Suffering
I think about suffering a lot.
I’ve thought about suffering consistently since my first year of college when a friend confided deep hurt to my willing, however admittedly naive, ears. Sitting in the quiet hallway of our dorm, my friend shared her experience as a teenager in foster care. She shared her experience of abuse within a supposedly Christian foster family and resulting doubts and anger towards God. Since those moments sitting with and listening to my beautiful, diligent, and confident friend, suffering has often been on my mind.
And suffering continues to be on my mind. My ongoing thoughts about suffering-- its causes and implications as well as humans’ actions and God’s character-- often stem from my work with children who experience immense mental health challenges. Unfortunately, many of these challenges are often catalyzed by dark family dynamics and traumatic experiences. It’s a vicious cycle: suffering resulting from suffering and begetting more suffering.
I certainly don’t have earth-shattering answers or insights. However, by His grace, God continually sanctifies my thoughts and emotions related to this topic. I currently think of suffering in a far more hopeful and worshipful way than I once did. Given the recent international and national crises (not to mention each of our own personal, daily sufferings), I hope the thoughts below about considering, identifying with, and proclaiming Jesus serve to sharpen our perspectives about suffering and stir hope about our wonderful, near-to-the-broken-hearted God.
Considering Jesus
In the past, I questioned God’s character in the face of suffering. Over time, one fact has served to settle my tumultuous confusions, doubts, and emotions: Jesus willingly suffered on behalf of humankind. Jesus did not distance Himself from hard emotions and hard experiences. Rather, He willingly subjected Himself to physical, emotional, social, and mental suffering and experienced the worst possible suffering in separation and wrath from God (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53:3-12; John 1:9-11; 1 Peter 2:23-25). And why? So that God would be magnified, His promises fulfilled, and His people blessed. Our God is familiar with pain firsthand.
God’s familiarity with pain is not simply a truth of the past, but a reality of the present. God daily carries our burdens, remains near to the brokenhearted, and binds our wounds (Psalm 34:18; Psalm 55:22; Psalm 68:19; Psalm 147:3; Isaiah 61:1). He is grieved by the specific sins and brokenness of our world (Genesis 6:6; Psalm 78:40; John 11:33-36). Because our God has suffered Himself and chooses to bear with our personal pains, we can look to Him for comfort, guidance, and hope until the day He ends all suffering (Hebrews 12:1b-3; Revelation 21:1-5).
Identifying with Jesus
Because both Jesus and humans have experienced suffering, we can know God more deeply in a way that would be otherwise impossible. When two people have similar experiences, they share in mutual understanding and reciprocal empathy. What a special thing to share with God!
From a human perspective, I think about how experiencing pain with others often manifests in deep bonds and feelings of unity. This is why long distance runners and soldiers (among many others) experience such strong camaraderie with one another. Likewise, from a spiritual perspective, suffering allows us to know Jesus more, affording us the opportunity to cultivate a deepened relationship with Him as Brother, Friend, and Priest (Hebrews 2:14-18, Hebrews 4:15-16). Jesus says that knowing God is eternal life (John 17:3) and suffering is one way to know God and experience eternal life. While deeply painful and trying, through suffering, God is able to cultivate greater intimacy with us, granting us greater identification with Him and joy in eternal life (Galatians 2:20).
Proclaiming Jesus
In our suffering, we have the opportunity to share with our neighbors, family, co-workers, and friends the nearness, understanding, and compassion of God. We have the opportunity to share the good news about a God who knows our suffering because He suffered to put an end to all suffering (John 16:33). Not only do we have the chance to proclaim the wonders of God to others, but also to ourselves. We must repeat truth to strengthen our quickly feeble, wayward hearts. We must not doubt in the dark what we know to be true in the light. We must reiterate again and again in the face of suffering, “God is good, God is good. God is just, God is just. God is near, God is near.” Through these proclamations we exercise the discipline of faith (Psalm 77; Romans 5:2-5).
Suffering makes my head hurt and heart ache. Yet in the midst of suffering’s pain, God has provided us with an anchor, a cornerstone, and a refuge named Jesus. And this Jesus not only knows suffering, but cares to know ours. And not only know our suffering, but redeem it for His glory and our blessing. May we consider Jesus, identify with Him, and proclaim His nearness as we endure suffering.
Resources
Suffering and the Heart of God by Diane Langberg
Walking with God through Pain and Suffering by Tim Keller