{"id":274,"date":"2016-03-18T16:31:04","date_gmt":"2016-03-18T22:31:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/moretruthandlife.org\/?p=274"},"modified":"2016-03-18T16:31:04","modified_gmt":"2016-03-18T22:31:04","slug":"suffering-and-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moretruthandlife.org\/?p=274","title":{"rendered":"Suffering and God"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is difficult to look around and not see endless suffering and despair.\u00a0 We live in a fallen world where sin and death threaten to distract us from God on a daily basis.\u00a0 We see people struggling and suffering around us.\u00a0 God has called us to join him in His work of making disciples of all people. When talking about the people of the world, Jesus describes Himself as a good <\/em>shepherd.\u00a0 He also compares His character with that of the enemy (called the thief) and says, \u201cThe thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.\u201d (John 10:10).\u00a0 Jesus came to earth so that we may have a full and abundant life!<\/p>\n

This is such a complex topic and much more can be said about it than will be said below.<\/p>\n

There is a seeming disconnect between the fact that we as humans suffer and the fact that Jesus came to give us life.\u00a0 This disconnect causes many people to believe that God is the cause of suffering, or worse, that we as humans are supposed to invite suffering as a part of God\u2019s plan for us.\u00a0 This belief causes us to have a twisted perception of God and can keep us from helping others live a life that brings glory to God.<\/p>\n

In Romans 5:1-5, Paul lays out a plan for the transformation of our life, saying, \u201cTherefore, since we have been justified by faith,\u00a0we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>Through him we have also\u00a0obtained access by faith\u00a0into this grace\u00a0in which we stand, and\u00a0we\u00a0rejoice in hope of the glory of God.\u00a0\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>Not only that, but we\u00a0rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering\u00a0produces endurance,\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>and\u00a0hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love\u00a0has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Take a moment to read the passage through a couple times and really think about what Paul is saying.<\/p>\n

He understands that our default, human position is to allow suffering to blind us from our hope in God and to keep us from building endurance in our walk with Him.\u00a0 Suffering is a roadblock to the restorative work Jesus Christ is doing in our lives.\u00a0 When terrible things happen to us, our children, and our communities we question God\u2019s goodness and His will.\u00a0 When we are hurt, it becomes easy to seek an easy cure rather than God.\u00a0 When we see suffering, we become blinded by rage and the only justice we seek is retribution.\u00a0 The worst parts of our human nature are revealed and we become the image of one who seeks to \u201ckill, steal, and destroy\u201d rather than the picture of \u201cabundant life.\u201d\u00a0 However, we are called to overcome these impulses and rejoice in the hope of God\u2019s glory because when we live out this process (suffering to endurance, endurance to character, character to hope, hope to freedom) we see that the joy comes from an increase of the Holy Spirit in our life.\u00a0 Suffering doesn\u2019t cause joy\u2014God does!\u00a0 When we allow the Holy Spirit to help us overcome these roadblocks, or when we help others overcome, then we are increasing the glory of God.<\/p>\n

It is important to realize that suffering is not necessarily weakness, witchcraft, or a sign of moral failing.\u00a0 We live in a fallen world, and bad things happen.<\/p>\n

To begin understanding suffering, we need to first understand the true character of God, since, after all, we are created in His image.\u00a0 Throughout the Bible, God\u2019s character is revealed as one who cares deeply about our suffering and wants to see us saved from grief, despair, and hopelessness.\u00a0 The following passages give a summary, but feel free to take time to read each of these in context during your quiet times with God:<\/p>\n