“Suffering is a gift, though like all gifts, it depends on how we receive it. That is why we need a pure heart, to see the hand of God, to feel the hand of God, and to recognize the gift of God within our suffering.” – Mother Theresa

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our consciences, and shouts to us in our pain. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” – C.S. Lewis

“Men will never become great in theology until they become great in suffering.” – Charles Spurgeon

One of the best arguments against believing in a loving, merciful God is to simply take a hard look around this world, contemplate all the forms of suffering, despair, and devastation you see, and try to justify in your mind why an all-powerful God allows it to take place.

We have been taught that nothing is too hard for God or too impossible for Him handle or overcome (Jeremiah 32:27 and Luke 1:37).  He is in total control of this world and the universe He Himself created (Psalm 50:1, Psalm 89:11 and Psalm 95:3-5).

The Bible says, “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?” (Lamentations 3:37)

We are also told that God loves us with “an everlasting love”, that He draws us to Himself with “loving-kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3), that love defines Him (1 John 4:16), and that all He does is centered in righteousness and justice – love and faithfulness (Psalm 89:14).

So, if God is so full of love, why are over a billion people in this world starving?  If He really does have control over events and nothing is too impossible for Him, why doesn’t He bring an end to war and all the killing that transpires in its wake?  If He is all about faithfulness, why does He turn His back on fervent, godly prayers asking Him to intervene – to bring an end to illness, lack, or the many things that cause us pain?

Some believe God just doesn’t have that kind of control here in a world that is run by sinful humans and driven by evil, spiritual forces.  So, does that mean God isn’t who He really says He is?  He declares He is all-powerful, yet when it comes to the world and everything that happens here, he’s rendered impotent and inconsequential – just not capable of changing things or making a positive difference.

If He is the “God who heals us” (Exodus 15:26 and Jeremiah 17:14), then why all the sickness and disease?  What’s the point behind the child stricken with cancer or the sudden aneurysm that takes away a loving, kind co-worker and friend?

If He is so full of righteousness and justice, why allow the greed and power of a few men to dictate the quality of life for the masses?   God, if you are so in control of your creation, why doesn’t your justice rule here or have any affect?  Why are so many people suffering when you could change it all in an instant?

Do you ever think about questions like this?  Has the pain in your life left you wondering why an all-powerful, loving God has turned His back on you?  Do you ever wonder if He really is in control?

You see, I don’t subscribe to the notion that God isn’t capable, willing, or fully engaged.  I don’t believe His arm is too short to save us or deliver us.  I don’t believe the world, any evil force, or any misguided human intention can overcome or overpower Him.

That said, I believe He loves us all with an indescribable, unfathomable kind of love – a love that our human mind can’t fully comprehend or embrace.  It’s unconditional and reliable – never based on who we are or what we do.  It’s a love that isn’t prejudice or given scarcely to a few, but one that encompasses all mankind everywhere – no matter what their belief or creed.

I don’t believe that justice is a standard He is held to. I believe He IS JUSTICE!  How can a holy, loving, merciful God be anything but? 

So if you are like me and you rest in a loving, all-powerful, totally in control God who is just and right in all He does, how does this change your view of pain?  How do you look at it differently in the light of who God really is?

First, if God is all-powerful and in control, then He must ALLOW it to transpire.  If He is loving, just and faithful, and He allows it to transpire, then ultimately it has tremendous blessing, benefit, and growth connected to it in the long run.

Like everyone, my life has been filled with both pleasure and pain.  When I think back to all the times of goodness, blessings and abundance, those absent of suffering or pain of any kind, I don’t recall much growth of character, stretching of my faith, or strengthening of my perseverance.  I tended to be more self-reliant, more self-absorbed, and more self-centered.  As humans, we tend to bask in the blessings – becoming comfortable with keeping things as they are.

God loves us too much to let us remain stagnant.  He wants us to grow, to become stronger, and to endure.  He wants us to become more compassionate and less selfish – more humble and less self-reliant.  These character attributes only develop in an environment filled with pain, with testing, and with discomfort.  Faith isn’t developed in times of blessing, it’s grown and stretched in times of despair and hopelessness.

Pain not only causes us to grow, it moves us closer to God – the source of all hope, peace, and truth in our life.  God knows if we are drawn closer to Him, our divine purpose here becomes more clear. We become supernaturally stronger, wiser, and more at peace.

When life is good, we tend to forget about God.  When life is filled with hardships, when the pain becomes too much to bear, we turn back toward God – seeking His intervention and help within our circumstances.  The closer we are to God, the more we feel His love, hope, and peace.

God is not only all-powerful, loving, and in control, He is eternal. We are made in His image – having an immortal spirit.  Too often, we forget this life is only a mere shadow of what is yet to come.  The pain God is allowing now is for our benefit both now and in the future.  It is somehow preparing us for what lies ahead in the world beyond.

The life to come isn’t the mythical one many people imagine it to be, where we float around on clouds, playing harp music, and walking streets of gold.  It is a new world filled with destiny and purpose, one where the lessons learned in this life (the ones filled with hardships and pain) become the stepping stones to new beginnings and fulfilling experiences.  If this were not the case, then the pain and suffering of this life is futile.

God has a greater purpose within our pain, a purpose with eternal substance and meaning – one our human minds and current circumstances can’t begin to understand or reason out.

Think about the number of individuals who suffer here, never experiencing the justice they deserve for a life filled with misery.  It only makes sense that these temporary trials here will be a launching point for new growth and new adventures eternally.  The pain and suffering of this world isn’t void of purpose.  It is producing in each of us something wonderful – as an all-powerful, ever-loving, omnipotent God would not allow the pain of this life if it wasn’t a vital part of who and what we are to become in the new world.

There have been times in my life when I allowed the pain to push me away from God.  How could a God who loves me allow this to happen?  With all the injustice occurring, how could a God of justice turn His back?  The pain led me to doubt there really was a God at all.

Many people make this choice.  They turn their backs on God because they believe He has turned His back on them.

Instead, we must allow God to use the pain in our life for His good purposes.  We must trust Him in the darkness – when we don’t see the justice, when we don’t see the purpose, and when we feel cheated and abused by the suffering.  Don’t turn away from Him because of the pain, but turn toward Him!

The only way this happens is if we believe that God is who He says He is, that He does have total control, and that He is defined by His love, His mercy, His justice, righteousness and His faithfulness.

When we hold on tight to these truths, we see pain differently as Mother Teresa suggests above.  We understand that a loving God allows it and that we will ultimately benefit from it in ways we cannot imagine – both now and in the new world He is preparing for us!

God bless!