The God Who Suffers

 "Christ did not exempt His redeemed from suffering, but to sanctify their sufferings with His own blood." So said Thomas Case, a 17th century English minister whose writings I have come to know and love. It is a truth far too often rejected by both Christians and non-Christians alike - that a loving God would allow suffering in the world and would promise to redeem the suffering for a greater cause. Pain overwhelms. And in the pain, we often ignore God and how He is working. God did not say that our existence would be free from adversity. But the promise He did say was that He would be there for us in the suffering and would use it for His glory. He suffered on the cross far more pain than you or I will ever understand or acknowledge. By enduring the agony of a cruel death at the hands of the Romans, Christ identified with our sufferings and forever sealed Himself as the only God who can personally relate to the heartache we feel. As such, He is the only One we can truly call on or run to who will know how to comfort and assure us under such circumstances.
 Recently, I watched this short video put out by one of my favorite contemporary Christian speakers, Jeff Bethke, and felt it well addressed this issue of suffering. I pray that it blesses you with greater perspective as it has done for me.