Last 5 Days
Wrestling with God in Suffering
Click here to read Ch10
January 28th was an ordinary day for most people, but for this couple, Francis and Suliani, it was an unforgettable day. On this day 11 years ago, Francis, a full-time soldier, returned to the barracks in the morning and went about his work as usual. Suddenly, he received a call from his son’s school. The caller asked if 13-year-old Nigel and 7-year-old Donavan were his sons, saying it was about a "traffic accident" and that someone else would contact him. Then he hung up. Francis waited in confusion and anxiety. Then he received a call from a police officer, who told him that Nigel and Donavan had been hit by a cement mixer while crossing the road on their bicycles and had died. This was devastating news.
Overcome with grief, Suliani wept, ‘My world was plunged into complete darkness. Lord, you love us, why did you allow this to happen? In the aftermath of their most painful hours, the couple struggled in their faith and wrestled with God.
Similarly, Job cried out in anguish during his suffering. In Job 10, he lamented, “I hate my life” (v. 1), “Why did you bring me out of my mother’s womb? I would rather die” (v. 18), and “I was brought to the grave as soon as I came out of my mother’s womb” (v. 19). Some may wonder, are these negative comments necessary? There is a Chinese saying: “You will never know how painful it is until the needle pricks you.” These strong words express the sadness and despair of a person in extreme pain.
Job's lament was heartbreaking. He vented his pain before God, questioning why the God who created him cared for him so much yet allowed him to endure such suffering. But in spite of Job's agony, he did not denigrate God, he only protested and defended himself, and it is clear from his argument that he never doubted the divine nature of God.
From Job's experience, we see that it is natural for people to wrestle with God in times of suffering. I believe that God does not ask us to suppress our emotions. Instead, He wants us to bring our pain, questions, and doubts to Him. Job's lament was not a rejection of God, but a plea for God's understanding, a cry for mercy in the face of great loss. The greatness of God is that he not only allows our inquiries but is willing to reveal Himself to us in them.
Like Francis and Suliani, they were overwhelmed with grief after losing their beloved sons, and it seemed as if the whole world had fallen into darkness. In the same way, Job's example reminds us that even in despair, we can still bring our sorrow to God, who is the loving and sovereign Lord who will listen and lead us out of the valley in His own time.
I believe that God does not reject our wrestling, questioning, and confiding in Him in our pain, but He also calls us to trust in His goodness and sovereignty in the midst of trial. Even when we cannot understand what God is doing, He is still the One who is perfectly good, and His love and faithfulness never change.
Prayer : Dear Father, in our pain and confusion, help us trust in you. Help us trust your love and sovereignty, even when we don’t understand. Strengthen our faith and comfort our hearts. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
