If God is a God of love, then why does he allow suffering? That is a question that is asked by believers and unbelievers alike. But I think that I would be right in guessing that it is more easily answered by those who are on the "God side" of faith. Why is that? Because once you come to know God, you begin to understand that life as we know it is not all about the "here and now".
God's perspective is so much bigger. And after one has walked with God for many years they get the privilege of having glimpses into the overall plan of God and it is indeed marvelous.
But if we limit our perspective to only "me and mine", then we can never understand the wonder of His plan. After having gotten a few glimpses at the glorious wisdom of God as displayed through his majestic wonders and as described through scripture or the lives of his saints, one can begin to rest in Him. Why? Because one comes to understand just how great his love really is.
When one studies the life of the apostle Paul, one can get some valuable insight on suffering in the life of a Christian. Paul asks an important question in Romans chapter 8 verse 35, "Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry, or cold or in danger or threatened with death?" (NLT)
He answers this question for us in Romans 8:37-39. He says, absolutely not! We can be assured that God does indeed love us and he enables us to live victorious lives through these things.
To quote Paul exactly: "No despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord "(Romans 8:37-39 NLT)
But what kind of experience did Paul have with suffering? He was well qualified to give advice on this subject. Scripture records that he experienced hunger, thirst, lack of clothing, beatings, homelessness, and that he worked wearily to cover his own expenses. He was cursed, abused, treated like the world's garbage, harassed, perplexed, hunted down, knocked down, in constant danger of death, and put in jail. He faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, was beaten within an inch of his life, slandered, called an imposter, endured ship wreck and even survived a bite from a venomous snake.
If all these things would have happened to us, would we still be convinced that God loved us? Paul was! Why? He was confident of God's love because he could see the bigger picture. He saw that God was accomplishing things through his suffering and that the best was yet to come.
Paul knew exactly why God allowed him to endure a weakened, persecuted, or threatened state. In 2 Corinthians chapter 4:7 he states, "But this precious treasure- this light and power that now shine within us- is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own."(NLT)
Why did Christ allow Paul to share in his sufferings? Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 10: "so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies"(NLT).
Why was he allowed to live in constant danger? He understood and tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:11: "so that the life of Jesus will be obvious in our dying bodies"(NLT).
Why did God permit him to live in the face of death? He says in 2 Corinthians 4:12 that "it has resulted in eternal life for you" (NLT).
Why did he continue to preach despite all these obstacles? In 2 Corinthians 4:14 he relates that "we know that the same God who raised Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself along with you"(NLT).
For whose benefit did all these things happen to Paul? He tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:15, "for your benefit" (NLT) The 'your" is referring to those to whom he was ministering.
Once Paul had persecuted the people of God, and now he was willing to lay down his lives for them. Paul saw beyond himself. He saw that through his sufferings many people would come to Christ and there would be great thanksgiving and God would receive more and more glory (II Corinthians 4:15).
I find it truly amazing when I see someone gain victory over hardship. They just keep on shining for Jesus no matter what comes their way. They reached their point of no more strength and yet life is still there. Why? Life is still there because God is still there loving them and enabling them to serve him through his strength.
I have a friend who is confined to a wheel chair because of a severe accident. But, every e-mail I get from her shines with the love of Jesus. She will honestly tell you that she has had her dark days. But, she will also tell you that God has cheered her soul in those dark hours and brought his sunshine.
There are many people in perfectly healthy bodies who do not experience the sunshine of God's love like she does.
Paul could have harbored bitterness because of his suffering. He could have declared that he was getting his just reward because he had persecuted Christians himself before becoming a follower of Christ. But he didn't take that perspective. He realized that life was not just about him. He was in just one battle of a much bigger war. But his part in this great war was important. He contributed greatly to the evangelization of the entire Gentile world.
Sometimes I feel like when serious Christians fall into hard times that God is choosing his best soldiers for the war. Not the ones who will whine and retreat at the first twinge of pain, but the ones who will charge forward for the cause of Christ despite the injury. I pray that I will be such a person.