Biblical Answer

Understanding God's Sovereignty and Suffering

When we experience pain and suffering, it's natural to wonder why God seems to have abandoned us. Our faulty theology of suffering often leads us to believe that God wants to heal us, simply because we are His beloved children. However, this perspective overlooks the fact that God's plan for our lives involves suffering, just as it did for His own Son, Jesus. The Bible teaches us that God is not distant or disconnected from our struggles, but rather, He is intimately involved in them. In fact, Jesus Himself cried out from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). This cry reveals that even God, the Son, experienced the depths of human suffering and separation from His Father. This understanding should give us comfort and reassurance that God is not unaware of our pain.

The Purpose of Suffering

The Bible teaches that suffering is not a hindrance to God's plan, but rather, it is a means to an end. Through our struggles and pain, we are being offered the character of God, which includes perseverance, faith, hope, and love (Romans 5:3-5). Suffering is intended to give us a spiritual makeover, refining us and shaping us into the image of Christ. As we walk through the fire, we are being transformed, just as gold is refined in the furnace. This process is not easy, but it is necessary for our growth and maturity in Christ. When we complain and ask God why He allows us to suffer, we would do well to remember that He suffered for us, and that His suffering was not in vain. He gave up everything for us, and yet, we often struggle to give up our own desires and expectations.

The Comfort of God's Presence

When we feel abandoned by God, it's essential to remember that He is not far removed from our earthly distress. He is intimately involved in our lives, and He knows our deepest pain and struggles. When we cry out to Him, He hears us, and He enters into our grief. In fact, the Bible teaches us that God is a God of comfort, who comforts us in our affliction (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). He is not a distant God, but a God who is near, who knows our pain, and who is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). When we finally hear God's voice, it's not always easy to respond, but it's essential to remember that our delight in hearing Him is tempered with a sense of regret and shame for our insensitivity and obstinacy. As we come to understand God's sovereignty and the purpose of suffering, we can begin to see our pain in a new light, and we can find comfort in the knowledge that God is with us, even in the midst of our struggles.