When the Lord Takes Away
Armando shares what the Bible teaches on suffering and the sovereignty and goodness of God.
Have you ever looked at the news and wondered why God would allow something so horrific to happen? Maybe it was something in your own life that caused you to question how a good God could let something like that happen. One must consider whether God controls the wicked things that happen in this world. As Christians, what do we think when we ponder the evil that happens in this world? How could a good God allow evil to happen? Is He not good and in control of the evil? Is He good but not able to control all things in this universe, and therefore evil occurs?
How does the Bible inform how we should think of this, and what does the Bible tell us about God's goodness and sovereign power?
First, we know that God created the Heavens and the Earth. When He created all things, they were called good (Genesis 1). All things did not remain good. When Adam and Eve chose to sin against God and His command, the cosmos became something that it was not before. Now there was sin and death. From this act, all evil sprang. Some of the suffering that I have encountered that made me contemplate these doctrines were miscarriages, autism, hurricanes hitting our coast, losing our sister and student Khloe Gaspar, and much more. Each of these things would not exist if it were not for the Fall. When sin entered the world, suffering entered as well.
Second, we know that the enemy has power in this world. In Job chapter 1, we see Satan and God interact. God brags on His servant Job and his blamelessness. Satan derides God's protection as the only reason Job is so faithful. God allows Satan to bring suffering to Job, yet not to touch his body. Then, four separate reports of evil befell Job. Two attacks on his servants and livestock, one fire that swept away his servants and possessions, and a wind that killed his children. Satan carried out the acts, and God allowed it. Here we find something quite fascinating. Satan brought the suffering, and God permitted it. Our enemy has the power to bring horrible suffering into our lives. Yet, nothing touches us without the knowledge and allowance of God. There is not one second of suffering that I will ever endure that God is not keenly aware of.
Third, in Luke 13, we read of eighteen people who died because a tower fell on them. Jesus responded, "Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Here we see that not all suffering comes as a direct result of our personal sin. Jesus explained that there were sinners in Jerusalem as bad or worse than those eighteen, yet it only happened to them. When we ponder this, we should realize that all suffering should be a reminder that sin is why suffering exists. I once heard a pastor explain that from this passage, we should not wonder why bad things happen but why they do not happen more often. If God were punishing us for our sins, we should all have much suffering, but God is patient toward us and willing to hold back His wrath to give us a chance to repent.
What does this show us? The Bible is clear that our God is in the Heavens and He is ruling (Psalm 115:3). The Bible is clear that God is good (Psalm 34:8). In Job, we see that God is sovereign over suffering. Whether He sends it like He did to the Israelites several times to teach them the error of their ways, or He allows it to occur by giving permission to the enemy to send it, He is sovereign. Yet, we also see that God does not allow as much suffering as He could.
In the epistles, we find Paul boasting in the weakness he has in his suffering but glorying that God is showing Himself powerful. God works all things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. Suffering, at the very least, reminds us that this world is not what it was meant to be. We tend to be lulled into passivity and stupor with the fleeting pleasures of this life. Suffering thunders into our sunny lives like an unexpected rainstorm. Suffering reminds us that God is more gracious to us than we deserve. Here is the heart of Job: "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the Name of the Lord." Suffering reminds us that every good moment is a gift of undeserved grace. If we got what we think we deserve, we would be in Hell this very moment. As it is, every second that is not filled with Lake of Fire type of suffering is a gift that we do not deserve.
Lastly, suffering reminds us of the promise that God will one day remove all effects of the Fall. One day, there will be no more miscarriages, no more autism, no more death. One day, God will reverse the curse of the Fall, and there will be no more pain and no more death. Until then, we wait with eager anticipation and remember that this light momentary affliction (Romans 8) may feel like the weight of the world on our shoulders. However, it is not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed to us. For now, we celebrate what God has given, mourn what God may take away, but may we always bless the name of the Lord.
This is my favorite post so far 😁