Mankind is not comfortable with suffering. One might smile at that sentence, as so obviously true that even the statement seems odd. We would like to do away with suffering, and offer considerable time and resources to alleviating it. Such relief is a basic objective of medical science and its sub-divisions.
A major preoccupation with Jesus was to heal the sick, to relieve the physical suffering of those who presented themselves to him for purpose. From the many to whom Jesus so ministered for healing, some are reported as interested in relief from physical problems with little or no interest in the spiritual issues primary to Jesus. The lesser appeared more important to them than the greater issues. On one occasion, persons relieved of a cause for suffering, only one returned to thank him for the service. We do not know if even that man, showing appropriate appreciation, caught the primary purpose of Jesus. Many of the healing contexts for Jesus and the patients were not life threatening. Those contexts witnessed suffering nonetheless, and crippling to normal life, a life context meant to be normal, content and acceptable.
The treatment of suffering in Scripture informs us that suffering is the point, more than illness, broken relationships, poverty, hunger or whatever the context. Suffering comes from many causes and directions, and each bears its own mysteries. Loving parents would gladly take the suffering of their troubled or wounded child for themselves and feel less suffering than if the child continues unrelieved, and the parents remain in robust health. Vicarious suffering may be more difficult to bear than personal suffering. This even applies to God. It became the choice of Jesus to bear the ultimate result of suffering for the human sin problem in substitution, becoming effective for those who believe, and request relief. The terms are God’s and must be followed for his own relief in his concern. Father God cares personally for his children.
Suffering may serve more purposes than we have imagined. Even when it serves good purpose we hope to alleviate or remove it. During the last twenty years I have had a number of procedures ordered by my ophthalmologist, who has become a gracious friend to me. On the last surgery in which he had to close some of the laser openings of a former necessary surgery to relieve undue pressure, he suggested a medication that would relieve suffering when the numbing had worn off. (Pain might lead to suffering.) He did something that would hurt, but the result would serve me far better than evasion of hurting surgery. It is likely that there is a lesson there for all suffering. There is identity to it, life meaning that may elude us.
Suffering has spiritual meaning. It appears from various directions. As implied above in the parent and child reference, the worst sufferings are more psychological than physical. When persons make reference to the matter, most say they prefer the suffering of their bodies in decline, than the loss of memory in the advance of years. (I do.) Suffering seems to contribute to proper humility in us, to pointing in directions of our problems, to motivation of service of relief to others, and the like. We make humane laws so to try to reduce suffering, as laws relating to animals, to the manner butchering is done, and for other procedures. We fight suffering. There seems to be a suffering quotient related to botanical life. Those studying plant life detect response in it to abuse in some of the forms. We rightly work at reducing suffering. We feel pain is short informing us to make some repair, suffering is longer and more mysterious, so suffering is seen as an enemy, even if serving in some ways, on some occasions. Our first concern is to not be the cause of it: our second is to alleviate it where we find it. Christianity addresses the major theme of suffering, revealed in the spiritual needs and hunger of persons. It may be tolerated so to be muted in us. I have experienced for decades significant ringing in my ears. I developed toleration for the problem, and get on with life. Some persons experiencing ringing are driven to suicide. There is analogy between the ringing in my ears and the ringing of the soul for relief. Jesus took on the matter of the ringing of the soul for healing, and the solution that is registered in peace. The procedure is presented in many ways, but becomes reality in the redemption of Christ and the healing of God in various ways to relief. The parables can be carried over to our understanding in healing, or ability to bear the suffering. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020