much suffering. When God is God, God is sovereign, and God is loving, and God is good.

Why is there suffering at all? And why is there so much suffering? I was just talking with someone

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