The first thing to do as we approach this topic, I think, is to put the problem in the proper perspective. Pain and suffering should not be the main point of any argument about God and the real nature of the universe. The fact that suffering exists should not lead us into debates about whether or not God controls creation, whether or not He loves us, or whether or not He approves of suffering, etc. We shouldn't feel obligated to "fit the awkward fact of pain" into our understanding of God. We shouldn't feel we have to figure out to everyone's satisfaction exactly why suffering has a place in the life of a child of God (or in the life of an unbeliever, for that matter).

The important facts are these: God created the world, He sustains it, and Jesus redeems His people. Those are the facts that we need to fit into our theology. In the Bible, God makes those facts very clear. He obviously does not feel that He has to defend, in great detail, the presence of suffering in His world. Why should an all-powerful God be obligated to explain anything to any of His creatures? The fact that He has not given us a 100-page memorandum that once and for all settles human questions about suffering, the size of the universe, the disappearance of dinosaurs, the date the world will end, etc., should not destroy faith in Him. Any discussion about relieving suffering, therefore, should start with these cornerstone Biblical truths:

• God created the world and is in control of it.
• He is a good, just, and loving God
• He cares about mankind. He can relieve suffering.
• He has worked out a way of salvation, through Jesus
• He will end all suffering in Heaven for believers

Only after we acknowledge these truths and make them a primary framework of our "world and life view" should we proceed to the topic suffering, which God does not choose to explain in ways that jibe easily with human logic. With that understanding, a good place to begin studying God's attitude toward suffering is in Scripture passages that describe the actions of Jesus. There are records of many verbal teachings of Jesus and other saints in the Bible, but we have a living example of God's attitudes in the person of Jesus. When God became man and appeared on earth, He encountered all kinds of suffering. Consider the following reactions of Jesus to suffering:

Jesus had compassion on the sick and suffering.
He spent many hours healing the sick and injured. He recommended the actions of the Good Samaritan to His followers. He sent out His disciples to heal the sick. He noticed that the people following Him in Galilee were hungry and performed a miracle to give them fish and bread. He looked over the City of Jerusalem at one point and wept for its people and its future. There was not doubt that Jesus cared about little and big hurts, and still cares today.

Jesus worked to relieve relatively minor forms of physical suffering.
He provided food for the hungry, He told His frustrated disciples where to cast their nets to find fish, and He even changed water into wine when someone's wedding feast was about to be marred by a beverage shortage. He cured a woman afflicted with an uncomfortable "issue of blood." When my little daughter prays about a pet or a toy, I know that Jesus hears and understands. Apparently, no problem is too small for Him to consider.

Jesus performed mighty miracles for the suffering, the dying, and even for the dead.
He healed gross injuries and terminal illnesses. The permanently disabled were healed, a demon-possessed man was given swift relief, lepers were healed, and panic-stricken men in a storm-tossed boat were given total relief. The dead were raised, even Lazarus who had been in the tomb four days. The message of the Bible is clear: God can intervene in events when He wants to, and He can exercise total control over all forms of physical healing.

Jesus says, "trust Me".
Jesus made it clear that He wants to be at the center of all debates about physical suffering, salvation, forgiveness, loving one's neighbor, and so forth. When the arguments are difficult and faith is stretched to the limit, Jesus says, "Listen to Me. Look at my example. Trust my words. Follow Me. I am the way."

Jesus allowed some suffering to continue.
Jesus did not cure all ills in the world. There were godly and ungodly people in many isolated towns, perhaps towns just off the paths Jesus walked, whose lives were not affected. There were crippled people who wished they could find a way to touch the hem of Jesus' garment, but probably never had a chance. What Jesus has in mind for mankind probably is not total freedom from suffering - at least not in this life.

Jesus says suffering will come to some people because of their relationship to Him.
Jesus says His followers will need to "take up their crosses" and follow Him. Some of His closest friends suffered horrible deaths because of their commitment to Him. Thousands of believers, down through the centuries, "sail through bloody seas." Suffering is the lot of some Christians. Not only that, but there were innocent babies in Bethlehem who suffered and died just because Jesus came into their part of the world. Satan's deadly forces (in the shape of Herod's soldiers) swept in after the birth of Jesus and slaughtered these little ones. God did not spare them.

God does not give us a simple reason why this kind of suffering happens. Personally, I think that the persecution and martyrdom of a Christian is a powerful influence on those who see it. God can turn these devilish events into signposts pointing to eternal life. "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church" is an often-repeated statement that has much truth in it. I think that the slaughter of babies in Bethlehem was a satanic act that, for some reason, was not prevented by a special act of God. I have faith that God will treat the souls of these babies justly.

Jesus promised eternal life for believers.
He made it very plain that Christians can expect a life free from suffering after death. He says that our earthly lives are just a prelude to timeless happiness, as far as believers are concerned. In Revelation 21:4 God promises to wipe away all tears from our eyes, no more death or crying or pain. Yes, Christians must pray and work to relieve suffering in this life. But when suffering will not cease, there is always the promise of complete relief at the end.

These points cover Jesus' personal reactions to suffering. They also happen to cover His verbal teachings about suffering, and statements made throughout the Bible.

Your challenge - if you are struggling with suffering in your own life - is to force those truths into your daily life. Suffering sometimes drives a person into thought patterns that are unhealthy, anxiety-producing and depressive. We become trapped in cycles of despair. We forget the facts of the Bible and begin to speculate on things we don't understand. Suffering creates even more suffering. The level of physical suffering can increase, new kinds of emotional suffering are introduced into the equation, and spiritual suffering can begin. We need to pry the lid off our box and let in some new light! When you cannot break out of your box, seek help from a wise friend, your pastor, or a trained counselor.