Look out, look around, and look up [The final post]
Since last week, confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide have gone from about 180,000 to 400,000. As of noon today, March 24, nearly 17,500 have died, which is more than twice last week’s number. And every statistic represents a person who suffers and a family that sorrows.
But where is God? Does He want to help but can’t find a way? Then perhaps He is weak. Is He able to help but doesn’t really care? Then perhaps He is cruel. Yet if He is both willing and able, then why is there suffering? This is one of the most challenging subjects in all of philosophy and religion. All people of faith must be willing to address it with honesty, integrity, and compassion. The Bible view is cohesive and relevant, and it’s valuable for Christians and non-believers alike to consider it. After sin was invited into the world by mankind, it unleashed (among other things) suffering of all types. The Bible says this “mystery of iniquity” (2 Thessalonians 2:7) continues to do its work, spreading like yeast and worsening with each generation. It is the cause not only of corrupt behavior but also of disease and death.
Therefore, illnesses, accidents, and natural disasters are primarily the consequences of a fallen world. God, who is all-wise, is never taken by surprise when they happen. Although suffering was not His original design, He can use it to speak to us. One time Jesus mentioned a tower that collapsed, killing 18 people (Luke 13:4-5). He said those who died were not greater sinners than anyone else, yet He added that tragedies should remind us to stay right with God.
The Bible does describe some plagues and disasters as God’s message system, so to speak, for getting our attention. When we become ill, we could ask ourselves if God has something to tell us. But we have no license to tell other people that God made them sick because they deserved it. Conversely, we should never conclude that suffering means God is absent.
Those who don’t accept the Christian view of suffering still have to address it. Is it more satisfying to say, “Your sorrow is meaningless”? Does it help to say, “Just ignore it”? By contrast, it is deeply meaningful to realize that God Himself can redeem our suffering and, through it, form in us something of lasting value.
The beautiful truth of Christianity is that God has entered into our suffering in the person of Jesus Christ. He has experienced the deepest sorrows of humanity, and He cares deeply for those who suffer. He even suffered death itself in order to remove sin’s barrier and bring us back to God. The Savior who wept at His friend’s graveside will one day wipe every tear from the eyes of those who trust Him.
Until then, coronavirus or not, His presence is as sure as the dawn.
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