GOD AND HUMAN SUFFERING

Friday, September 12, 2008

Does God steer a hurricane through a community? Does he cause an abusive childhood, master plan a jet crash; ravish your body with cancer? Or did he just wind up the world and then go off to just watch and see what might happen?

No simplistic answers will do! Not if you are the one suffering.

As I said yesterday, I have found an answer for myself and one that brings me peace concerning where God is when I hurt. But before my answer can make any sense for you, you have to understand how I arrived at my conclusions.

We must avoid the temptation to turn to the last chapter and read the conclusion. It’s imperative that we begin at the beginning and move slowly forward or we will end up confused, angry and still wondering where God is when we are suffering.

Today, I just want to connect with those of you who are suffering and wondering about God, and let you know that I have been there and will be again. However, most of the time I feel his embrace and I am comforted—even in the times of great suffering.

Suffering and questioning God is a problem that will not go away. My hope is that I can help you to be at peace most of the time and then to trust Him for the future.