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Questions in Times of Crisis
If you are an observer of life, then you have likely experienced times when you have seen someone suffer pain, sorrow, and/or the death of someone close to them. Maybe you have experienced some of this personally, too. Maybe it was seeing the death of someone we believed way too young, someone suffering through an unexpected but severe and debilitating illness, or someone suffering some great injustice or ill treatment without cause. In times such as these, and many others, we may have some serious questions about God, the society in which we life, or even life itself.
I won’t pretend that I have all the answers to your questions, or that the answers to your questions — especially when considered in the midst of these difficult times — will be satisfactory. Let’s be honest: In difficult times, we sometimes simply cannot accept any explanation — even if it is absolutely correct and thorough. In some situations, grief is so overwhelming to us that nothing, for the moment, makes any sense. It may be, though, that when the pain and anger subsides, you may have an opportunity to think about those questions again, and thoughtfully and fairly consider the answers.
If you have ever faced such a difficult and emotionally-draining situation where no answer seems satisfactory, please consider the following when you are able to do so with clarity and equity.
Where Was/Is God? In times of suffering and injustice, some wonder where God is, implying that, if He was around, there would have been no suffering or injustice. The answer: God is still here.
Despite the argument of many opponents of belief in God, the existence of God does not require that He intervene in every injustice and instance of suffering. In reality, I am confident that we would not want such a world, for if we truly want Him to act on every injustice and instance of suffering — and act with justice in every case — then there would be precious few human beings left on this earth. Including you and me. The reality of this earthly life is that we have all acted unrighteously at some point in our lives because “all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23); the wise writer even noted about 3000 years ago, “there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin” (Eccl. 7:20). If God acted on every instance of injustice and act of unrighteousness, every single one of us would have felt it.
Just because God doesn’t act doesn’t mean He doesn’t care. Elihu noted, in his response to Job’s self-defense and simultaneous accusation of God, “His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps. There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves” (Job 34:21, 22). God sees and God knows every injustice of man. It is the foolish man who tells himself, “The Lord does not see” (Psa. 94:7-11). He sees, He knows.
This fact is no less true regarding the suffering of this world; God sees that, too. Injustice and suffering at the hands of other men is nothing new, though; long ago, an extremely wise man observed, “Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, but they have no comforter — on the side of their oppressors there is power, but they have no comforter” (Eccl. 4:1). Later, he will speak to those who have likewise observed suffering at the hands of other men, telling them [and us], “If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them” (Eccl. 5:8). That sounds like that could have been written today, does it not? Injustice and suffering is not particular to any time period or people, and as long as men are men, it will continue.
But whether it is suffering at the hands of other men or simply suffering the ills of life, still we wonder: Why doesn’t God put an end to this? If God is so loving, why do men suffer? And why is it that innocent ones sometimes suffer — or even die — while many wicked men seem to only thrive and cruise through life without a bit of trouble?
A similar thought came to a man many years ago as he observed the wicked. He admitted, “I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men” (Psa. 73:3-5). He continues: “Their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than heart could wish. They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression… And they say, ‘How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?’ Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches” (Psa. 73:7, 11-12).
The writer admits that he had trouble understanding it all, and even wondered if he had been trying to live righteously for nothing (Psa. 73:13), but then realizes, “When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me — until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end” (Psa. 73:16, 17). Friends and brethren, it may be that considering the pain and suffering and injustices of this world are likewise too painful to you. Remember what this writer remembered: What happens in the end. That’s what keeps us going; that is why we live for God and Christ and not for this world.
The Love and Justice of God. God is not unloving because He does not act on every instance of suffering or injustice. He is instead merciful and longsuffering. While we might think He needs to act now, let us be thankful He does not! Peter reminds us, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9), and reminds us that we should “consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation” (2 Pet. 3:15) — the fact He has given us another day and has not acted to execute justice is an opportunity for our salvation and the salvation of others.
Believe it or not, God originally created this world as one where man could live forever (cf. Gen. 3:22; Gen. 2:16), but because God also created man with free will, and man chose to disbelieve and disobey God, sin entered into this world — along with all the pain, suffering, and injustice that has ever existed. Please understand that death was not in God’s original plans for mankind! Death is a result and consequence of man’s choice to turn away from God and, as Paul noted, “The sting of death is sin” (1 Cor. 15:56); that is, the greatest pain of sin is that it brought death to mankind — regardless of age or innocence. The writer of Hebrews noted that all men “through fear of death [are] all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb. 2:15) — bondage to that fear.
It is with this knowledge of what God intended, and what He has done to eliminate that fear, that we must then focus on the true purpose of our lives: Living for God and Christ that we may once again enjoy that world of eternal existence and freedom from pain, suffering and injustice. It was by Christ’s death and resurrection that death was conquered (Heb. 2:14), and has given man hope of being raised to never die again (1 Cor. 15:20-23). Those who believe and serve Him know it is through Him we will conquer all. — Steven Harper
