Suffering is one of the great questions that people ask. How could a good God allow suffering? I am sure most of us would have had this question at the back of our mind or would have discussed or read articles, books about suffering and trying to find answers. With all my observations and the life experiences over the years, I believe to have found the answer. The answer is very simple and I will keep the answer precise and concise. I don’t need to write a book about explaining the reasons. If you have already not noted, it’s a “Reason” and not “Reason’s” for our suffering. There is only one and only one reason why we as humanity suffer, why the world we live in has death and suffering.
The suffering we are trying to address here is as for whole of humanity. What we are looking here is for the root cause of suffering. Human Suffering has many forms, what seems suffering for one person, the other may not feel the same. One could be suffering because of health issues \ diseases, or for some other person having tough financial times would account for suffering. Lack of peace in the family or our marriages or our society is a form of suffering. As I pen these words, there is suffering all around me due to covid-19, unspeakable suffering and death. As I go news after news, I hear stories after stories of people suffering in various, unimaginable ways. So what we need to look at is the root cause of these sufferings and not at a personnel level. All the suffering we see at the ground level in our day to day life is just like a morning mist which passes away with time, but unless we get to understand the root cause, we cannot comprehend the realties behind the suffering humanity as a whole.
Remember, ultimately death is a final outpost of suffering in this physical world, however, if not addressed or taken care, this suffering will be for eternity. Really, is suffering for Eternity? unfortunately, the answer is Yes and we will come to it as we go below.
I received this beautiful forwarded message on what’s up, and this is exactly what made me think and write this blog\article. Below is the beautiful analogy.
When God wanted to create fish, He spoke to the sea.
When God wanted to create trees, He spoke to the earth.
But when God wanted to create man, He turned to Himself.
Then God said “Let us make man in our image and in our likeness”
Note, If you take a fish out of the water it will die; and when you remove a tree from the soil, it will also die.
Likewise, when a man is disconnected from God, he dies.
God is our natural environment. We were created to live in His presence. We have to be connected to Him because it is only in Him that life exists.
Let’s stay connected to God.
We need to recall that water without fish is still water, but fish without water is nothing.
The soil without a tree is still soil, but the tree without soil is nothing,
Likewise, God without a man is still God, but a man without God is nothing.
The Answer
I hope by now you would have got the answer from the above analogy. Yes, Suffering is a result of separation from GOD. Our disconnection from God is the cause of all suffering and death. Separation from our only source of Life.
Very important to note, when I mention God it specifically refers to the One and only True Living God, Not God’s made by Humans with their intellectuals. Humans have always failed to understand God. On the contrary, humans have always tried to perceive or imagine God in their own imagination, and hence we now have thousands of Gods across various cultures. You will know who God is only when you humble yourself, keep your self perspectives of God aside and make a genuine humble effort to seek Him (Mathew 7:7). Unless God reveals himself, it’s utter foolishness for the humans to perceive and make our self’s Gods of our liking. Remember God is NO man. As you look around the world today you will find millions of Gods made in human image or character. Gods were created by the human mind over centuries from different cultures. Now, these Gods divide the humans based on religions, from where most of the unrest and suffering comes.
Suffering started from the garden of Eden. It was not just about disobeying God, rather it was mans separation from God. It all started when God and man were separated by sin entering into the world bringing suffering and death. With the passing time we see, humanity as a whole is getting farther and farther away from God. Even today, you can see the people around you, our young generations are more disconnected from God than any other previous generations. Most of us if not everyone are busy in his\her own world. That’s why the Bible says, In the last day’s men will be the lover of self (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
Have you ever thought, with all the technological advancement and riches, why the world is suffering even more and more day by day? Without a doubt, it’s because we humans are going far from God, far from our creator and sustainer of our life. I have seen advertisements and people saying, we will make this world a better place. Trust me and this is a caution to everyone reading, don’t be deceived, this world will never become a better place but things will get worse day after day, just as Jesus warns of the last days. (Matthew 24).
Suffering is Eternal, if not actioned rightly:
The most important aspect that many of us are not aware, is the understanding of suffering. In the present world, we live in, It’s a great misconception and a mistake to think that suffering ends with Death. The daily news is now filled with people (youths, young individuals, families) ending their precious life to overcome suffering\depression. Unfortunately, they have missed understanding the crucial aspects. The Bible highlights that the Spirit is eternal, the physical death is merely the death of the body, but the spirit goes on living. So if you are not rooted in the True Living God, then your suffering will continue even after physical death in the form of Judgement and Hell.
How to get freedom from suffering and death?
The opposite of suffering is Joy and the Bible tells us in (Psalm 16:11) that “in the presence of God there is fullness of joy.” So the answer is again simple, get connected back to God. True living comes when your roots are rooted in the ground, and you grow up to reach the sky absorbing the rich life giving nutrients from the soil. Without the roots connected or bonded to the earth\soil, it’s a dead tree. likewise, we need to be like the fish in the ocean, living in the vastness of the water, traveling the length and breadth of it, and exploring life. However, you take out the fish from the water, it’s dead.
We humans need to get connected back to our creator. But how do we connect back to God as sin has broken the connection? We humans with our own will and arrogance have gone too far from God. We cannot approach the holiness of God with our filthiness. Do you think we humans can build a bridge back to the eternal infinite God? Do you think taking a dip in rivers will make the connection back? Will visiting shrines or sacrificing animals bring you back to God? NO.
For God so loved us, that he wanted all of humanity to get connected back to Him, for He alone is the source for life. That’s why He Himself built the bridge of salvation connecting Humans back to Him. No matter how far they are, or under what sinful condition they are, this Bridge takes care. This Bridge of Salvation is none other than JESUS. The way of Cross that Jesus took established the connection between Man and God that was broken in the Garden of Eden. In Him is life, and He is the only way.
In the presence of God there is fullness of Joy, but the opposite is also very true and terrifying. In the absence of God there is Suffering, whether it be in your personal life, your family, in your society, or in your country. Your connection back to God through Christ is the only way to end your suffering & death whether it be on this earth or for eternity. The decision of whether you want to get connected to God is your personal choice. You need to decide while you have this given time of Grace.
Comments are closed