How could a God the Christians call the “God of Love” allow such terrible suffering, especially on His own Son? Well the bottom line is, that a faith centred on the suffering and death of its founder is probably best able to reconcile a God whose very nature is Love with a world traumatised by suffering. 

Something’s Not Quite Right:
Have you ever thought that there must be more to this world than meets the eye? Many of us rush around never realising the world we live in is sick and something’s not quite right. That’s my first point. God never intended this world to be as it is. It is meant to be paradise! So often when we see suffering and evil the first thing we do is shake our fist at heaven and blame God. Yet an honest review of history will show that 80% of suffering is a direct result of the choices WE as humans have made! The other 20%, an indirect result.

If Only HE Knew what It Is Like:
I hear you say, “Its OK for God stuck up in heaven, if only he knew what it was like to exist in a broken world!” Well the truth is He does! 2000 years ago he rolled up His sleeves and dived into the mess and suffering called planet Earth. That’s what the Christmas story is all about. Jesus is literally God among us! God with skin on! God live in concert! The Bible labels him the “man of sorrows”. He knows that this world is twisted and painful. He hung out with the desperate, the bereaved, the lonely, the sick and terminally ill, he wept at the mess humans have made of His creation! But more than that God himself hung on that Cross. He knows! Whatever trauma you’ve ever suffered… He Knows!

So why Doesn’t He Lift A Finger To Help:
So why doesn’t God DO something about this mess were in? He does and has! Firstly, through those who follow him many great works have been initiated to relieve suffering in this sick world of ours. I could list thousands of agencies and initiatives launched in His name to make a practical difference. But more importantly, in that moment Christ was forsaken on the Cross- the power of evil in this world was broken! A bit like the D-day landings, it was the beginning of the end of all things evil! To those who follow Jesus, He is coming back to institute a new order, sometimes referred to as the new heavens and earth.

God is going to start again with those who want to follow His ways and not try and run their own lives according to their own standards and values. That’s where it all went wrong in the beginning, man determining for himself how he would live his life…. rather than looking to his Creator.

Being a Christian does not immunise you from suffering but we are assured of a place one day where there will be no more death, sickness, suffering, tears or mourning….

As the Bible reference at the beginning of the Passion says:

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;  the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53