Was a question posed and answered?

Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. Job 1:21 KJV

One of the most challenging questions, which not only Christianity has to answer, but any worldview, is ‘Why is there pain and suffering in the world?’ It seems that people are so affected by pain and suffering that they forget to ask, ‘Why is there happiness and comfort in the world?’. But things are much more complex than that. ‘Why is there pain and suffering, happiness and comfort in the world?’. That is a much more complex question to answer. Because suffering and joy exist at the same time and take turns in my life, harmonising at the end, a purpose which I could never see. Nonetheless, I noticed recently there is even a deeper question Christians ask, including me, which can become a burden: ‘Why is God not healing me?’. I have learned that pain and suffering, for a child of God, always have a purpose. This is comforting for me, because I can see the despair and that scared look, when a non-believer is suffering. So, if pain and suffering have a purpose, so does God’s healing in someone’s life. Ultimately, we cannot control when pain and suffering come into our lives. The same, we cannot control when healing and godly ease takes over. The only thing we have full control over is our worship to God, by understanding that history is His story.

Why is there pain and suffering in the world?

For a child of God, things are different, and God answers the questions asked through His Word. Sadly, from Genesis chapter 3, suffering, pain, thistles and death were now part of the world. Adam and Eve would have a better understanding of the weight of this question. Because they are the only ones who lived in a world absent of pain and suffering. Later on, due to their disobedience to God, they experienced a world dominated by suffering, pain, loss, thistles and sin. Sin is the cause of pain and suffering, and death. The world was redesigned by sin. However, God didn’t extract Himself from the world, but became closer to it, through Jesus Christ. One of the best answers to the above question, which has humbled me, was given by John Lennox. He was able to formulate such a sweet and comprehensive answer. God did not keep distant from humanity’s suffering. But sent Jesus to be crucified and suffer for Himself. So, the question posed is now eased by the cross and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Looking at the cross, this question, ‘Why is there pain and suffering in the world?’ is unfair. Because Christ suffered unjustly and willingly, He provided a way out of death. Notice, not the suffering and pain. Nowhere in the Bible are we promised that, by trusting Jesus, suffering and pain go away. It emphasises that more suffering will come our way, such as persecution. Which is merely a shadow of the unjust suffering Jesus took upon Himself, when He laid down His life as the tetelestai for the whole world. Of course, when we look at the world today, we can see different sources of evil. Ultimately, they all lead to the same root: sin. What is more, a Christian lives under the promise that one day, in the new creation, there will be no more pain and suffering. Therefore, what we live today and the struggles and grief, and sorrows are not forever. (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)

Why is there pain and suffering, happiness and comfort in the world?

I do not think we give the same amount of time and energy, and focus to the above question as we do to suffering and pain. Which is understandable, but unfair. This little life is not overwhelmed by unpleasant and ugly situations. There are countless beautiful things in this life. And by unnumbered, I mean that we do not really attempt to balance things out. Therefore, those moments of peace and joy pass by like a quiet echo. Perhaps we should ask what Moses did. “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalms 90:12 KJV) It is foolishness, especially for a child of God, who has eternity already given and Christ is their Saviour, to set our minds on the pain and suffering. If we are seeking to be wise servants of God, we would at least attempt to count the blessings God pours into our lives and daily renews them, as He promised. If you do not know where to start, I could suggest the cross. The greatest blessing God made available through grace and by faith, to be saved from eternal damnation. The contrast which the cross depicts is overwhelming. One of the bloodiest events in the gospel accounts, yet the most beautiful. Through the cross and the resurrection, we have been given more than hope. By trusting in this magnificent work, we can have the reality of the promised and real eternal life. What is more, a random person then becomes a wanderer on earth and a citizen of Heaven with full rights. There is another magnificent contrast we live with every day.

‘Why is there pain and suffering, happiness and comfort in the world?’

Reading the first two chapters of the Bible, I concluded that God never intended anything else than a perfect and sinless world. That’s how He designed everything through His word. Genesis sits as the bedrock evidence that God’s design of a perfect world was marred by His majestic creation, the human. So, looking at the world today and its bombs and beauty, I can see that God’s design is still there and as well as sin. Therefore, until Jesus returns or we go to meet Him, the perfect world of God is tarnished.

