I wrestle with a thought every now and then.
In social psychology, there is a term called "Just world belief". Simply put, good things will happen to good people and bad things will happen to bad people. It describes a certain perspective some people have when it comes to misfortune.
But, we, as Christians, know that the "Just world belief" is foolish and definitely false. Bad things happen to good people all the time. The wicked continue to prosper and enjoy their gluttonous lifestyles. Missionaries live in harsh conditions, while still remaining faithful to the God they so desperately want to share with the natives. Christians around the world are persecuted and subject to torture; meanwhile men who shamelessly commit horrible deeds relax and indulge in their spoils of wrongdoing.
I struggle with the thought of good people suffering. It's an age-old argument to the existence of God. How does a loving God allow His people to suffer? Why do women and children in Africa continue to die? What kind of God allows the world to continue along in its downward spiral?
I'm sure most people are familiar with the story of Job. A faithful man of God is stripped of all his wonderful treasures, family, and property. But all due to what? A test? Sometimes I wonder. Are Christians satisfied with the answer to suffering being a test of faith? We say we suffer because God wants to teach us or test us. Sometimes, we get pulled in different ways and truly come out a "better" person. Other times, we just don't see it but tell ourselves through gritted teeth that we just need to have more faith and sometimes God works in "mysterious" ways.
I wonder if people are truly comforted by the things we conjure up in our minds to justify suffering. We strive to understand God and delve deeper into Scripture to uncover truths that should comfort us. Instead of becoming more enlightened, often times we're inherently and unconsciously selfish and create our own truths with "Scriptural" backing. This is where I see all sorts of debates over controversial topics and different interpretations. We believe that OUR interpretation of Scripture is absolute. We say the Trinity exists because there are verses where God refers to Himself as "we". They say the Trinity doesn't even make sense. There is no mention of Trinity in Scripture. Then we create different sects and cults and ultimately confuse the whole world because an Absolute Truth has been torn into variations of the "Truth" that every group insists is the whole.
Gestalt Psychology says that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I think it's our responsibility to be well read in Scripture and know God's Word. I think the deeper knowledge we have, the more advantageous it is when it comes to evangelism or discussion. However, I believe that we are a mere cup that can only hold so much water, although there is a pitcher full of water. Seeking to fully understand God to a point where we could actually be rewriting His Truth to conveniently fit into our worldview that reigns supreme? That's just wrong.
Maybe I won't ever understand why people suffer. There are hundreds of books and verses that seek to comfort those who struggle with the same thing. And I will find comfort. I will have faith. But I won't know all.
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5 comments:
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4).
I have often asked myself the same question, Dan, without being able to produce a definitive answer. The way I see it is God is love.
He loves us so much that he allows us to choose to love him in return or reject him. That's love. You can't force someone to love you after all. It wouldn't be love that way. He loves us so much that he sent down his one and only son to die for us! But he didn't just die, he rose again. He loves us so much that he bridged the gap that separates us and said "hey, you want to be close to me? You want to have a relationship with me? You want to find out what's missing? You want to live the way you ought to? You want to be the change? You want to taste and see that I am good? Then Live as I live."
Because there is sin in the world, there is suffering. Because we can choose to follow or not to follow people are suffering. If God were to come down and just fix everything he might as well force us to follow him too. What would be the point of all of that? That's not love. Is this to say that God allows all of this suffering to go on unchecked? By no means! He already gave us the solution to the problem. He gave us Jesus Christ.
It really irks me when people say "If there is a God, then why are people suffering in (insert your country of choosing here)?" Are you expecting God to actually manifest and clean things up and then say: "alright folks, I just cleaned up the middle east. I'll be back in a couple of weeks to do another sweep. Just sit tight. Happy birthday." That sounds pretty impersonal to me. We still have the problem and nothing is getting accomplished if we have a divine being intervening in order to clean up all of OUR messes.
See, people assume because there is suffering going on that God isn't working to solve the problem. If you take a look at all of the people rallying behind the invisible children cause and all of those other organizations working to make things better over there then you can clearly see God working. The best part is he's working through us! How cool is that!?
He wants us to understand love. He wants us to be moved by the suffering enough to actually do something about it! To do some freaking work instead of whining about it and expecting him to step in. We learn nothing that way! If we want life to be better then we need to work for it! We can't be expecting him to come down and fix every little problem we have. Life would be meaningless that way. There is a problem. It is OUR problem. WE made it. WE have to deal with it.
Maybe we aren't supposed to be content with suffering. Maybe we aren't supposed to be happy with it. The book of Job has such a weird ending. It's like: "ok, so after all of that then God concedes and blesses Job again? What was the point of that?" It never explains. I think it was written that way on purpose. Job wasn't content with his suffering. Maybe we aren't supposed to be either.
Even if we were to understand why people suffer, who is to say that will make us feel any better? "For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief." Ecclesiastes 1:18. Maybe we should spend less time trying to figure out why it happens to everyone and instead just go out and deal with the suffering going on as best we can.
This is surely one of the toughest subjects to discuss that I still am not content with. It's actually got my head spinning right now thinking about all of it. It's tough for sure, and I'm right there with you Dan. You do not struggle alone.
hello dan
good post.
seek and you shall find. we suffer because of sin. thats what makes heaven even greater, no more suffering! no more sin!
remember how God used Joseph too :)
"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good..."
Gen 50:20
hello dan! i hope you find God in all your questions and that through it all, you will grow deeper in love and devotion for him!
and im not partying! dont be stumbled! i miss you buddy!
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