Suffering

I get asked by Christians and non-Christians alike the age old question of “How can a God of Love let people suffer?” I always want to answer “There are things in this life that we’ll never understand, come to terms with that and move on!!” However, I’m never brave enough. So, how do I answer that question?

I start by saying that any answer you receive from me, or any other person for that matter, will be flawed, incomplete and will never satisfy them as the questioner. However, this is how I look at it and I look at it in three ways.

1. Suffering isn’t all bad.

OK it’s easy for me, who is not in pain, to say that. However, I believe it’s true in two areas. Firstly suffering can bring out the best in people, you refine who you are through suffering, it brings you to a better understanding of the human experience, it helps you understand others better, it is a major learning process and on a spiritual level it helps us to identify with the sufferings of Christ (not that I claim to really understand that - answers on a postcard please!). Secondly, some areas of suffering are preserving and informing. When I lay my hand on the fully on hotplate and I experience suffering it informs me to remove my hand. When I fall and break something it is the suffering that tells me to go and get it treated. So, suffering plays a part in preserving our lives by informing us of potential dangers. The sufferings of others, for example hunger or war, informs us that all is not right with our world. It reminds us of our greed and our anger and our selfishness.

2. Would we allow it?

If you are, or were, a parent would you allow your child to play football? I’m assuming the vast majority of people would say yes. Does that make you a bad parent? I imagine the vast majority of parents would answer resolutely NO! So as a parent you are happy for, if not encouraging, your child to participate in an activity that may cause him fairly serious injury? A sport where broken bones are not unheard of. Where dead legs, bruised arms, pulled muscles, strains, cuts and concussion are commonplace. An activity where not only they may get hurt they may also cause serious hurt to others. Yet with all that considered we would still say that as parents we are happy for our children to participate in it and hundreds of similar, if not more dangerous, activities. We even allow our children to partake in things that could result in major injury or death. For we know that with enjoyment comes risk and with some risk comes enjoyment.

3. What causes suffering?

Well, in short, sin!! Suffering is a result of the fall. Our wrongdoings cause suffering to ourselves and others. Some of this is plain to see. If my anger overspills and I punch you the result of my sin is your blood nose. However, that is just one side to it, the seen result of my sin. What is not seen usually has more far reaching consequences. The bloody nose that we can see may hide a broken bone or other internal injuries. You may have suffered a twist in your neck. In hitting you I may have strained a muscle or broken my hand. There is the fear I may have instilled in you or others that hear about my actions. There is the guilt that I may feel and your bitterness, hatred or a struggle with forgiveness. There’s the breakdown in relationship between us and so it goes on. The bloody nose is the observable, immediate consequence but the unseen ripples, perhaps, cause more suffering. So it is with sin. The consequences of our actions, our wrongdoings, ripple underneath the surface in the created seen world and the spiritual realm. We don’t know how it works but we understand that sin causes suffering, directly and indirectly. The ripple from our sin continue to grow and have effects on those throughout this world. With the fall the created, natural world fell as well. Our fall had a huge effect on the created world and our continuing sin now also has a huge effect.
　
So, as you can see it’s nowhere near a complete answer but you’ll never get a complete answer, deal with it and move on!!!