Never Blame God: Understanding Pain and Suffering

Never Blame God: Understanding Pain and Suffering

As humans, we all experience pain and suffering at some point in our lives. Whether it's physical, emotional, or spiritual, the question of why we suffer is one that has puzzled humanity for centuries. And when we're hurting, it's easy to point the finger at God and blame him for our pain. But is it really fair to blame God for the suffering we experience?

God is Sovereign

One of the reasons we may be tempted to blame God for our suffering is that we forget that he is sovereign. In other words, he is in control of everything that happens in the world, including our pain and suffering. The Bible is clear on this point:

• "The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all." (Psalm 103:19)


• "I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things." (Isaiah 45:7)


• "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." (Romans 11:36)

These verses (and many others like them) make it clear that God is in control of everything. That includes the good things in our lives, but it also includes the bad things. This can be hard to accept, especially when we're in the midst of suffering. But it's an important truth to remember.

God is Good

Another reason we may be tempted to blame God for our suffering is that we forget that he is good. In other words, he always has our best interests at heart, even when it doesn't feel like it. The Bible is also clear on this point:

• "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" (Psalm 34:8)


• "For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." (Psalm 100:5)


• "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

These verses (and others like them) remind us that God is good, even when our circumstances are not. He is always working for our good, even when we can't see it. Sometimes that means allowing us to go through difficult times in order to teach us, refine us, or draw us closer to him.

God is Compassionate

Finally, we may be tempted to blame God for our suffering because we forget that he is compassionate. In other words, he cares deeply about our pain and wants to comfort us in our sorrow. The Bible is full of examples of God's compassion:

• "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him." (Psalm 103:8-13)


• "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

These verses (and others like them) remind us that God is not indifferent to our pain. He sees our suffering and he cares about it deeply. He is not distant or aloof, but instead he is intimately involved in our lives and wants to comfort us in our sorrow.

The Problem of Evil

Of course, all of this raises the question of why God allows evil and suffering in the world. If he is sovereign, good, and compassionate, why does he allow people to suffer?

This is a question that has been debated by theologians and philosophers for centuries. Some have argued that God allows evil and suffering as a punishment for sin, while others have suggested that it's a result of our free will. Still others have suggested that it's simply a mystery that we may never fully understand.

One thing we can say for sure is that God does not cause evil or suffering. He may allow it to happen, but he does not cause it. The Bible is clear on this point:

• "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one." (James 1:13)


• "The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works." (Psalm 145:17)

These verses (and others like them) remind us that God is not the author of evil. He is always righteous and just, even when we don't understand his ways.

What Should We Do When We Suffer?

So if God is sovereign, good, compassionate, and not the author of evil, what should we do when we suffer? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Turn to God in Prayer

When we suffer, our first instinct may be to blame God or to turn away from him. But the best thing we can do is turn to him in prayer. The Bible encourages us to bring our pain and sorrows to God:

• "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." (Psalm 55:22)


• "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray." (James 5:13)

When we pray, we can pour out our hearts to God and ask for his comfort and guidance. We can also ask him to reveal his purposes to us and to help us trust him even when we don't understand.

2. Seek Support from Other Believers

Another important thing we can do when we suffer is to seek support from other believers. The Bible encourages us to bear one another's burdens:

• "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2)


• "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

When we share our struggles with other believers, we can find comfort and encouragement. We can also learn from their experiences and be reminded that we're not alone in our suffering.

3. Look to the Cross

Finally, when we suffer, we can look to the cross of Christ for hope and comfort. The Bible tells us that Jesus himself suffered on our behalf:

• "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted." (Isaiah 53:3-4)


• "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15)

When we look to the cross, we can be reminded that Jesus understands our pain and suffering. He has walked in our shoes and he knows what it's like to suffer. And because of his death and resurrection, we can have hope for the future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it's natural to want to blame God when we suffer. But as Christians, we need to remember that God is sovereign, good, and compassionate. He may allow us to suffer, but he is always working for our good and his glory. When we suffer, we can turn to him in prayer, seek support from other believers, and look to the cross for hope and comfort. And we can trust that one day, all of our pain and suffering will be turned to joy when we see Jesus face to face.