Trying to make sense of suffering

What can we as Christians make of all this?  Well, we should recognise that for all our human intelligence we cannot understand God and the way he works.  He is far beyond our understanding.  Yet we know that he loves his creation and we trust that “all shall be well”. (17) (The saintly Julian of Norwich had a series of visions in the 14th century in which she perceived Jesus saying these now well-known words).  And this is not airy-fairy wishing for a happy ending.  There are plenty of passages in the Bible that give us grounds for hope.  St Paul, for example, writes: “I think that what we suffer in this life can never be compared with the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us” (Jerusalem Bible, Romans 8:18).

However, this doesn’t mean that we can sit back and not worry about suffering unless it’s likely to affect us.  When God created the world he chose human beings to be its stewards, to look after the Earth on his behalf.  That is a huge responsibility but God gave human beings intelligence of a very high order and it’s up to us to use that gift to help prevent or minimise suffering. 

This involves efforts to predict when events such as serious earthquakes are likely to occur so that people can be evacuated beforehand.  Currently earthquakes can’t be predicted because not enough is known about earthquake mechanism. (18)  At a global level human beings can work to ensure a fair sharing of the Earth’s resources so that the environment is made as safe as possible for people who live in areas where there is a high risk of a natural disaster (for example, houses built to enhance the chance of survival).  We all need to pray for this kind of global caring and, we should try to support relief efforts when a disaster does occur.

With regard to illness, human beings have the knowledge to prevent or treat a great deal of sickness.  And even if cure isn’t possible, every effort must be made to keep people as comfortable as possible.

The other thing we should never forget is that God, in the Person of Jesus, experienced the full force of evil and of physical and mental suffering in his earthly life.  He knew what it was to be hungry, thirsty and exhausted.  He knew what it felt like to be let down by friends and to be misunderstood.  He was mocked and spat upon, tortured and nailed to the cross, where he suffered an unimaginably horrible death.  So when things are tough, we can never say to God “You don’t know what it’s like”. 

We should remember, too, that God is not remote and far removed from the suffering of the world.  He is our loving Father and is with us and with all who suffer.

SUMMARY

1. God is almighty because as creator he has power over all things and is the source of all power.

2. But angels and human beings have free-will because one must be free to love God; one cannot be forced.

3. The Devil and human beings have chosen instead to do wrong, which causes much suffering, yet suffering can bring us to want God and then to love him.

4. God is infinitely stronger than the Devil.

5. Natural events such as earthquakes are part of the way the way Earth works.  They may result in suffering but God has given human beings intelligence to prevent or minimise the suffering.

6. God is with us in our sadness and suffering.

References

1. Vardy, P. and Arliss, J. (2003) The thinker’s guide to God, Ropley: O Books.
2. Vardy, P. and Arliss, J. (2003) op cit.
3. Lewis, C.S. (1957) The problem of pain, London: Collins Fontana.
4. Vardy, P. and Arliss, J. (2003) op cit.
5. Polkinghorne, J. (1989) Science and Providence. God’s interaction in the world, London: SPCK.
6. Polkinghorne, J. (1989) op cit.
7. ©The Archbishops’ Council (2006) Common Worship.  Holy Baptism.  Available from: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/worship/liturgy/commonworship/texts/initiation/baptism.html  (Accessed 20 August 2010) (Internet).
8. Lewis, C.S. (1942) The Screwtape Letters, London: Geoffrey Bles, the Centenary Press.
9. Lewis, C.S. (1942) Broadcast talks: what Christians believe, London: Geoffrey Bles, the Centenary Press.
10. Wright, N.T. (2006) Evil and the justice of God, London: SPCK.
11. ©The Archbishops’ Council (2000) Common Worship. Eucharistic Prayer A.  Available from:
http://www.cofe.anglican.org/worship/liturgy/commonworship/texts/hc/prayera.html  (Accessed 20 August 2010) (Internet).
12. Bray, G. (2007) ‘God’ in McGrath, A. (editor) The new Lion handbook of Christian belief, Oxford: Lion Hudson.
13. Allaby, M. et al (2008) The encyclopedia of Earth. A complete visual guide, Sydney: Weldon Owen.
14. Allaby, M. et al (2008) op cit.
15. U.S. Geological Survey (2009) 100% chance of an earthquake.  Available from: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/100_chance.php  (Accessed 09 August 2010).
16. World Health Organization (2010) World malaria report 2009.  Available from: http://www.who.int/malaria/world_malaria_report_2009/en/index.html (Accessed 09 August 2010).
17. Julian of Norwich (A.D. 1373) Revelations of Divine Love, ninth edition edited by Warrack, G. (1927) London: Methuen.
18. U.S. Geological Survey (2009) op cit.