Over the past several months I have watched my brother slowly lose the battle over cancer. Now the disease has attacked other parts of his body and his one kidney is failing. The doctors have told him that there is nothing more to do. Mike still plans for the future - next year . . . or when it gets warm . . . perhaps part of denial, part of not giving up hope, who knows.
I have questioned my faith, asking why would God let people suffer like this. Pain can warn us of danger. No one likes pain especially in those we love. Yet without discomfort the sick wouldn't go to a doctor, worn-out bodies would get no rest, criminals wouldn't fear the law, and children would laugh at correction. Remember Solomon, lured by pleasure and taught by pain. Even the wisest among us tend to drift from good and from God until arrested by the resulting pain of our own shortsighted choices.
Then, in time, our work and our opinions are sought less and less. Our bodies become increasingly worse for the wear. Gradually they succumb to inevitable obsolescence. Joints stiffen and ache, eyes grow dim, digestion slows. Sleep becomes difficult and problems loom larger and larger while options narrow. Yet, if death is not the end but the threshold of a new day, then the curse of old age is also a blessing. Each new pain makes this world less inviting and the next life more appealing. In its own way, pain paves the way for a graceful departure.
Also, in times of crisis we find one another. Natural disasters and personal troubles have a way of bringing us together; hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, riots, illnesses and accidents all have a way of bringing us to our senses. Suddenly we remember our own mortality and that people are more important than things. We remember that we do need one another and that, above all, we need God. Each time we discover God's comfort in our own suffering our capacity to help others is increased.
So, remember the teachings of the Apostle Paul, especially "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
Finally, can God turn suffering around for our good? Think about the many examples in the Bible and think of how much worse we could be. We can always find someone worse off than ourselves if we look. And we have to trust in our God to help us through the bad parts and see the good of all suffering. Let us pray:
Dear Lord, help us to understand the suffering in the world. Help us to look beyond our immediate boundaries into the world and see the suffering of all people. Help us to help those who are hurting because of illness, sin and pain. Help us to come together to lessen the pain and understand the suffering. Help us to understand the reasoning behind the pain and help us to understand that you won't give us more than we can handle. We pray that you are with us each day and night and help our loved ones accept the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen