Suffering

Profound is the intersection of Christ's suffering and our own. We often overlook the presence of Christ in our deepest, darkest hurts. 

In Isaiah we read, "He grew up before him like a tender shoot,  and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,  nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.He was despised and rejected by mankind,  a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain  and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God,  stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." (emphasis added)

The theology of the cross is rooted in suffering. How then can we assume that God is most deeply met on the other side of suffering instead of in the midst of suffering? Jesus suffered in ways that we cannot begin to imagine. Where there is suffering, Christ is there. Isaiah makes it clear that Jesus bore all the suffering on the cross. Therefore, in the midst of the hardest things of life the cross is clearly there too. It is up to recognize the hand of God even when things that are terrible.

Paul talks about the fellowship of suffering leading to grace (Philippians 3). While this is true, there is a greater dimension than just grace. There is commonality with Christ. In our suffering, we are more like Christ than we realize. Christ begged for the cup of the cross to pass from him, but then told His Father (and ours) that it was not his will but God's that he wanted. How often do we beg for our trials, suffering and pain to pass from us? How often do we overlook the second part of Christ's request? Do we often ask God that His will be done even if it means our temporary discomfort? As finite humans, we cannot determine what is good and what is evil. However, we do know that all things work together for good; so the suffering that we encounter will be used by God.

Look closely again at the cross and tell me that the suffering was not worth it. I realize that is an absurd request. We know quite well that the suffering on the cross brought redemption to the world. 

I have many times asked why must I go through a certain obstacle. Perhaps that is the wrong question. Maybe in the middle of a trial I should ask: How am I responding to my current situation? Is it the right way to respond? Am I learning something from this? Am I showing my faith in God, my love for Christ and my commitment to follow him? 

There is a deeper answer in the why. Why is there suffering in general? Well, we are living in a fallen world. We sometimes suffer as a result of our own sin. Other times it is a bigger part of God's plan or discipline. There is no one answer to why suffering and pain are a part of this life. Therein-lies the problem of theodicy (a topic for another day).

Yes, suffering is painful and perplexing. Yet, if we let it, suffering can be purposeful. We must learn to use our deepest pains as a witness to God's unending faithfulness.