Hard things happen to all of us, but sometimes, it feels like more than we can take. It’s often more than we can comprehend and more than we were prepared to navigate. Following Jesus walks us up to the problem of pain, recognizing that our good God, who we are to turn to in times of trouble, was still reigning on the throne when He let this happen to us. How do we lean on Him and simultaneously battle the reality that He knew this would happen to us or those we love?
This point of confusion is truly the problem of suffering for the believer. We ask questions like “Who is God in our suffering?” or “Where is God?”
We come to a crossroads where we must choose what we will focus on, which can either magnify our problem or provide some comfort, even amid uncertainty.
Our Choice
Focus all Our Attention on Our Problem
Focusing all our attention on our problem is often like slipping into a cavern. There seems to be no end in sight, which causes complex questions to arise, questions that often have no answer.
We find ourselves thinking things like:
- What did I do to deserve this?
- How can God love me and let me suffer through this situation/illness?
- A good God wouldn’t just let His people suffer.
- What can I do to get out of this situation?
- We justify ourselves or those we love as a defense for why the suffering should end – “They’re a good person.”
We often forget some of the lessons from Job 1-2, which tell us that Satan is the author of these evil things and that even he must submit to God’s restraint. It should be noted that God deemed Job blameless and upright. Though he was a sinner, he was also a righteous person. Yet, suffering came upon him.
Focus all Our Attention on Our God
We know that God is good and loving. He is faithful in fulfilling all His promises! They include things like the following:
“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
“And in Your book were written the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.” Psalm 139:16
“Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses, His servant. May the Lord our God be with us as He was with our fathers; may He not leave or forsake us.” I Kings 8:56-57
Focus Our Attention On What We Know About How God’s World Works
We know that since the fall, death and disease have come into the world. They will be with us all.
God’s mercies fall on the just and unjust.
“for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:45
God is the creator of all things, and though we do not comprehend Him in all things, He is the author of all life.
“All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:3-5
Walking in God’s ways brings greater joy. He has a purpose for our hardships, and they will help us grow in our faith.
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ‘Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:1-2
Ultimately, we have the love of God with us no matter what hard things life brings.
“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword. Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE ARE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly concour through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39
In conclusion, we must beware of things that will minimize our trust and dependence on the Lord. We do not want to let our circumstances guide our theology. When we place a greater emphasis on our hardships and believe the lie that God has abandoned us to them, then we begin to distort our understanding of who God is. Secondly, we must caution against a mechanistic view of following God where good behavior equals blessings. There are complex reasons for our suffering, and they produce a spiritual fruit that sustains us into the future, even when we don’t understand the purposes of God. We must remember that God will be with us and He will give us songs in the night, even when we can’t see our way (Job 35:10).
Written by: Jennifer Stuckert, MA MFT, LPC, ACS, CPCS, NCC, Clinical Director
jennifer@restorationcounselingatl.com, ext. 111
Jennifer uses distinctly Christian counseling to help struggling individuals, couples, and families. She has served as the director and supervisor of the staff of Restoration Counseling of Atlanta since 2009. She has two decades of counseling experience, helping people gain relief from life challenges. Jennifer uses biblically sound methods with a specific emphasis on adaption according to personality and learning styles, and is also certified in EMDR.