Non-believers and sometimes even strong believers doubt the existence of God in the face of suffering. This is certainly a natural and understandable reaction. But is it the right reaction?
If God exists, we cannot fully account for His plan in permitting pain. God knows everything about everything, and we know very little about very little. The fact we can’t understand a plan doesn’t mean there is no plan.
An atheist can’t account for suffering, either. If we’re here accidentally or randomly, why does suffering exist? Couldn’t suffering just as easily not exist? If there is no definite explanation believers or nonbelievers can offer, the existence of suffering doesn’t in itself prove or disprove anything.
Anyway, the point is, if we are trying to understand anything about reality, it seems to me the best starting point would be the biggest thing we can prove, not the biggest thing we can’t prove. We don’t know why suffering occurs, but we do have lots of proof that God exists:
- The logical necessity of a First Cause. Some cause had to initiate all the secondary causes that caused and continue to cause everything in existence to have existed, exist, or in the future exist. The most credible/probable scientific theories about the universe(s) assume a creator.
- Seemingly universal characteristics of humans, especially the moral sense, and the ability to sense the existence of, and the desire the knowledge of, abstract truth, beauty, and goodness.
- Reliably documented NDEs (near-death experiences) that indicate the presence of a human soul that can live outside the body and survive bodily death.
- A preponderance of evidence that Jesus existed and was who He claimed to be.
To start an investigation of reality with suffering, or to make suffering the driver of our beliefs (not believing in God or a god is a belief), is like giving up before you get started, or going down a road you know is a dead-end. Where can that idea lead? That it either caused or greatly contributed to the despair of Nietzsche is clear.
On the other hand, if we acknowledge the mystery of suffering, and believe, as any rational person would, that suffering cannot be eliminated, then we should ask how can we overcome suffering? How can we get something good out of suffering?
Prayer
Lord, help me to accept my suffering, to unite it with yours. Please turn my suffering into something good for someone else. I offer up my suffering for my family members both here and in Purgatory, and for whoever in Your infinite wisdom is most in need of Your aid.
