As I was walking yesterday, my thoughts turned to the problem of suffering--you know, that long standing rebuttal against the existence of God which goes:
If God is all-powerful, and
If God is all-good, then
why does suffering/evil exist?
It stands to reason that an all-powerful, all-good God would eliminate suffering and evil from our midst.
But is there an assumption being made by this argument?
Is there an assumption that suffering/evil shouldn't happen in the world or to us? Is there an assumption that evil/suffering is outside the norm of reality, something to be controlled, lessened, or eliminated altogether?
One of the recent books I read (wish I could remember exactly) says something to the effect of those who believe they shouldn't suffer in life are living at the height of arrogance. They believe they are above such matters. "Everything I experience should be good," they seem to say.
Really?
Is anyone truly above suffering or the reality of evil? Perhaps if you believe you shouldn't suffer, then suffering truly is a problem. Yet, if you believe suffering is a part of our existence here on the planet earth, it is not a demonstrable problem.
Especially for a Christian.
Christians know we suffer. We know we are not above this reality of life. We know so because of who our God is.
For one of the scandals of the cross is knowing our God suffered too. Our God experienced evil too. Our God was unjustly condemned, beaten, tried in a kangaroo court, humiliated, and suffered death on a cross. Name me one other faith tradition where God suffers in such a manner.
It is one thing to believe that God is above suffering and that He should do something about it. It is quite another thing when God suffers as well. And if God is a suffering God, one who deeply understands the plight of humanity and has promised to bring about positive results from suffering (check out the resurrection on that one), then is suffering really a problem?
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