The Problem of Pain

Isaiah 53:3–12 (NLT) — 3 He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 

6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. 7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. 9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. 10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. 

11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. 12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

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Suffering...it's terrible. Loss...it feels so unnatural.

How are we supposed to walk through the valleys of life and come out the other end. There's some things in life where it feels like there's just no way to continue, no way to move on.

I don't know much, but I'll tell you what I do know. We serve a God that knows suffering intimately, knows sorrow intimately.

3 He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.

I know that whatever I'm walking through, whatever I'm enduring...my Savior knows my pain because he's already experienced my pain on the cross, my sorrow on the cross. Not only that but he footed the bill for all of my mistakes and short-comings. All the things that I did wrong and all of the times where I should have done something and instead did nothing.

My God, my Savior is not a God in an ivory tower that dictates the world. My God, My Jesus is a God that left glory to experience my pain, sorrow, and grief and rescue me. My Jesus pursued me even when I was actively running from him.

Because of the cross I never have to doubt the love that the Lord has for me.

I lost my son, my 3 month old son. I would never have chosen to give him up. He was so sweet, SO sweet.

My God lost His Son, His perfect Son...in order to save me, in order to save us. I serve a God that knows my sorrows intimately.

Psalm 73:25–26 (ESV) — 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.