As I ponder upon the magnitude and intensity of human suffering – specifics, generalisations, through history, at this very moment – I shake my head. Sometimes there are no words.
Who can truly fathom it? Who can really give an exhaustive answer?
Only God.
In our limited experience we can do not much more than lament and consider our finitude and God’s infinitude.
I think of the different answers from different perspectives that we all give. I think of the ivory tower, the intellectuals. I think of the theologians, fluffy liberalism and war-torn saints. I think of the average punter, the daily grind. I think of the minority, disadvantaged and disempowered. It seems that with our powers combined we can do not much more than reflect upon our experiences and tell each other we are not alone. At times we all shake our heads wordlessly.
Of course there are a few who point to the rugged cross.
What is God’s answer to suffering? It’s a strange one. He takes it upon himself. He will carry us to victory, that is certain because Christ is victorious over death. But for the here and now, he tells us that we are not alone.
“What kind of answer is that?” We might ask.
It is one we truly cannot fathom.
For the one who doesn’t want God, it is easy to cast aside.
But for the one who God wants on his side, he takes them on the journey of the cross, through suffering, to himself.
Bigvai and Shiphrah 