Suffering

Suffering happens to all of us, some of us suffer continuously, many even suffer for no reason. Now obviously something isn’t right here, how could an all-loving God let so much suffering happen to people who in no way deserve it? This is an exceptionally complicated problem, something no person could ever truly and completely understand, but suffering is often a symbol of true grace and can be used as a very powerful tool for repentance. Suffering is naturally occurring which means there is virtually no way around it, yes it can be delayed through engaging in vanity or “worldly pleasures” as many of the church fathers tell us. We see Job, he is a triumph of humility in the face of suffering and uses his suffering as a means of repentance, constantly turning away (the word for repentance in Hebrew means to turn) from evil and not losing sight of the will of God. I believe suffering happens to people who don’t deserve it is because God is perfectly aware of what one is able to handle, to push someone beyond their ability out of great love is what I think the Lord truly wants for us. It is imperative that we do not see suffering as a negative occurrence like much of the West has conditioned us to think. Suffering in and of itself is a test of our will to match God’s, a necessity for spiritual growth and to change one’s heart to something that serves beyond themselves.