I’m writing this in response to a question on many minds these days. As my friend reminds me, it is the perennial question of humanity affected by suffering. I am thinking of Israelis and Palestinians whose worlds have been devastated. And children who are dying every day.
Why does God allow this, permit this, ‘will’ this suffering? Many who have suffered ask this question. Some have even given up their faith.
This is what I want to suggest. GOD DID NOT WILL THIS. GOD DOES NOT WILL SUCH SUFFERING. GOD DOESN’T EVEN ALLOW IT.
We see God clearly in Jesus Christ. God as we see in Christ is love, self-sacrificing love. Healing love. There is no hatred in Christ. Christ was against suffering. He healed people. He cast out demons. He worked against evil.
God cannot stop this suffering because of God’s own being and design of this world and the creatures who inhabit it. God did not want Hamas to kill Israelis and terrorize a nation. God doesn’t want bombs to rain down on the Palestinians. God is against such horror, always has been.
God is moving in the hearts and minds of all people through his powerful love and it will be when people open themselves to such a God that God will be able to stop this madness. God cannot singlehandedly affect what is going on.
There are evil powers at work in this world. There is chaos. Read the book of Job. This world is complicated as Job found out.
God wants us to live, to love, to flourish and God is moving to make that happen. But evil and free will are at work to oppose God, who chooses to work by the essence of his being which is love.
Every day I think and pray about this question of suffering. And the closest I come to any comfort at all is to believe this: GOD IS EXPERIENCING THIS PAIN THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
Christ knows terror, abandonment, torture, and death. Through Christ, God is in his creation, enduring by love everything that causes pain and agony in the humanity of this world. God feels it. Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote from his prison cell in Germany, “Only a suffering God can help us now.”
God wants it to end. Yes, we know that one day there will be a new heaven and earth. But God wants his will to be done on this earth as it is in God’s Kingdom. Now. God wants us to live. Every life is made in the image of God and matters deeply to God.
According to what I know in Christ and read in God’s word, God is doing all he can to work good out of this mess, this unspeakable horror on all sides. It’s not happening soon enough for us or for God. Keep the faith. Work hard against evil and suffering. Pray. Love one another.
Grace Matters 
I fear we are witnessing the beginnings of worldwide birth pangs described by Yahshua in Matthew 24 and elsewhere in Scripture. If left to his own devices, mankind would destroy YAHWEH’s creation totally and completely. But for the sake of the Elect, YAHWEH, through His precious Son Yahshua, will destroy HIS earthly enemies as Yahshua vanquishes all opposition and assumes the throne of David to reign over His Heavenly Kingdom from Jerusalem. However, in the meantime, we must prepare ourselves for the horrors which are yet to come. Look up, for your redemption draws near.
Well said my friend. We are all asking this question, whether out load or in our minds. I am preaching on this topic this Sunday, 10/22 at Cutchogue Presbyterian Church. The lectionary reading is from Exodus 33, where Moses asks to see God’s glory. God responds by saying: “All My Goodness will pass in front of you.” Really? When we watch the pain on TV, it is hard to believe that God is good. I read an interesting quote by a pastor in Chicago: “life is hard BECAUSE God is good.” When I think about this, I, along with you, say that not only is our life hard, but so is God’s. He suffers when His children suffer, He is horrified at the destruction. So, why does it seem that He does nothing to stop it? Because He is good! Huh?? Yeah, God is so very good in that He could have created creatures whose automatic response to Him would be to obey all His commands, and robotic-like love Him back. But, is that a real, authentic relationship? Of course not. So God chose the very difficult path to give those He made in His image the freedom to reject Him, the freedom to hurt Him, the freedom to ignore Him, the freedom to kill Him. WOW….that is amazing love, that is goodness at it’s more raw and vulnerable place. He longs to be in a genuine love relationship with us. What do I long for?? Good question. One we all need to answer, even if we are not in a war torn country. LORD Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us. Life is hard because God is good. Caren
The post is great bro.
I can neither add or subtract.
And my first thought, of course, was just look at Christ crucified.The post is great. Vintage Pastor George.
…”.O Lord God, grant us your Spirit, that we may comprehend your peace. As we pray, help us to recognize what must come from you alone, for you are mighty and holy and your will is peace on earth. Your will is peace beyond all understanding, your peace in heaven and on earth and under the earth, your peace that opposes all sin and death and takes away every evil that can be named. We await you, O Lord our God, and you will hear us. No matter how long the battle lasts, we hold out in patience, for we are your children. We shall never lose the faith that your name shall be honored and that all things shall come into harmony with your will of peace on earth, your peace. Amen.”
(Then the peace of God, which is beyond our utmost understanding, will keep guard over your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7)
CHRISTOPH FRIEDRICH BLUMHARDT
Thanks, George. Great post!