The Message of The Cross

 Answering the Question

 

If you could ask God one question and you knew that you had the assurance of an answer, what would it be? 

When this is posed to groups, the most common question is: Why does God allow pain and suffering in the world?

This question is usually asked by two groups of people: Those asking a purely intellectual question and those actively going through pain and suffering.  With this in mind, always try to determine if they are in the latter group when they ask.  If so, you are looking at someone to "be Jesus" to them.  They are looking for someone to love them, take care of them and reach out to them. 

For those asking a purely intellectual question, well we don't have a complete answer for that in Scripture.  In 1 Corinthians 13:12 it says For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. Basically, this side of Heaven, we see things dimly.  We don’t understand simply because we are not God.  But I believe that God has revealed enough to us to have a satisfactory answer to minister to our hearts. 

Jesus was honest about this issue.  In John 16:33 Jesus tells us that These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. We are going to have trouble; we are going to have pain.  Why?  Because we live in a sin scarred universe. 

Even though the issue of pain and suffering is a legitimate topic it does not negate all of the positive, affirmative evidence we have for the existence of God.

So, what does God reveal about this issue to us to help us process? 

The first thing is this. God is not the creator of evil, pain, and suffering. This answers the question, 'Why didn't God create a world where people don't suffer?  The answer is He did. Genesis 1:31 says God saw all that He had made and it was very good.

But if God is not the author of pain and suffering where did it come from? God has existed from eternity past as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in perfect harmony in relationship, the relationship of love that has gone on for eternity. 

When God reached a decision He wanted to create humankind He wanted humankind to experience this greatest value in the universe, which is the value of love. Well, the only way we can experience and express love is if we have the free will to love or not to love 

Love always involves a choice.  We human beings have abused our free will by rejecting God and by walking away from Him.   The result has been evil entering the world and bringing pain and suffering by the wrong moral choices people make.  The other type of evil is natural evil such as disasters.  This is a sin-corrupted world, not as God created it.

What else can we glean from Scripture about suffering?

 

• Sometimes people suffer because of self-inflicted misery. Humans have long been their own worst enemies. We are a self-destructive people. Adam, Eve, Jonah, David, Saul, Judas.
• Sometimes people suffer at the sins of others, which God would never cause, endorse, or initiate. It is contrary to his holy, perfect nature. Bathsheba, Daniel, Tamar, Hosea, The Good Samaritan, Paul.
• Sometimes people suffer through no human fault at all. The best of God’s saints had their night. This is no indicator of divine disfavor. Life is simply hard. 

• Sometimes people suffer because people get sick and die. This happens to every person, family, and community on earth. There is zero immunity from death. Even Jesus wept salty, human tears at death and the grief of his friends. 

• Sometimes people suffer because we live on a physical earth involving tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, tsunamis. Natural disasters are a part of any living, shifting, fluctuating planet.  

• Sometimes people suffer because we have a vicious enemy who hates us and is out to steal, kill, and destroy everything redemptive and beautiful. 

In short, we will have suffering.  We won't always know the reason, but a lot of times, the reasons are from one of the items above

Here is what we know about suffering and what we should cling to:
 

• God is impossibly loving. He loves us. He loves our families. He loves creation. 

• God restores things; all of history points to a God who makes sad things right. 

• God doesn’t tempt, abuse, endorse wickedness, abandon, or hate. 

• In our darkest moment, when we are crushed, Jesus is as close as our own breath. 

• He has given us to one another as agents of love and grace and safety. 

• He told us 100s of times to comfort each other, making sure we are cared for. 

• Jesus wept over death and grief; shed your tears, friend. We have a Savior who cries. 

• It is not the Body’s responsibility to explain why. We are family. We circle the wagons. We make casseroles. We weep with those who weep.

Even in times of great suffering and evil, if we would but take the time, I promise you will see Him and His hands at work.  They are there, look!  And let's not overlook the importance of taking care of one another, holding each other in our darkest moments.  This one thing alone shows the importance of being attached to a local Church body.  Let them love you.  Let them carry you when you no longer have the strength to go on.  Pray for one another!