The Word:
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT)
“…He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”
Romans 8:28-29 (NKJV)
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Psalm 147:3-4 (NIV)
“He heals up the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.”
Reflection Questions:
- How can a good God allow evil and suffering in this world?
- What do you think is in our hearts that instinctually cries out for justice and pronounces suffering as wrong? (Hint: could it be because suffering was not part of God’s Original Design?)
- Do you see suffering as a gift or a burden?
By Heather Mattingly
“How can a good God allow evil and suffering in this world?” A tough question that many of us (myself included) have asked and that hinders many from our faith. Why would a good God allow evil and suffering in this world? What possible good can come from starving children, wars, girls being sexually abused and/or trafficked, murder, theft, incurable diseases, and countless other horrors we see on any news channel every day? What happened?
One of the pillars of our faith is that we live in a fallen world. This is a world that has gone terribly wrong because of humanity’s free will. God, in His infinite love and grace, has given us the gift of free will: we don’t have to love (obey) Him; we get to choose whether or not to love (obey) Him. Our original parents, Adam and Eve, had this same power of choice in the Garden of Eden and chose to disobey God, thus sin entered our world (Gen. 3). Everything has gone haywire ever since. We will never fully understand why suffering happens to this person and not that one, or why this disease is prevalent in this area as opposed to that area. It is a Mystery.
But praise God that He did not throw us away and start over! He had every reason to, yet even now, He is working to “make all things new” (Isa. 43:19, Rev. 21:5) and restore this world to what He originally intended it to be (Rev. 22). Which also begs this question: when you hear someone (or yourself) ask “why would a good God allow suffering to happen?” this is actually encouraging, because what is it inside of us that yearns for justice? Could it be because we know deep in our heart of hearts that something is terribly wrong and that suffering, sin, death and the grave were never supposed to be here in the first place? God has “planted eternity in the human heart” (Ecc. 3:11) so could this yearning for justice be His Spirit inside of us shouting out for what we know to be right and true?
C.S. Lewis and Elisabeth Elliot both spent much of their earthly ministry speaking about the mystery of suffering. Elisabeth Elliot explains that “Christianity deals head-on with suffering because Christ Himself suffered. This symbol of our faith [the Cross] is a symbol of suffering.”
Romans 8:28 is oft-quoted in our culture, “and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Does this verse mean you are guaranteed that new car/house/job/relationship/______ that you’ve been hoping and praying for? No, it does not. I don’t know what exact circumstances Paul was in when he wrote this letter to the Roman church, but I don’t think they were good circumstances. Just sentences before, in verse 18, Paul writes, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” These are hard words. What exactly does he mean by present sufferings? Well, Hebrews 11:37 tells us that, “They [men and women of faith] were stoned, were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented…” These are not just words; these sufferings really happened, and still happen, to our brothers and sisters worldwide.
Romans 8:28 gives us God’s pattern, and Romans 8:29 gives us God’s purpose: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Rom. 8:29). What is God’s purpose? To turn us into the image of Jesus. Well, where do we find Jesus so that we can look like Him? In his earthly life, we found Him on the Cross: the symbol of ultimate suffering.
Phil 1:29 tells us that “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” And James 1:17 tells us that, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights…” How can we consider suffering as a gift? Do we even want to do so? Our Lord Jesus did. He not only said that you were worth suffering for, but He proved it by suffering and dying for you. But this is scary, how can we proceed by seeing and accepting suffering, which is a horrible thing, as a “good and perfect gift” like the Bible says and like Jesus did? The Bible tells us in Hebrews 12:2 that we can do this by “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
I don’t know what you or your loved one(s) are going through right now, but I do know that our God is with you. He is for you. If all you have is a broken heart and broken faith right now, it’s alright. Give those to Him. He will not scorn your gifts; He will cherish them, because He cherishes you. “He heals up the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” Be encouraged: God’s hands, the same hands that are big enough to create the universe and number all the stars, and name them, are also small enough to hold your broken heart and heal it. Please let Him; He will give you what you need to endure.
Prayer:
“Jesus, I don’t understand why I see all of this horrible evil and suffering in this world, and why I’m suffering with ______ in my own life. But today, I choose to accept this as Your will. I choose to believe Your Word and that You are “working salvation in the midst of the earth” (Ps 74:12) and in me, even when I cannot see it or feel it. Holy Spirit, please give me the courage to believe You and to fight the good fight of faith today. Amen.”
(‘Hast thou no scar?’ by Amy Carmichael)
Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land;
I hear them hail thy bright, ascendant star.
Hast thou no scar?
Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers; spent,
Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned.
Hast thou no wound?
No wound? No scar?
Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,
And piercèd are the feet that follow Me.
But thine are whole; can he have followed far
Who hast no wound or scar?
City Life Starter 
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