**The Mystery of Suffering and Medical Debt**
The question of why God allows medical debt to be so overwhelming is a complex and deeply personal one. As Anselm so eloquently put it, "it was necessary that God should unite humanity with his own person, so that man, who in his own nature owed the debt but could not pay it might be able to do so in the person of God" (Cur Deus Homo 2.18). In other words, God became human to take on the debt of humanity, to suffer and die in our place, so that we might be able to pay the debt we owed.
However, this does not necessarily mean that God has removed the consequences of our actions. As Augustine pointed out, God became our "debtor" by promising what he pleased, not by receiving anything (Sermon 16). This means that while God provides satisfaction for the debt we owe, we still must face the consequences of our actions. In the case of medical debt, this can be overwhelming and devastating. But, as the Bible reminds us, "God is not under an absolute indebtedness to the believer founded on an independent agency or right, but only on the promise of His grace" (Anselm, Sin: Its Descriptions and Its Results 113). This means that God's love and provision for us are not based on our worthiness, but on His own character and promise.
In the midst of overwhelming medical debt, it can be hard to see God's love and provision. But, as the Bible reminds us, "God's love for people extends to their bodies, which he made" (2 Pet 3:9). He desires that all be saved and that none perish (2 Pet 3:9). This means that even in the midst of suffering and medical debt, God is still working to bring about healing and redemption. As we trust in Him and His promises, we can find hope and peace in the midst of overwhelming medical debt. We can also find ways to share the burdens of others, as God has shown us through the example of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, our focus should be on God's love and provision, rather than on our own worthiness or the overwhelming nature of our debt.