“Why Must I Suffer?”: In this latest Guest Post, Grace Church Leader Joe Leach explores the experience human suffering and finding comfort in a God who understands that suffering…
The question of suffering is not an academic one. It is, in fact, a question that any worldview must provide some kind of answer to. And it is certainly a question that anyone who believes in a deity which makes claims to being both all-powerful and loving towards humanity must face at some point.
Why, God?
The older we get, the more we realise the extent to which this is not merely an academic or philosophical question. That’s because whilst we tend to get progressively better at noticing the beauty in this world, it is also true that the brokenness of the world becomes more and more unavoidable. We don’t just read about it on the news but we live it in our lives.
In my own life, one year made it real for me. I had recently left my job in design and marketing in order to join the staff at my local church and I was so excited to be serving God in this new way. I’d been in the new role for 2 months when things started getting tough and significant ill-health hit my family. Whilst there was (and is) a substantial degree of seriousness to this ill-health, that wasn’t the primary factor in what made the year so tough.
The main cause of struggle was the relentlessness of it all with one health scare after another. People would ask my wife and I how we were coping with it all. We weren’t at all sure that we were coping as much as they thought we were, but our main thought was, “What choice do we have?”
When we had a little more space to begin to process it all, it was impossible to avoid the question… why? We always knew our struggle was relative and incomparable to that of countless others. It was relative but it was also real.
At some point during that year, I was asked to preach a sermon on ‘Living with Illness’. Suffice it to say that I was not thrilled to be asked and I didn’t think I had much good to say on the subject. As I was forced to confront these questions and look around for some answers, my suspicion (which you likely share) that I wasn’t going to find any slam-dunk answers only grew. That said, in time, I began to realise that the comfort I was looking for was not in the why but in the who.
I don’t know why I must suffer. But answers to questions are never really going to bring me comfort and peace as much as the welcome and embrace of someone who I know cares for me and loves me.
Professor John Lennox was recently in conversation with Alex O’Connor and O’Conner (an open-minded agnostic) asked Lennox (a practicing Christian) this question. The mathematics professor answered by explaining how when mathematicians have been asking the same question over and over without providing any satisfactory answers, they begin to ask if they may be asking the wrong question. He suggested that approach may have some credence when asking the question of suffering and perhaps we could ask a different question…
Given that the experience suffering exists and is so real, is there any evidence that there is a God who understands the reality of that experience? And the answer to that question which gives me immense comfort and peace is a resounding yes!
The God of the Bible is one who sees the brokenness of our world and doesn’t distance himself from it, but chooses to empty himself of all the glory of being God in order to enter into that brokenness. He even goes as far as being nailed on a cross to die. And he did it all for us.
Philippians 2:5-8
Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
I don’t know why you or I must suffer. But I do know a God who identifies with us in our suffering and who suffered for our sake. And that brings me much comfort.
You can see more on that interaction between Alex O’Connor and John Lennox here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ticxpXPVVGo&t=13s
About the Author
Joe is married to Liz and they have two young sons and a daughter. He joined the Grace Church staff in 2017 and leads the team for their Chichester and Havant sites. A third site in Bognor has recently been launched as a church.
Grace Church is a lively and diverse Christian community made up of all ages and backgrounds. They believe that the message of Jesus is a message of hope and eternal security for all people to enjoy.
One church that meets in two locations every week, they have one vision, one leadership and do many things all together.
Joe is a big fan of football, eating meat and reading (ideally with a cup of coffee in his hand).
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