Biblical Answer

Understanding Suffering

Suffering is a natural part of life, and it can be inexplicable at times. The Bible is full of cries of pain and suffering, and it's natural to ask, "Why is this pain happening now to me?" Our limited understanding of pain and suffering can lead to various explanations, but sometimes, suffering seems entirely inexplicable. Even with prior explanations in mind, there are times when suffering seems unbearable, and we may feel like we're being ripped apart.

The Purpose of Suffering

Suffering can be a teacher, but it only truly teaches us as we fix our eyes on Jesus. If we avoid him in the midst of pain, we can become embittered by it. However, if we trust and obey God, even when we feel powerless, He can give us the power to do so. From God's perspective, sin is a more serious problem than suffering. He allows suffering to rouse a deaf world, as C.S. Lewis said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

Trust and Obedience

The most important thing God can give us in the midst of suffering is the power to trust and obey Him, even when we feel powerless. It's a sacrifice to love comfort over the divine command, but it's a necessary part of the Christian life. Jesus himself suffered immeasurably, and his experience teaches us that suffering can make us stronger, build our character, and deepen our faith. By fixing our eyes on Jesus, we can learn to trust and obey God, even in the midst of unbearable pain. As the Bible says, "It is enough that God is God, and that he is doing something, that he is working out his purposes, and that he will bring us through this time of suffering into a place of glory." (Romans 8:28) We can trust that God is working everything out for our good, even when we don't understand why we're suffering.