And that's a good question.
It's a question every person who has ever suffered in any way would like to know the answer. It is a question anyone, at this moment, dealing with pain would like to know the answer to.
It is a question often asked but rarely answered to any real satisfaction.
When asked, the average Christian is left with repeating worn out cliches that usually aren't true to explain the will and acts of God in a given situation. But this question - 'Where is God when it hurts,' invites an onslaught of other questions to which answers are just as elusive.
For example, if God is just, holy and loves all, especially children as evidenced by Jesus, why would God allow for a world of sick children? Or starving children? Or dying children?
And many of those children in those situations aren't backed by a social service system in their government; in reality, they have no money and no hope. Why would God allow such a thing? Where is He? Does God even care?
This is not a philosophical problem, but a real problem in our real world.
And it is not enough for preachers or pastors to speak for God, or try to explain what God is doing.
NO. This will not work.
What we want and what we need is for God to come and see our situation for Himself, understand what's really going on and do something about it.
And that is exactly what God did in the person of His Son, Jesus of Nazareth.
Amazingly, when Jesus did come to show the world that God did care, do you know what they said?
'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?'
It was an ancient ethnic joke of immediate rejection, and while the person who said these words would become His disciple, the rejection Jesus faced forced Him from religious power circles.
In society's rejection, Jesus did what we should do in our age - He gravitated towards other rejects.
He dined with tax collectors, touched lepers and kept company with prostitutes and sinners.
All the while, He fully understood our sin and condition in His humanity, but He Himself was never tainted by our depravity.
And an amazing thing occurred while He was ministering among the lepers, hookers, tax collectors and other sinners - the disciples never once asked Him, 'Does God Care?'
Not once.
The reason is because they could see the answer in their midst.
God in flesh was demonstrating His love and care for the world. As much as they would let Him, He would give of Himself.
In Jesus, God did not give us words or theories or philosophies about the problem of pain and suffering. He gave us...HIMSELF.
Words may provide encouragement for a while, but their memory soon fades.
Philosophy may explain difficult problems, but it has no power to change the problem itself.
In Jesus, through His Gospel, God gives us the change we so desire.
Often well-meaning but misguided believers will say things to people that they think is helping them, but it really only makes it hurt worse. For example, a person who has lost hearing in one ear, we don't try to encourage them by saying, 'Well, be thankful you still have sight in both eyes.'
We shouldn't try to explain God's plan or will for their life.
We shouldn't try to blame personal sin on the ailment.
We also shouldn't tell people all they need is more faith and they'll not be sick (This one was told to me.)
The truth is that Jesus did not sin and yet, He felt pain, He suffered and He died. We are not exempt from that tragedy in our lives.
In Gethsemane, on His knees praying just before He would stand trial and be crucified, Jesus did not pray, "Oh, Lord God, thank you for this opportunity to suffer...'
In that time of prayer in the Garden, Jesus struggled with fear, helplessness and hope.
Are these not the same things each of us struggle with when we are faced with trials and tragedy? But the Christian has one advantage over the world - it is the Resurrection.
Though we may be struck down by sickness in this life, we will rise again in Christ.
The question for us should not be - 'Where is God when it hurts?'
The question should be - 'Where is the Church when it hurts?'
We are the Body of Christ, His hands in a hurting world; we are the people saved by grace with the grand hope of the resurrection - we are the ones that should be lifting up the fallen, sustaining the sick and ministering to those families whose loved ones are dying.
The truth is that the Church is the Body of Christ and if we, those of us on the front lines in a hurting world, if we would act more like Jesus and attempt to minister more like Jesus - nobody would have to ask, 'Does God Care?'
They would be able to see it through the life we lived.
While I was sick and expecting to die, the one thing I sought to combat in my ten year-old son was the fact that I was going to die and God may not intervene.
I did not want him to be angry with God if I died. I forced this conversation with him several times, trying to get him to understand that if I died, it wasn't God's fault - it was just something that sometimes happens and that I couldn't really explain it.
I'm thankful that we never had to find out if my words were anchored in his heart. God healed me, but the healing is not an end within itself - it should be a call to action, an opportunity to minister to others the way I have received His ministry through the Holy Spirit and His children.
And maybe that's the answer - instead of letting these ideas of abandonment from God dwell among us, maybe we as Christians need to take the fight to the mind of those who need to hear a word from the Lord.
Where is the Church when it hurts?
Sadly, many times we are absent from those who need it the most.
Remember, we are God's Army, we are soldiers for Christ - Let us not retreat but touch the hurting and rescue the perishing.
Scripture: 1 John 3:16-1816 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
Until next time, go win one for the good guys.
Very powerful post.
ReplyDelete