Perhaps the greatest question for some to wrestle with is the idea of suffering. Instead of a being a theoretical or philosophical idea that we talk about, suffering is deeply personal to all of us. Instead of merely discussing it, we experience it. Therefore deeper questions arise. Praise be to God that we serve a God who did not stand aloof from our suffering but entered into it that we might have great hope in the midst of our trials.
For those who would like to read additional material on this topic, here are some edifying resources:
- D.A. Carson, How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil.
- Jerry Bridges, Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts
- John Piper and Justin Taylor, eds., Suffering and the Sovereignty of God
For those who like to listen, John Piper’s sermon series, “Treasuring Christ and the Call to Suffer” (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4) provides excellent material in regards to suffering.. Additionally, here is John Piper’s response to NPR when they asked him about the 2005 tsunami that ravaged 11 different countries.