The devotion of the day: why does God allow suffering?

"Why does God allow suffering?" I posed this question as a visceral answer to the suffering I have witnessed, experienced or heard of. I struggled with the question when my first wife left me and abandoned my children. I screamed it again when my brother lay sedated in intensive care, dying of a mysterious illness, his suffering crushed my mother and father.

"Why does God allow such suffering?" I do not know the answer.

But I don't know that Jesus' words about suffering spoke strongly to me. After explaining to his disciples that their grief over his imminent departure will turn into joy, Jesus said: “I have told you these things, so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have problems. But take heart! I have overcome the world "(John 16:33). Will I take the Son of God to his word? Will I take heart?

The Son of God entered this world as a human being and he himself suffered from suffering. By dying on the cross, he overcame sin and, coming out of the grave, overcame death. We have this certainty in suffering: Jesus Christ has overcome this world and its difficulties, and one day it will take away all the pain and death, mourning and crying (Revelation 21: 4).

Why this suffering? Ask Jesus

The Bible does not seem to provide a single, clear answer to the question of why God permits suffering. Some narratives during the life of Jesus, however, provide us with guidance. Just as they encourage us, these words of Jesus can make us feel uncomfortable. We do not like the reasons that Jesus gives for some of the sufferings witnessed by his disciples; we want to rule out the idea that God can be glorified by someone's suffering.

For example, people wondered why a certain man was blind from birth, so they asked if it was the result of someone's sin. Jesus replied to his disciples: “Neither this man nor his parents have sinned. . . but this happened so that the works of God could be exhibited in him "(John 9: 1-3). These words of Jesus made me wiggle. Did this man have to be blind from birth just for God to be right? However, when Jesus restored the sight of man, he caused people to struggle with who Jesus really was (John 9:16). And the ex-blind man could clearly "see" who Jesus was (John 9: 35-38). Furthermore, we ourselves see "the works of God.. . shown in him "even now as we consider the suffering of this man.

A short time later, Jesus again shows how belief can grow because of someone's difficulties. In John 11, Lazarus is sick and his two sisters, Marta and Maria, are worried about him. After Jesus learned that Lazarus was sick, he "stayed where he was two more days" (verse 6). Finally, Jesus said to the disciples: “Lazarus is dead, and for your good I am glad I was not there, so that you can believe. But let's go to him ”(verses 14-15, emphasis added). When Jesus arrives in Bethany, Martha says to him: "If you had been here, my brother would not have died" (verse 21). Jesus knows he is about to raise Lazarus from the dead, yet he shares their pain. "Jesus wept" (verse 35). Jesus continues to pray: “'Father, I thank you for listening to me. I knew you always felt, but I said it for the benefit of the people who are here, who might believe that you sent me. " . . Jesus called aloud 'Lazarus, come out!' ”(Verses 41-43, emphasis added). In this passage we find some words and actions of Jesus with a hard stomach: to wait two days before traveling, to say that he is happy not to be there and to say that the belief would be (in some way!) Deriving from this. But when Lazarus came out of the grave, those words and actions of Jesus suddenly make sense. "Therefore many Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus was doing believed in him" (verse 45). Perhaps, as you are reading this now, you are experiencing a deeper belief in Jesus and the Father who sent him.

These examples speak of particular incidents and do not give a complete answer as to why God permits suffering. They do, however, show that Jesus is not intimidated by suffering and that he is there with us in our troubles. These sometimes uncomfortable words of Jesus tell us that suffering can show the works of God and deepen the faith of those who experience or witness difficulties.

My experience of suffering
My divorce was one of the most painful experiences of my life. It was an agony. But, just like the stories of the healing of the blind man and the resurrection of Lazarus, I can see the works of God the next day and a deep trust in him. God called me to himself and reshaped my life. Now I am no longer the person who has undergone an unwanted divorce; I am a new person.

We couldn't see anything good about my brother's suffering from a rare fungal lung infection and the pain it caused to my parents and family. But in the moments before his disappearance - after about 30 days under sedation - my brother woke up. My parents told him about everyone who had prayed for him and about the people who had come to see him. They were able to tell him that they loved him. They read from the Bible for him. My brother died in peace. I believe in the last hour of his life, my brother - who has fought against God all his life - has finally understood that he was the son of God. I believe this is the case because of those beautiful last moments. God loved my brother and gave him and his parents the precious gift of some time together, one last time. This is how God does things: he provides the unexpected and the eternally consequential in a blanket of peace.

In 2 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul says to ask God to remove "a thorn in [his] flesh." God replies: "My grace is enough for you, because my power is made perfect in weakness" (verse 9). Maybe you haven't received the prognosis you wanted, are undergoing cancer treatment, or have had to deal with chronic pain. Maybe you wonder why God allows your suffering. Take the heart; Christ "conquered the world". Keep your eyes peeled for the "works of God" on display. Open your heart for God's timing "that [you] can believe". And, like Paul, rely on the strength of God during your weakness: “Therefore I will boast even more willingly than my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can rest on me. . . Because when I am weak, then I am strong "(verses 9-10).

Are you looking for more resources on this topic? "Seeking God in suffering", an inspiring four-week series of devotion today, deepens the hope we have in Jesus.

Devotional series "I am looking for God in suffering"

God does not promise that life will be easy on this side of eternity, but he makes the promise to be present with us through the Holy Spirit.