Hello ,
I've had so many
opportunities to see profound suffering in my line of work. I cannot help but wonder about the "why" of it all sometimes. I guess it's a human thing to do, but from time to time I have found myself trying to understand it.
Last year I had the privilege of sitting with a family who had lost their 10 year old boy in a
snowmobile accident, I sat next to his twin brother who was in shock from losing his closest friend, and I have to admit that I didn't have any words that made any sense to me while I was there with him.
Why?
Simplistic answers to questions like these have never made much sense to me. I guess I'm just
too human, and trying to wrap my mind around such complex concepts of pain, loss, and human struggle are quite often more than I can take in. As I pastor, I've had moments when I'm asked about the big "WHY" during devastating, life-altering moments that bring heartache to the recipients.
I'd be less than
honest if I said that I understand all of the "WHY'S" about human suffering. I'm not afraid to admit that there have been times when all I could do was to cover my face and cry. I've had instances when I was supposed to be strong, but I certainly didn't feel very strong at all.
Through it all though, there have been
some things that have become abundantly clear to me. I'd like to submit them to you today. I don't ask that you agree with me. I don't suggest that I have all of the answers. But these few observations have helped me to have at least a little more peace about human suffering:
1. Earth is a war
zone and no one is exempt from the suffering that inevitably happens from living here. From the 20 men, women, and children that die every minute from starvation on planet earth, to the families that suffer devastating loss during a natural disaster, all people experience struggle, suffering, and pain. Not one life is untouched by it. Most of all, our Savior Jesus wasn't unscathed as He made His journey on earth. He knows and understands our pain, because it was
placed upon His shoulders.
2. There can be take-away value when people suffer. Please don't misunderstand what I just said. I didn't say that suffering was a good thing, but I did say that good things CAN come out of suffering. My wife Roberta is in a wheelchair from an auto accident that she was
in more than 25 years ago. We DO NOT enjoy the physical "fall-out" that this accident caused, but both of us have experienced tremendous growth, (both spiritually and relationally) because of it. It gave me "fresh eyes" to look upon the suffering of others in ways that I never could have imagined. It gave her a perspective on pain that only the hurting can truly grasp. This experience has left an indelible mark on the way that we relate to those who go through personal
struggle. Romans 8:28
3. God is going to bring an end to all of this heartache on
planet earth. I believe that we can have hope in a bright, eternal future. There's a day coming when all wrongs will be made right, when all tears that have been shed will be wiped away, and all sin will be wiped out. Revelation
21:4
May God be with each of us as we search for answers to life's most perplexing questions, and may we always be found holding His almighty hand through it all.
Have a great day
and God bless!
