Philosophers who have wrestled with faith concepts in God appear to have persistent difficulty with the problems of pain and suffering. How could a good God permit massive amounts of tragedy, disease, warfare, and evil? Writers of my era, like C. S. Lewis and Philip Yancey, have assayed to write about the matter. They wrote straightforwardly, but in the end there appears to be a logic gap that does not close. God only can give comforting answer to us – eventually.
A positive case for pain is rather easily made. The prevalence of pain is a constant in a healthy body – for protection. A problem in managing diabetes is that there is no immediate pain related to it. Feeling no pain undisciplined persons commonly break diets and treatment, leading to death. Hansen’s Disease (leprosy) destroys sensitivity to pain in the patient. The invalid can be burned, can be wounded, face serious infections and feel nothing. Alerted by pain, a person can address health problems. Physical pain is a gift to mortals even though it may relate to suffering, when suffering is the main issue to be addressed.
Suffering is something more than pain. It may extend over lengthy periods of time. It may remain long after causes have been addressed, if causes are known. It tends to sap away life, and some persons take their own lives to escape it. Many do not fear death so much as they do the suffering of debilitation to suffering. In some cultures the use of suffering and torture, ugly matters, are used to punish or force non-compliant persons. We count suffering an enemy to us.
We become clumsy with various topics, suffering being one, when we try to make them fit the concept of a loving God. We do not know many of the facts of causation and mystery, with creation’s methods largely unknown to us. The burning of the Sun for millions of years, with an unending source of fuel is explained in various conjectures, and fitted into natural logic by admission that it will ultimately cool down and the earth system will freeze up. Even human behavior is being revised in the telling. Historians say we may not know the real facts and movements so are finding new perceptions. We look to fresh theories for some issues.
The careful Christian finds faith that permits God to be God. Our faith is much more than a cover for ignorance, but it manages human ignorance about an unfathomable God. Faith in God is more to be declared than defended. Masses of populations say that it works. Faith apologetics do not do as much as we would like. That evidence has force primarily in the mind of the believer. God became Presence for me from the time I acknowledged him and no amount of scientific proof, or lack of it, carries my case. God answers more questions for me than any alternative, and poses fewer. For Christian life there is something clear that generates euphoria and hope. Without tragedy, without suffering, without sin, I would not have found alternative life. I would not likely have found God. The earth would have been enough. I would have felt no spiritual clarity. I would design my life journey as a thinking animal. In such a context, this world is all there is. We might enjoy whatever we can, taking the hard with the soft as animals do – and die. For the Christian person of faith there is accounting and discovery on the other side of these events. As with many life factors, we wait humbly for full clarity. In heaven’s classroom, I will get answers to any lingering point if needed. As it is in natural life, the teacher will explain the processes, the reasons, and the effects of this matter and other meanings as well. Beyond earth the questions are ended. There is a new beginning not hindered by ignorance. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020