‘Why is God not healing me?’

Knowing what we learnt so far, what is the answer? I would like to take on a short journey through one of the most complex texts of the Bible, when it comes to pain and suffering, beauty and joy and healing. The book of Job can at least point a Christian to God and direct them in asking God the above question. What Job has lost, and not because of sin nor persecution, I haven’t and perhaps many of us have not. All the children, all the business, the status, his health and in the end, even his wife murmuring. Understandably, though, she lost the same things as Job did. What is more, her husband was now greatly ill. Interestingly, about Job’s wife, is that this is the only time she spoke as a foolish woman. When we read the book of Job, we are able to see the dynamics between God and Satan. We are given the full story, but imagine Job, having so many questions and no answers yet. It is much easier and desirable to be the reader only. I look at this story, amazed and perplexed, because to all the questions Job had, to all the grief and sorrow and pain, God answered magnificently. ‘Were you there when I laid the foundations of the earth?’ None of us was anywhere, and Job was not either. I am trying to understand this question and the things in my life which are lacking healing. What are we expecting to happen? Without knowing God, we will foolishly hang our hope on earthly chains. How and why should healing come into our lives? What are we fighting against? Is it illness, or looking deeper, it is this dark enemy, death? We could never have defeated death. Christ died already on the cross, and we have a promise, death will be defeated lastly for all. So, I am asking myself, what am I trying to fight against? Which enemy?

Looking in the gospel accounts, we are flooded with the miracles Jesus performed. Especially healing the sick and bringing a few people back to life a few people. They are all dead! The apostles performed the same miracles. The apostles and the people they healed are dead! Amongst them all, Jesus Christ stands alive!

What are we expecting to happen in this broken world? Even if God gives us the healing we want, that would not diminish the damaged world we live in. What is more, death is certain!

I think the question is fair, and God is patient with any of us. Especially because through Jesus, Emmanuel, He knows our sorrows and pain. Sometimes they take over, just like Job’s wife. We are only dust and conceived in sin. God knows that. That is why we are allowed to ask Him ‘WHY?’. However, if by asking this, we do not conclude as Job did, that question will never benefit us.

God does provide healing today as He did through Jesus and throughout history. But, we ought to allow God at the personal level to reveal His purpose. Whatever happened in history, it is evidence that God is unchanging. I hope we become wise people and start to count our days and blessings. To start to understand how God worked in different times and how He can work today. To understand the world and its shortcomings. To balance out the beauty and the bombs, and lastly, to focus on the cross. We have been given there the healing our souls were craving for. Grace was abundant, and by faith we are promised to be given eternal life. Or, in today’s terms, immortality. I know it is hard for you to take in, as it is for me. Is there another way, but through Christ?

I am rejoicing that there isn’t. Because for Jesus Christ, there wasn’t any other way to provide us with Salvation. God had to send His only begotten Son. He did willingly and suffered the most, and it was unjust. At least we could, as the malefactor next to Jesus did, for us is just, but for Christ it wasn’t. Christ was sinless, holy. We are broken and sinful. Christ took my brokenness and sin and gave me in return through faith, righteousness and the promise of escaping sin, through his power of being glorified with Jesus in glory.

‘Why is God not healing me?’

Perhaps we ought to start by accepting, first of all, that we live in a broken and tarnished world. This is not what God designed or what He intended. Therefore, we live in an abnormal state due to sin, which is painful and suffering. That is not to say there aren’t any beautiful things for which we can rejoice. Or that we have never experienced healing and ease in our lives from God. Maybe we should start counting the unnumbered situations when God intervened in our mere existence and changed the course, from pain to comfort. Lastly, let us not forget that during our shortcomings, when God laid the foundations of the earth, we were not there. He holds everything in His hands. Yesterday is history, today is what we have, and tomorrow, God has already been there.

Job 42:2  I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 
Job 42:3  Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 
Job 42:4  Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 
Job 42:5  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.