The topic of SUFFERING, and our response to it, is huge.
Suffering inevitably involves experiencing loss. Feeling loss indicates that something we value has been, or is being, taken from us.
Loss may include the death of a loved one. It could include the loss felt in divorce, the violation of a robbery, that threatening disease, an untimely job-termination, or a loss of reputation.
Suffering a loss is ‘easier’ to understand when we are able to identify the reasons involved. Death due to aging, job loss due to health, misfortune due to substance abuse, disease due to smoking or eating habits, are understood.
We ‘wrestle’ when suffering seems beyond our reasoning: “I do NOT understand!”; “This is fair!” Even if God, Himself, sat us down to explain the “Why?”, we may feel like a two-year-old in our failure to grasp or understand.
“Now what do we do?” I suggest that most do not give up easily. We ‘fight’ to discover root causes, seeking to cope with our helplessness and frustration (anger).
“What can we ‘blame’ for this injustice?” Most often it amounts to, “WHO can we blame?” We feel that someone needs to be held to account, someone has to be punished.
Ever want to blame God? Ever question Him? When I do NOT understand I gravitate to the things I DO know and understand. I affirm:
- I Live in a Fallen World
It is not the world God created. Suffering is the outcome of choices and actions of my own, or of someone else. All are susceptible to the pain of this broken world. Having broken God’s laws, we experience physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering. This is REALITY.
- I Know I am Loved.
The Living God demonstrates love for me, every day! Countless provisions and expressions of care, the gift of the next breath or heartbeat, family and friends…His ‘track-record’ is obvious. I choose to count my many blessings, and thank God. By prayer I seek His wisdom when struggling.
And I choose not to forget the provision of life eternal given to every person who turns from sin, and receives Jesus as their Savior. Indeed, we are loved!
- I Know Suffering Will End.
Knowing Jesus personally means I am assured of Heaven. “Heaven” is a great word for the Christ-follower; it means suffering WILL END one day!
- I Can Trust God!
I do NOT understand everything God decrees or allows. God, I am sure, will explain a few things to me when I get beyond the ‘two-year-old’ stage, in Heaven.
When I confess, “I do NOT understand!”, I affirm that I do NOT have to. I do understand the character of my Heavenly Father; He is the righteous Sovereign. I choose to trust Him. I now have peace.
“Are you with me?”
Pastor Bill Terris