I still struggle with the whole chronic suffering thing. I
completely understand trials we must endure in life and actually am not freaked
out by them. Returning to James 1:12 we have comfort in knowing God is with us
during the rough times:
Blessed is the man who remains
steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the
crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
So how do you wrap your head around this concept of
suffering for God when it’s chronic? Sure is easy when you endure a financial
hardship for a few decades and see the reasons why on the other side. But to be
in agony and pain for a life time cannot be comforting.
I guess the problem isn’t being there in the suffering, but
explaining those who ask the question. It’s almost impossible to answer this to
someone who has no clue who or what God is and is almost as difficult to do
this for someone who does believe. I think if we did understand God’s nature
all the time we would be dead, since our human bodies are so limited we almost
need to escape it to really understand.
And maybe that is the key, no matter how rough things are
here on earth as believers in the Salvation of Jesus are promised an existence free
of pain or trouble after death. That again is a concept that is difficult for
someone with no HOPE in God to understand since death is final to them.
One needs to remain solid in their faith, like Job, when financial
destruction, family tragedy and agony happened at the same time he remained
faithful to God. Sure he questioned why, but not that God was a vindictive kid
with a eyeglass frying us in heaven.
Often if we continue in James 1:13 – 15 we see God cannot
tempt us into evil:
13 Let no
one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be
tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But
each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then
desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is
fully grown brings forth death.
So like when I died, God did not strike me dead or tempt me
to eat poorly. No I did that myself and paid the ultimate price, just was
brought back by diligent work. That trial was self-induced! Others are often
inflicted on us by others, like my friend who was tortured. Their life of pain
and abuse has now manifested itself in other health issue, but again this was
suffering from the hands of others.
Finally things just happen, like with my friend who has a
paralyzed son. It just happened, like accidents often do. Sure in all cases God
could swoop down and heal us all, but what would we learn with that? Jesus
healed the sick, had the lame walk and raised the dead yet they still hung him
on a cross. God knows the impact is not world changing and ones faith through
trials has a greater impact to those who do not believe that watching something
miraculous happen for a brief time that will be explained away as something
other than God over time.
Trials stink and nothing we can do to change that, the only
thing we can do is respond in faith that we will grow closer to God though it
all.
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