Maybe we wouldn’t be so mad at God for allowing suffering in his creation, if we saw life itself as a gift. The breath in our lungs, our senses, consciousness. Our generation tends to dismiss life as a burden, and understandably so. Following the logic of naturalistic worldview (we’re here by chance, there’s no higher purpose or spiritual element to existence), life within a framework which discards God really all just seems like an exercise in futility (see Ecclesiastes).
But if life is, as the Christian mind understands, a gift from a loving Father.. then instead of entitled, we become more humble and grateful. Observant of joys and little daily miracles. Amazed by the way our surrounding world bustles with energy, noticing small beauties like the petals of a flower, giving out its sweet smell for all who’d stop to appreciate it.
Anyway what I’m trying to express is this insistent thought that life doesn’t belong to us. We’re only here briefly, as guests on an Earth we did nothing to put together yet get to call home, trying to find truth and purpose. So why do we feel entitled to any type of existence or control over things that, by God’s grace are not ours to control.
It’s good and right for us to take responsibility and alleviate pain wherever we encounter it. Take righteous indignation at injustice and evil, that is God’s heart as well – hence his wrath against sin. Because of the human dignity, assigned to us by a Creator God, recognizing and protecting this in each other is ingrained in our spirit. A part of us instinctively tries to make the world better for others if not for ourselves, because it glorifies God and is productive for our human-family’s wellbeing.
But to rage against God because life isn’t going our way, as if He owes us anything.. it just seems awfully self-centered. Or perhaps I’m stuck in a cycle of pain and hopelessness and can’t see the purpose in it all, but I also am not in a place where I can see reason or sense at all. That may be the place I need to be so that my heart can turn to Him and let Him rescue me (probably not in the way I imagine). But it takes surrender and that’s a leap not often taken. I do believe thought, that one day we will walk in perfection with our perfect Father for eternity, away from sin and in His holy presence.
The post that got me on this whole train of though was Nightbirde and I really loved the way she put it:
“When it comes to pain, God isn’t often in the business of taking it away. Instead, he adds to it. He is more of a giver than a taker. He doesn’t take away my darkness, he adds light. He doesn’t spare me of thirst, he brings water. He doesn’t cure my loneliness, he comes near. So why do we believe that when we are in pain, it must mean that God is far?”
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/nightbirde/
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broken, and mended 