John 16:33 (NASB)
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you
may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have
overcome the world.”
If you could ask
God one question, one question only, what would that question be? If your question would not be on the subject
of evil and suffering, you would be in the small minority. Polls confirm that the #1 question in life is
why suffering exists in this world. Do a
Google search on the topic of evil and suffering and be amazed over how many
sermons, and books and blogs exist on this subject. We all have experienced the problem of evil
and suffering, some many more times and more severe than others. Whenever I think of evil and suffering, what
I have experienced no way compares to what my friend and co-worker experienced in 1993 that continues for the rest of her life. Her two teenaged children were murdered by
three men in the house of her ex-husband. Why did this happen? Why is there such terrible evil in this world
that causes such terrible suffering?
No one can answer
this question to everyone’s complete satisfaction. Any sermon preached and any piece of
literature written can try to explain why evil and suffering exist, but still
there is no definitive answer. The only
source that can begin to explain why evil and suffering exist is found in the Bible, but
God has chosen not to reveal the complete answer. You read the book of Job where the entire
book is devoted to Job and his friends basically putting God on trial to find
out why He allowed Job to suffer so extensively and in the end God does not
give a direct answer.
The problem of
evil and suffering and all the questions revolving around this problem is
further complicated by the fact that Jesus Himself had to endure evil and
suffering in this world and in the verse above He bluntly states that “you will
have many trials and sorrows”. He does
not provide reasons why trials and sorrows will happen, they just will. Of course, for many people, especially those
who have great pride in their intellectual strengths, accepting a statement
like this without an explanation is practically impossible to do. And so such people might elect to reject God
and His Word and to explain evil and suffering because there is no God or if
there is a God, He is hateful and doesn’t care about us.
Here’s what C.S.
Lewis said[1]:
“When
I was an atheist...my argument against God was that the universe seemed so
cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A person does
not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line...Atheism
turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should
never have found out that it has no meaning.”
What Lewis was saying is that if people rule out God, how are “straight
line” things such as love, goodness, sacrifices for others, even intelligence
explained?
You have to assume that God exists and that
He is a loving, caring Father in heaven.
Why evil and suffering exist, He chooses not to fully explain, but He
does use His Word to provide some of the good that results from trials and
sorrows occur and how, in the end, good will triumph over evil. In this passage, Jesus provides a sense of
security to His disciples and to you.
Yes, you will experience times of trouble throughout your whole life so
try to accept this fact. Yet, you can
face these troubles knowing that Jesus said that they would happen, yet you can
find security and peace in Him.
In what troubling circumstances right now
might this verse give you great security and peace as you give over your
suffering and need for help and comfort to Him?
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