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It’s no secret that pain and suffering are prevalent in the world. If you watch the news, the first fifteen minutes feel like nothing good is happening and the world is a terrible place. It’s easy to gloss over these tragedies unless they directly affect us; we all do it.
Often, people question how God can allow pain and suffering while remaining sovereign and good over all things. Is this really what life is all about? Are we all here to suffer and try to make it through life as best as possible? The answer is no.
Theologian Gary Habermas experienced deep pain and suffering when his wife of about twenty-three years was diagnosed with cancer and passed away four months later, leaving him as a single father of four children, all still living at home. Many can read his story and ask how he dealt with the pain and remained a Christian. His answer was because of the resurrection of Jesus.
In John 11, Jesus’ friend Lazarus died, and Jesus waited a few days before visiting the family. Lazarus’ sisters are heartbroken, and Jesus weeps, but he tells them not to worry. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life.
Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). Immediately after saying these words, Jesus speaks, and Lazarus resurrects from his tomb.
Christians can take Jesus’ words and put their faith in them because he was crucified and resurrected three days later, just as he said he would. Jesus said, “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”
This means that death and the grave are not the end for those faithful. Instead, it is only a temporary place for the physical body while the soul will be raised and stand before God one day, where they will be found faithful and be able to spend eternity in perfect peace in heaven.
Ultimately, we have a future hope that all wrongs will be made right, and all sin and evil will be no more. In Revelation 21, John sees a vision of the new heaven and new earth and writes, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:3-4).
This is our hope; one day, this will all come to pass because of Christ’s death and resurrection, paying the price for our sins.
Believers cannot gloss over evil or be afraid of it. While pain and suffering are difficult to deal with, and while we may want answers that will never come, we can trust in what Christ did as eternity in heaven awaits us. The sting of suffering is temporary, but the peace of God is everlasting.
This Easter, celebrate at sunrise with the Columbus Ministerial Alliance on Sunday April 20, at their Annual Ecumenical Easter Sunrise Service at 6:45 AM at Beason Park to gather as a larger community of faith for worship, singing and praise. Bring your own chair and please be seated before 6:45 a.m.
