God and Suffering

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

— 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

 The struggle to comprehend God and Suffering is not only a familiar war in the heart of the God-hating atheist. It lingers too, amidst the many questions, in the heart of a Christian. Maybe much deeper, for the Christian has faced the reality of the Sovereignty of God. Maybe that's why the atheist counts him (the Christian) a fool... for he knows that his God has not only much, but ALL power to cause, to prevent, to cease... and yet still bends his knee in worship when He does neither of these. The Christian truly does know and that is the reason he often cries, "Lord why".

Allow me to let the adversary take a back seat in this post because we ultimately look to God to protect us even against his schemes. For as long as we continue to exist on a fallen earth, we will experience some form of suffering. Whether at the hands of other sinful men, like slander, or as a result of a system broken by sin, like death, or even for Christ's sake. The Lord has not taught us a delusion (John 16:33). I really wish that this post was an imagery of me frantically running towards you, eyes glowing, hands waving saying, "I finally found the answer!" Rather, it's that God sees it all and has indeed Himself experienced it, "...a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief..." (Isaiah 53:3). 

Herein lies one of the beauties of Christ, He has experienced the brokenness of this world (Hebrews 4:14-16). In the midst of suffering, we are to gaze upon Him all the more deeply even with tear-stained eyes. There is no more tender heart than the heart of Jesus. I hope that instead of instinctively running away from God when pain fills our lives, we could still sing praises and abide in His love. Reason being that He is not apathetic to our sufferings (1 Peter 5:7). 

It will all come to an end one day. Every tear wiped away, every injustice avenged, every disease healed... we will be made whole. So we do not lose heart. 

I pray this blesses my brothers and sisters. And for those that have not come to believe in Christ because of how painful life has been, He is the God who sees you (Genesis 16:13).