By: Steve Balch

Steve Balch — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:05:29 +0000

Thanks for the excellent message, Jonathan! I really appreciated your comment that our suffering is not pointless and is temporary. Our family’s experience bears this out. During the last 10 years, our family has suffered the loss of 3 parents (in 1 case, in a terrible way), 2 of us have had bone marrow diseases, and we’ve suffered—as many have—from job layoffs. In the midst of this, I’ve looked to and tried to emulate the example of Jesus on the cross. While He suffered terribly, He led one person to Himself, made sure His mother was taken care of and publicly forgave His persecutors. I think that is the highest example of what Christians should aspire to when suffering—being kind and helpful to others while enduring tremendous pain. When I’ve tried to do this in God’s power (the only way it can be done), I believe people may have been affected positively. I also believe we benefit as this readies us—in my opinion—for reigning with Christ (II Timothy 2:12 seems to speak to this). For the unbeliever, I believe pain can be used to soften one’s heart to Christ. C.S. Lewis said “God whispers in our pleasures, but shouts in our pain.” I believe if an unbeliever cries out to God—even in the last seconds of life—God is kind and saves (Joel 2:32). So…pain—while we hate it and wish it would go away—plays a critical role in God’s eternal plans. (P.S. I’m very grateful for the prayers of our sisters and brothers at Northshore—they have helped us endure our problems.)

Comments on: You Asked For It #7: How Can a Good God Allow Suffering?

By: Steve Balch