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So
why is there suffering and how do we cope?
ALOVE tackles another giant issue.
Roller coasters! You get on, stuff happens
to you and you get off. And maybe that’s
how some people feel about life. People suffer.
Difficult, painful and unfair things happen
all the time. Things that make no sense; things
that make you angry; things that make you
ask ‘WHY?’
‘Tsunami’,
‘terrorism’, ‘war’,
‘disease’, ‘poverty’,
‘bullying’, ‘injustice’…
They’re familiar headlines in the media,
and when we look at the immense suffering
in the world, we can’t help wonder,
“How can God let that happen?”
or “How can God do that to someone?”
So is the roller coaster winning? Where is
God in all of this? And what about suffering
in our own lives? Clearly – there are
no easy answers, but when we look at Scripture,
we see some aspects of God’s character
and God’s plan that can perhaps help
us approach the issue of suffering with a
different perspective. Here, we offer a few
thoughts ... |
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A suffering
world was not God’s original
plan. Scripture shows how His perfect
plan has been corrupted (see Genesis
3:17-19; Romans 8:5; Romans 8:22-23).
To make an analogy, if a virus is
introduced to a computer it can disrupt
the whole system; things don’t
run as they should. The introduction
of sin was like this for creation. |
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As Christians,
we shouldn’t be surprised by suffering
and learn to rely on God through such
times. The first Christians suffered
both for their faith and with ailments
that God did not take from them. Paul
for example suffered much in the way
of circumstances brought about from
speaking about Jesus (Acts 9:16; Acts
23:23-35) and the dangers of traveling
(2 Corinthians 11:25). But he also asked
God to take way something that he suffered
with which he called, ‘the thorn
in his flesh’ no less than three
times (2 Corinthians 12:7-8). The outcome?
It wasn’t taken away, but he ultimately
relied on Gods grace to cope with it.
His life must have been incredibly difficult
at times, yet he learnt to be content
(Romans 8:18). |
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We have
a God that completely identifies with
suffering. The recent Easter festival
returned us again to the profound and
powerful story of the cross. We’re
reminded that God is no stranger to
the word ‘Why?’ when Jesus,
in the midst of his pain and suffering
cried “My God, My God, why have
you forsaken me?” We also see
from the conclusion of the story three
days later, a God who overcomes death
and turns the world on its head. |
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God’s
plan for us is to know the freedom,
love and acceptance he has won for us
on the cross. We may suffer, but through
the cross, we may also experience his
grace and love in a relationship of
trust is where we draw strength. God
has also provided our wider family of
believers in which we are able to receive
his love. He has not left us on our
own.
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Ultimately,
suffering will be eradicated. Scripture
tells us that one day, Jesus will return
and that there will be a fresh start
where the difficulties of the fall will
be put right (Revelation 21:1-5). We
see glimpses of that future new start
throughout scripture. Jesus announced
the kingdom of God (Luke 4:18-21; Matthew
11:12) and, in doing so, demonstrated
its reign. He healed (Matthew 4:23)
and brought peace, he showed his authority
to forgive sins (Luke 5:20-24) and restored
dignity to the poor and marginalized
in society (Luke 5:12-15). The battle
over the punishment of our sin and over
the enemy has been won outright by Jesus
victory on the cross (Ephesians 2:4-5;
Colossians 2:15). |
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In the meantime,
we are called to live with the tension
of the ‘now, but not yet’
of the Kingdom of God. The future hope
is now, but the completion of all things
is not yet. Through our lives, we are
called to walk with the authority of
the King (Matthew 28:18-19). In his
name we heal, feed and stand with the
oppressed. We live in the light of the
future hope now. When we can get our
heads around that, we realise that mankind
is also part of God’s answer to
the question ‘WHY?’ |
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Further
consideration
Read about Paul’s difficulties.
Galatians 6:17; 1Corinthians 2:1-5; 2Corinthians
11:23-29; 2Corinthians 12:7-10; 2Timothy 1:11-12,
2:9
Consider a broken creation and its consequences.
• Genesis
3:17-19
• Romans
8:5
• Romans
8:22-23
• 1Corinthians
15:56
Look at Jesus the suffering servant.
• Isaiah
52:13-15
• Isaiah
53
Going deeper
Read, ‘The Imitation of Christ’
by Thomas A Kempis. ISBN 0140440275
Read, ‘The Great Divorce’ by C.
S. Lewis. ISBN 0006280560
Read, ‘The Problem of Pain’ by
C. S. Lewis. ISBN 0006280935 |
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