God's Book: An Honest Look at the Bible's Toughest Topicsنموونە

GOD IN THE PAIN AND STRUGGLE

When suffering hits, it’s natural to wonder why God allows it to happen. The Bible does not shy away from raw emotions – in fact, it publishes numerous angry complaints to the Almighty from hurting people. No neat answers are given. But God clearly welcomes blunt honesty more than a show of strength.

We humans are responsible for so much suffering in the world. However, that still leaves us with the mystery of ‘natural evil,’ including congenital diseases and natural disasters. From the beginning, God knew the full extent of suffering that would occur when he chose to create this world. The Bible teaches that God is sovereign, and he alone determines the course of human history.

The question of why God allows suffering, therefore, brings us to the edge of a very deep mystery. Perhaps if we knew what God knows, it would make sense to us. But he has chosen not to reveal all, and I doubt we could comprehend it if he did. Instead, God gives us sufficient reasons to trust him, but nowhere near enough information to conduct a full cost–benefit analysis.

Nevertheless, suffering is not the end of the story. Secularism assumes this life is all we’ve got. This makes death such a final and devastating blow. What if I don’t get to do all the things on my bucket list before I kick the bucket? Will I never see loved ones again? But the Bible gives a different perspective. Suffering may hurt like hell, but it cannot rob us of heaven. In our darkest moments, there is always a light on the far horizon.

Christianity doesn’t sidestep suffering; it centres on it. On the cross, Jesus bore the weight of our sin and suffered in our place to redeem us for eternity. This doesn’t resolve all the mysteries. We still don’t know the answer to why God allows certain things to happen. But we know what it can’t be. It can’t be that God doesn’t love us. It can’t be that he doesn’t care. Now, Jesus has now gone ahead to prepare a place for us, and the Holy Spirit promises to guide us there. What difference does this make to our experience of suffering? A friend recently posted on social media as she neared the end of her battle with cancer: “As we walk through this dark valley, Jesus knows what we’re facing; he has the scars to prove it. And his presence gives us peace”.

REFLECT: Paul lists painful experiences he had been through (vs. 7–12). What painful experiences have you faced? Take a moment to imagine a world free from evil. How might this hope change your experience of suffering (vs. 16–18)?