AFFLICTIONS

Everyone goes through times of struggles, trials, tribulations. They all mean pretty much the same thing, tough times. Some lives seem to be plagued by affliction while others suffer such events infrequently throughout the span of their lifetime. Some people suffer quietly, unbeknownst to those around them. Others tend to be overly expressive and open concerning their afflictions. On a personal level, my life seems to be one of those that knows afflictions well. This past summer I took advantage of perusing through a box of books heading to the Goodwill or library and found Edith Schaeffer’s book Affliction. It caught my attention and I decided to read through it. After the first chapter, it took everything inside of me to complete the book. It did not sit well with me. A lot of what I read I had heard many times in prior years, and a reality became clear, the topic pinched a nerve in my heart, stirred emotions I vowed would never surface again. When tears spilled onto the pages of that first chapter I set the book back on the shelf, never wishing to open it again. However, part of my character includes the very old lesson, once I begin something it must be completed. Thus, I knew I had to complete this book. Finishing all of twelve chapters took me over three months of outright disciplined effort, but I did complete it. Reading it on an intellectual rather than a personal level allowed me to perhaps use it in attempt to find insight into the reasons or purpose for afflictions and probe a well-known and respected person’s thoughts on an issue that acts as a plague in Christianity for those who may not yet be believers as well as some doubting Christians, all whom pose the question: Why, if God is loving, good, and kind, does he allow afflictions and tribulations into people’s lives, and how can this same God continue to create people, knowing full well that many will not be in heaven with him, rather be subjected to eternal damnation and torture? The answers do not and cannot be found readily. Evangelical leaders attempt to provide pat answers from the Bible, which when filtered down to the root of their answers, only one remains: God is God. His purposes reach beyond human understanding and we may never know the purpose for specific afflictions in people’s lives until we reach eternity. To receive any assurance there is a purpose for these afflictions, one must put their trust in Christ and be assured of their eternal security and trust God for what He deems best. I do not belittle evangelicals answers or make light of them, but at times, as Christians, we find ourselves giving band-aid answers, as one former pastor recently called it. I liked that phrase. How many times do we find ourselves giving band-aid answers to those around us. I did not find Edith Schaeffer providing such trite answers, rather she attempts to dig a bit deeper, offering support from Scripture and her own personal testimonies. The book permeates with personal stories, something I tired of easily and found I skimmed these sections to get to the meat of her material. Throughout the twelve chapters, she uses three points, woven tightly together, to provide substance for her convictions regarding afflictions: the purpose or reasons for afflictions, a personal responsibility amidst afflictions, and a responsibility towards others during their times of afflictions. Did I find what I was searching for? Not completely. Many questions still arise and leave me continuing to search. With this said, I did find myself gaining a clearer picture of our purpose on earth, and it is evident that without afflictions in our lives, whether God is real or not, they either make us or break us in our character. I am not completely satisfied with answers or lack of to the question about God’s character being good, kind, and loving still creating life knowing full well some of those he creates will be damned for eternity. Will mankind ever reach a satisfactory conclusion on this issue? The Bible does tell us to seek and we will find, knock and the door will be opened. We are also told that if we search for answers, we will find them. On the other hand, it tells us that God is mysterious, his ways are mysterious, and we will never understand completely the nature of God. So where does this leave those seeking for answers to such a difficult issue? Evangelicals will say, only faith. But, spiritual faith is a concept foreign to those outside Christianity, so to provide solid answers for non-believers seems almost an impossibility. And yet, does any other religion provide an adequate answer to this question? I continue to wrestle with the reasons why a God, who could prevent afflictions, allows for such events, allows for horrific events such as the current situation in Haiti to occur. Why would a good and loving God allow for something so tragic to take place? The Bible says to always be prepared with an answer. If you were over there at this time, what answers would you provide to such a question to those in pain and suffering? Would you throw out Biblically pat answers, or would you really have something substantial these people could cling to? It’s easy when Christians are ministering to Christians, but what solid answers would you provide to those not in the Christian arena? What reasons would you give them for believing in a God that seems to have done nothing but allowed something horrific to happen?

Many of you will consider that I have fell off the deep end of a pier for addressing such an issue. Many or you will consider that wrestling with God on such grounds suggests I am losing my faith. I beg to argue the point. Even Jacob wrestled with God. Job questioned God. Neither of these men experienced God’s wrath for wrestling with him. We, as Christians must wrestle to arrive at strong conclusions and answers that we can give to those who do not believe, or who doubt their faith. C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer, and other great men and women of the faith have wrestled and ended up being pillars for Christianity. Are we not called to become the same? I challenge you to dig deep into your souls, wrestle with answers you might provide on this issue, and be ready with those answers, but refrain from giving the pat band-aid answers that permeate evangelical circles. If someone came to you today and asked: Give me good, logical reasons to believe in your God, a God that is supposed to be loving, kind, and good and yet allows people to go to hell, allows for a whole country like Haiti to be destroyed, allows for his people to suffer unjustly. Give me good reasons that your God is any better than those of other religions, what would you say?

I’d be interested in hearing from you as to your thoughts on the subject. What books have you read concerning afflictions, tribulations, and trials? As we watch the events unfold and the stories unfold with the events in Haiti, if people know we are Christians, we might be prepared to embrace such questions. Are you ready for them?

Until next time,

Have a great week,

Brenda