Instead of being evidence of God absence, what if suffering is points to a powerful and abundant God who loves? This possibility depends upon how you think of love. Lewis captures it beautifully in this section from The Problem of Pain.
“The problem of reconciling human suffering with the existence of God who loves, is only insoluble so long as we attach a trivial meaning to the word ‘love’, and look on things as if man were the center of them. Man is not the center. God does not exist for the sake of man. Man does not exist for his own sake…. We were made not primarily that we may love God (though we were made for that too) but that God may love us, that we may become objects in which the Divine love may rest ‘well pleased’. To ask that God’s love should be content for us as we are is to ask that God should cease to be God.” (C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain)
According to Paul, belief in Christ is given to us and suffering is given to us. “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have” (Philippians 1:29-30).
Paul loved the Philippians. He held them in a special place as they were apparently always prepared to help him out and send folks to help. He wrote a letter to encourage them as they had no doubt heard about his suffering. I’m sure the anticipation was palpable when the letter was opened and read to the community. Were they shocked to hear him say, “Which one will it be: death or life? I’d rather die and be with Christ; but it is better for me to live and encourage you.”
The Apostle didn’t want the Philippians to worry themselves about his suffering. Nor did he want them to be afraid of suffering. Their chief aim was to honor Christ. As far as Paul was concerned, “to live is Christ, to die is gain.” Therefore, the people of faith could be confident that God’s glory would be manifested no matter the circumstances. This theme would be present throughout the remainder of the letter.
Seeing the suffering as a gift, as part of our communion with Christ stands in contrast to how many of us view suffering. “I don’t deserve this,” many of us think. Maybe a better response is, “I’m not made for this. But, Christ is honored even in my suffering.”
In his letter to the Roman church he says, “For I do not consider that the sufferings of this present time are are worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” As great as the suffering, as deep as the anguish so will the glory be high and magnificent. Our darkness will be turned to a blinding light beyond anything we can imagine.
The pain from our suffering is evidence of our standing with Christ, not evidence of our disobedience. That said, is all our suffering evidence of our standing with Christ? Are there times we suffer because we make sinful choices?