Today, Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is inaugurating the Day of the Christian Martyr. Tradition tells us the Apostle Paul was beheaded on this day in A.D. 69. VOM has set today aside to remember not only Paul but all who have given their lives for Jesus’ sake.

One such martyr was Richard Wurmbrand. Wurmbrand was a pastor in Romania during WW2. When Soviet Russia invaded and occupied his country, he stood firm in his Christian witness. As a result, he spent 14 years in Communist prisons. He was eventually ransomed out of prison and began VOM.

One of the resources available through VOM is a video series for children. Each video features the life and ministry of a famous Christian. I recently watched the episode about Wurmbrand with my children. When it showed his sufferings in prison, my daughter asked, “Why did God let this happen?”

This is a common question. Skeptics often ask, “How can God exist when there is so much pain and suffering?” Many cite it as a reason for their unbelief. It can be used as an argument against Christianity. Someone might ask, “Why should I believe in Jesus when He lets Christians suffer?”

This is a difficult question. Even mature Christians struggle to answer it! Fortunately, God has been good enough to answer it in His Word. We’ll never understand His purposes completely. But the Bible gives three reasons why He allows His people to suffer.

I will explain these reasons during this series. If you would like to receive my posts, subscribe to my blog. Feel free to share it with your pastor or friends from church too!