Biblical Answer

The Mystery of Suffering

The question of why we suffer is a universal and age-old one. Many people, including Christians, struggle to understand why they must endure pain and hardship for so long. The Bible is full of cries of desperation, such as "My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Psalm 22:1). However, the Bible also offers a unique perspective on suffering. It teaches that God is sovereign over all creation and that He allows suffering for a purpose.

A Theology of Suffering

A faulty theology of suffering can exacerbate our pain and make it harder to find comfort. Some people, like the author, have a theology that says God loves us and wants to heal us, so why are we suffering? However, this perspective can lead to disappointment and disillusionment when our suffering continues. A more biblical theology of suffering recognizes that God is sovereign and that He allows suffering for a purpose, even if we don't fully understand it. This perspective encourages us to trust God and to look to Him for comfort and guidance.

Finding Comfort in the Midst of Suffering

While we may not be able to explain why we suffer, we can find comfort in the midst of our pain. The Bible teaches that our pain is not just a physical or emotional experience, but also a spiritual one. When we turn to God and trust Him with our suffering, we can find comfort and healing. This is not to say that our pain will go away immediately, but that it will lose its devastating power. As we place our pain within the larger context of our life and trust God, we can begin to heal and find joy even in the midst of suffering. Ultimately, our desire for God is the deepest ache of our souls, and it is this desire that can bring us comfort and healing. (2 Cor. 4:1618). Our pain wont have the same devastating power. Most current thinking tends to miss the spiritual essence of depression. (Keep in mind that this doesnt mean that there is always a direct correlation between our faith and our depression. But there is a correlation between our faith and our understanding of depression.)