God is sovereign. This truth is one that the whole of Scripture points to, affirms, and reveals. One helpful resource describes God’s sovereignty this way: “The fact that God is sovereign essentially means that He has the power, wisdom, and authority to do anything He chooses within His creation.” The Bible clearly teaches that God is all powerful, all knowing, and present everywhere.
With His sovereignty, power, wisdom, and presence in mind, many questions begin to arise. The purpose of this devotion is not to try and address the problem of human suffering and the will or goodness of God. I believe the Bible clearly reveals that human suffering arises from at least three areas: (1) sin, (2) Satan, (3) bad decisions. But as we try to reconcile our own pain, suffering, and heartache with the power, goodness, promises, and faithfulness of God, one thing becomes clear: Although God does not cause suffering (see James 1:13), He certainly can and does allow it and use it to achieve His work in our lives (see Romans 5:3-5).
I need to state the obvious: Suffering isn’t fun. Pain hurts. Grief can lead to dark places and deep depression. I would also like to share another, less obvious truth: Being angry, frustrated, anxious, depressed, and feeling defeated, doesn’t take the suffering, pain, or grief away. Most often, in my own experience with pain, what prolonged seasons of being angry, frustrated, and anxious does do is rob me of peace and joy as I allow it to drive me from the intentional presence and revelation of God.
As I think back over my life and where I come from, what I’ve experienced, and all the twists, turns, ups, and downs I’ve been through, I have began to have a piercing thought: What if all those things were a part of God’s plan not to hurt me, but to help me. What if without all the pain and heartache I would have never turned in faith to Christ as I surrendered my life to Him? What if the very things I thought were meant to destroy me were the very things that God was using to lead me into His loving embrace? This perspective doesn’t take the pain away, but it does allow me to glean an incredible truth: Even in the midst of my greatest pain, God has a beautiful purpose (see Romans 8:28).
We are not going to solve the paradox of human suffering and the goodness of God here tonight. As God graciously guides me through seasons of temptation, pain, grief, and suffering, one thing continues to become more and more clear: God is doing something wonderful here. Although I greatly enjoy walking with God on the mountain tops, I have grown to know His tender loving care most in the valleys of my life.
What if behind all the seemingly random moments of pain, frustration, and suffering, there was a perfectly loving, sovereign, gracious, faithful God who is truly making a masterpiece out of our mess? What if what the enemy meant for evil our God intends to use for good and for the salvation of many (see Genesis 50:20)? What if your pain is a part of God’s plan? Perhaps when we learn to hear the tender voice of our Good Shepherd calling out to us in the midst of the storm, He will calm the storm in us even if the storm outside is still raging.
Tonight, I leave you with the greatest example of pain and suffering being a part of God’s plan. In the Passion of Jesus Christ, before His arrest, before His tortures, the illegal trials He endured, and finally His brutal flogging and crucifixion, Jesus prayed to His heavenly Father. There in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion, Jesus cried out to the Father. Jesus knew the Father had the power to save Him, to deliver Him, and to keep Him from the greatest hour of trial He would experience as a man. Yet, Jesus also knew the Father had the power to sustain Him, even through the greatest suffering ever known to any man in the history of the world, and so He chose to trust the Father even in the midst of great darkness and pain. Will you?
And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:41-42 ESV)
