Hope in Suffering

When civil war broke out in Syria and claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, many organizations offered to help. But every volunteer can only work within the constraints of their supplies and physical energy. The need is often so great that volunteers express despair when they realize that they have reached their limit.

Amidst all of this suffering, it can be easy to forget that God is also appalled and pained by what His children are experiencing. At the tomb of a friend who died, the Bible says, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). The Scriptures also state how Christ hates “lawlessness” (Hebrews 1:9), which is the cause of all suffering. Without a knowledge of the battle between Christ and Satan, we might think that God is responsible for suffering.

However, the Bible tells us that it is Satan who is responsible for sin and its resulting misery (Matthew 13:28). Jesus taught this truth through the parable of the wheat and the tares. He explained that those who follow Satan’s ways are like the weeds that an enemy has planted in a wheat field. In the process of sharing this parable, Jesus explained, “The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels” (v. 39).

Although it may be easy to blame the devil for the evil in the world, it is not as easy to suffer with those who are experiencing pain. Yet this is precisely why Jesus’ death was a clear demonstration of genuine suffering. While many call for justice now, Christ asks them to wait for the harvest: “He said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them’ ” (Matthew 13:29). The harvest is the hope of justice from a God who showed His love through suffering.

Apply It:

Pray for someone who is suffering today.

Dig Deeper:

Revelation 21:4; Philippians 2:5–11; Luke 18:7

Key Bible Texts

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:9 KJV)