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Suffering
"Why does God allow Christians to suffer?" The question was coming from a mother who had helplessly watched her child undergo a painful experience.
Mothers tend to be better equipped to deal with their own pain than that of their children. If we could, we would gladly take their pain in order to spare them. It seems to be a natural instinct, but it isn't wise.
We have categorized all suffering as "bad." But God does not necessarily see it that way.
From His eternal perspective, all pain is temporary. Even if we had to live with it for the rest of our earthly lives, pain will not follow us into eternity. It has been confined to this world.
Believe it or not, there is usefulness in pain–it adds depth to our character. Some of the deepest, spiritually richest people in this world have gone through valleys of excruciating pain and suffering.
Pain, when patiently endured, has a way to soften our hearts and make them moldable – more responsive to His leading.
Pain allows us to empathize with those who suffer and gives us the wisdom to know how to encourage them.
Pain enlarges the heart. The deeper the pain we feel, the deeper the experience of joy later on. Joy does come in the morning ... in proportion to the pain.
They say that when butterflies emerge from their cocoon, it is quite a struggle. But if you help them, by opening up the cocoon for them, their wings never fully develop. They don't gain the strength they need and, as a result, can never fly.
If the Lord doesn't seem to have answered our prayer, it could be that there is more harm than good for us in our request. For it is in struggle and in pain that we develop our spiritual wings.
I read somewhere that for a child of God there are only three answers to prayer: "Yes," "Not yet," and "I have something better for you."
There is one promise you will not find in the Bible: "You will understand everything I do." But what you will find is, "I am with you always." He may not spare us, but He will be with us every step of the way–watching carefully, granting the grace to withstand the load.
There are times when all we can do is cry in His arms. And that is okay. He understands the pain. He knows we have to hurt through the process ... And He is there to hold us close.
-Maria Lund