The world we live in is full of suffering. From the hurts we experience day-to-day, like bruises and bullies, to deeper, more tragic wounds like loss of a parent or abuse, all of us have received wounds that may seem to never heal. It seems impossible that there is a good God who created a world that can cause so much pain. Some people argue that because of the suffering in the world, God must be angry or evil or not all-powerful. But what does the Bible say about my suffering? How does Jesus respond when I am hurting?
The God of the Bible created this world to be a place where humanity could thrive. Adam and Eve’s first home was a garden full of all that they needed—but it was not without danger. They chose to disobey God’s will, and when they did, sin and death entered—a curse upon the world. So too today, when people reject God’s will, they bring suffering into the world. When things beyond our control cause pain, like tornadoes or earthquakes or hurricanes, we know that this happens because the world itself suffers under the weight of humanity’s sin. (Romans 8:22) Suffering is a part of this world because people have turned away from God.
But God, who is rich in mercy, has said that our suffering will not be the end of the story. (Ephesians 2:4) God is all-powerful, and the way He chose to deal with the suffering in the world is to come in love and suffer with us. Jesus entered into the world to suffer with us, living a life full of pain, rejection and hardship. Jesus knows what it means to suffer, having lived a life like ours before His death. Then, He obtained our forgiveness by offering Himself for our sin, taking the consequences of our rejection of God’s will upon Himself. In doing so, He had victory over all the evil in the world that causes suffering, and He promises He will have that victory over suffering in our own lives, too.
Jesus’ victory through suffering shows that God can transform our suffering into something beautiful, if we will let Him. As Jesus faced his death on the cross, He prayed, “Not My will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42, NKJV) Jesus sets an example for us of what it looks like to trust God to bring goodness out of our suffering. A relationship with Christ means that in this life, we will experience comfort and joy despite our suffering. As Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4, NKJV) We should go to God in prayer confident that He has the power to turn our suffering into something that glorifies Him.
The redeeming power of Jesus does not just give us hope that someday all will be made new in heaven; it also gives us hope that God can make something good out of our suffering while we still live in this broken world. This is the redeeming power of Jesus.
Written by Alex Steven