Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Tsunamis, Human abuse, Torture, Persecution. All these things happening all over the face of the earth.
How do you cope with stories of horrific natural disasters, abuse, persecution and trouble? It's a question we all frequently ponder these days. The world is a very unkind place. Besides the natural disasters such as the recent devastating earthquake in Haiti, you hear of Christians being abused for their beliefs, of rapes, of massacres, of children suffering and dying from starvation, and all manner of injustice. The tragedy and the sadness can be overwhelming, leaving you feeling powerless and emotionally overwrought. What can you do? Can anything you do... make a difference?
You may be one of many people asking the question, "Where is God in all of this?" "How can He possibly love humanity and allow these tragic things to happen?"
Understanding and acceptance is required. For starters, we need to take a Biblical view of suffering. Jesus suffered not just the physical agony of the crucifixion, but also through the persecution, abuse, trial and abandonment that preceded it... for our sake. And yet, in the death of Jesus, we see God's wholehearted identification with the plight of the human race. He surrenders his only child for the sake of love for the whole the world (John 3:16). God is not insensitive to our suffering. He knows all about it. Suffering, though often times beyond our comprehension, can still be part of his plan. But that doesn’t mean God is causing these natural disasters or promoting violence and conflict.
Suffering, as we know it, is a consequence of human sin in the world. We can't help but rub shoulders with pain of many kinds and sometimes it's no one's fault. The world we live in is broken. Although God has completed the final spiritual solution to our sin in the death and resurrection of Jesus, we still live with the repercussions of a world that has not yet come to its conclusion. God has promised an end to all suffering at a time when he will make everything new (Revelation 22).
But in the meantime, God has given us this promise: to turn evil to good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Think about this... it's in periods of intense suffering that we are convinced of our need for God. When all else is taken away, all the comforts and blessings of this world, you find it's just you and God, alone together. At that point, some people reject God for good, blaming Him for their circumstances. But others find themselves drawn closer to Him, not fully understanding His reasons and struggling to grasp His purposes, but trusting Him, nevertheless. Everything they learned during the good times is now tested. The capacity to endure must be cultivated in every true believer. Endurance makes it possible to hold on to the knowledge of God's promises and His love. Endurance is our engine that keeps us going, moving forward, holding out for the time when whatever trial we are experiencing will be over.
As a Christian, you care about humanity and want to help resolve suffering. You don’t have to personally be in the middle of an earthquake’s devastation or personally persecuted for your belief in Jesus Christ, to suffer right along with those who are in the middle of such events. It's in this crucible of suffering that our faith is refined. We may or may not see miraculous changes to any of the horrible events. That's entirely up to God. Nonetheless, His individual concern for us is such that he will make sure our faith in Him will grow stronger and more certain... if we allow Him to continue working in us and through us.
The Power of Prayer. Even if we ourselves are not undergoing severe suffering, we can sometimes feel so desperate for those who are, that we become overwhelmed with anxiety for their plight. Little things in their stories can trigger this kind of reaction. Maybe it’s someone with the same name as you, or someone the same age as your son or daughter, or some other point that you personally relate to. Something triggers your emotions and you begin to comprehend the magnitude of what the people are going through.
Allow these news stories to turn your thoughts to immediate prayer. Lay these burdens at the feet of Jesus. It is not for us to carry the burdens of the world. That's for Jesus to do. He wants our emotions to overflow for the lost, hurting and suffering people of the world. Because in that deeply personal experience, He knows we will be energized to do all we can to spread the only hope a dying world has... the gospel of Jesus Christ.
When you pray... do you ask God for natural disasters to cease and persecution to end, or do you pray that suffering Christians can bear up under whatever circumstances they are experiencing? Do you pray for their perseverance and endurance? We must always pray that God's Will be done and his purposes carried out. On the one hand asking for mercy, and on the other, acknowledging that following Jesus has a cost (Matthew 10). Wherever Christians are in the world, if they’re suffering, we must trust that God has a very real and powerful influence in their lives. They live each day with only God as their strength. They are full of courage, more than willing to pay whatever cost for the cause and glory of Christ. Their lives passionately display it. As people who are suffering specifically because of their allegiance to Jesus, they know they are sharing in his suffering. And in the midst of suffering, God's glory shines its brightest.
The cross is the finest example we have of suffering and hope. It's a paradox. When bad things happen to innocent people, we are naturally outraged... overcome with sadness and sorrow. We are disgusted. We experience anger and frustration. We grieve for the loss of life and suffering. These are all intense and righteous reactions to injustice. No matter how intense our emotions, we must express these feelings to God.
Ask God to show you what you can do in response to disasters such as the earthquake in Haiti. The devastation is so great, that it will be years before something called normal returns to Haiti. In the meantime, you have many ways to help. Maybe it’s time for you to step out in faith, and journey to such a place of devastation and work with people where you can see their eyes, and personally feel the ebb and flow of life in the midst devastation. Watch, Listen and Pray continually. Allow your prayer to be turned to action.
Don't be deceived into thinking you are powerless. With God's guidance and grace, He may use you to effect change and bring results you never imagined. There are things we can do today, everyday, that can make a huge difference in the lives of suffering peoples all over the world. Rest assured... God has not abandoned them.
