Why does life seem to be so full of pain? Every day, we hear about wars, knife crime, bullying, road accidents, lethal diseases, and so on. 'Why?' is an understandable answer? 'What are the reasons for these occurrences?' Why would God, if he exists, allow such things to occur?
Suffering, on the other hand, is a very real issue for all of us. We've all felt the pain in a certain way or another. We may be dealing with illness, financial strain, despair, marital disintegration, or caring for an elderly parent.
Whatever our personal situation, the issue of suffering is one of the most difficult to address and one of the most significant impediments to faith in God. Because of everything we've gone through, some of us may have given up on God. If God existed, He would never have allowed THAT to happen.
This is a complex question for which there are no simple answers. But here's the thing: there's a catch. To whom are you directing the inquiry if you've ever found yourself asking 'Why?' I mean if God doesn't exist, who is there to ask in the ultimate sense? Surely, this is just the way things are in the world. Accidents happen, molecules make mistakes that lead to illnesses, and biology is the driving force behind human behavior.
The difficulty with this viewpoint is that it does not assist us in making sense of life's ugliness. Suffering makes us ANGRY. But, if this is the way the world is, where does it originate from?
Because it argues there is something WRONG with the world, the Christian religion makes sense of the rawness we experience in the face of suffering. Things aren't going as planned. We live in a world where good and evil coexist on a global scale and within each individual. God is good, yet evil exists and has power in the earth for the time being. So, at first look, pain appears to be a reasonable cause to dismiss God. However, the contrary is true. Our fury at suffering can only find a place IF God exists.
Is it possible that we question "Why?" because God exists?
I don't know about you, but when I'm having a hard time, I feel most at ease with folks who have gone through similar experiences. They just KNOW - especially when words are insufficient. What is God like if he exists? What is his reaction to my pain? A God who knows what it's like to suffer is at the heart of the Christian faith. Jesus' time on earth came to an end when he was crucified on a cross. Roman troops assaulted him, and he died as a result. In his hour of greatest need, his closest friends abandoned him. In the Bible, Jesus is characterized as "a man of sorrows and acquainted with suffering” If we convey our pain to Him right now we don't come toward a Lord who is distant, aloof, or disinterested. We have arrived at someone who truly KNOWS and CARES. He KNOWS what you're going through since he's been there.