Biblical Answer

The Faulty Theology of Suffering

The question of why God took your pain away only to bring it back is rooted in a faulty theology of suffering. This theology suggests that God wants to heal us and that suffering is not part of His plan. However, this perspective overlooks the fact that God's primary concern is not our physical or emotional well-being, but rather our spiritual well-being. The Bible teaches that sin is a more serious problem than suffering (Psalm 38:3-4). Our desire to avoid pain and suffering is often rooted in a self-centered perspective, where we assume that God would want to heal us because He loves us and has a wonderful plan for our life. However, this perspective is misguided and fails to account for the complexities of God's sovereignty and our sinful nature.

The Purpose of Suffering

From God's perspective, the purpose of suffering is not to take away our pain, but to give us the power to trust and obey Him in the midst of pain. Suffering is a means of drawing us closer to God and teaching us to rely on Him for strength and guidance. 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" (The Problem of Pain). Our pain and suffering are opportunities for us to experience God's presence and power in a deeper way. Instead of asking God to take away our pain, we should ask Him to meet us in our suffering and to give us the strength to endure it.

The Nature of God's Sovereignty

The Bible teaches that God is sovereign over all creation, including our lives and circumstances. He is not limited by our desires or expectations, but rather, He works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). This means that even in the midst of suffering, God is working to bring about His purposes and plans for our lives. Our pain and suffering are not random or arbitrary, but rather, they are part of God's larger plan to conform us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). Rather than asking why God took our pain away only to bring it back, we should ask Him to help us trust in His sovereignty and goodness, even in the midst of suffering. This requires a deep and abiding faith in God's character and promises, and a willingness to surrender our desires and expectations to His will.