Where is God in Suffering?

Scripture

 Psalm 106:1-6, 43-48

¹ Praise the Lord!
    O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
² Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord,
    or declare all his praise?
³ Happy are those who observe justice,
    who do righteousness at all times.

⁴ Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;
    help me when you deliver them;

⁵ that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,

 that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,

    that I may glory in your heritage.

⁶ Both we and our ancestors have sinned;
    we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly....

 ⁴³Many times he delivered them,
    but they were rebellious in their purposes,
    and were brought low through their iniquity.
⁴⁴ Nevertheless he regarded their distress
    when he heard their cry.
⁴⁵ For their sake he remembered his covenant,
    and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
⁴⁶ He caused them to be pitied
    by all who held them captive.

⁴⁷ Save us, O Lord our God,
    and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.

⁴⁸ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.
And let all the people say, “Amen.”
    Praise the Lord!  (NRSV)

Devotion

My aunt recently gave me an amazing gift: my grandmother's final study Bible.  Given to her for Christmas slightly less than a year before her death, this Bible sat by Grandma's hospital bed for months. The notes, prayer cards, and scraps of paper Grandma used to bookmark specific passages are glimpses into the spiritual journey she was on.  Even when she was too weak to read it on her own, she kept the Bible by her side all the way to the end of her earthy road. 

  As I paged through Grandma's Bible, I found a copy of a prayer by early 17th century Bishop Francis de Sales tucked carefully into the middle of Psalm 106.   De Sales believed that because God is love, God only wants what is good for people.  The prayer that Grandma had faithfully preserved (and which can be found in its entirety at the end of today's post)is a testament to that belief.  As I read it, I began to think about how it applies to the psalm Grandma marked with it.  At first glance, the two pieces seem contradictory; but when you look more deeply, you discover that putting them together brings home the notion that God will always be there to help us in our suffering.

The majority of the Psalm 106 recounts Israel's history and lists the people's many sins against God.  The people didn't remember God's love when they were in Egypt; they rebelled over and over again as they crossed the wilderness; they refused to follow God's instructions; they worshiped idols and polluted the land with unclean acts.  Each of these sins hurt and angered God...so much so that God would resolve to leave them to experience the consequence of their actions.  And yet God loved these traitorous people so deeply that each time they cried out for help, the LORD delivered them from their afflictions.  God's compassion and steadfast love overcame even the worst of the Israel's sins. 

The final few verses of the psalm refer to the people's current affliction.  They have been conquered and scattered across strange lands as slaves.  No matter how bad the situation may seem (and it is dire), the psalmist trusts that their faithful and loving God will save them.  The psalmist celebrates the help they know is coming by blessing God's name even as they ask God to gather the people up and bring an end to their suffering.

How, though, does all this apply to the sorrows we face today?  Well, life is complicated.  There are times when human experience the natural consequences of our sins in the form of alienation from God and one another.  There are also times when we suffer through no fault of our own.  But just because human suffering exists doesn't mean God wants us to feel it.   Both de Sales and the psalmist understood that when we are hurting, our ever-loving God will always be there to gather us up, show us compassion, and deliver us from our distress.  

Just because God will always come to help us doesn't mean that God will necessarily do exactly what we ask.  Sometimes God is a warrior who helps us triumph over the people or things that would harm us.  Other times, God is a mother who picks us up and holds us close as we sob in fear and pain.  No matter how God chooses to act, we can trust that when life is at its worst, the Holy One of Israel will deliver us from sorrow. 

Knowing in our heads that God is constantly here not to punish but to save is one thing; believing it in our hearts is another.  From conversations I've had with other relatives, I know my grandmother feared that her physical suffering was a form of divine punishment.   And yet even when her body was wracked with pain and her spirit cried out in torment, she kept asking God for help.  As I hold Grandma's creased, tattered, and stained copy of de Sales's prayer, I can picture her tracing  each line with her fingers and silently mouthing the words.  I want to believe that she came to trust that the suffering she felt was not God's desire for her...or for anyone.  When her pain became too much for her to bear, I pray that she felt God lifting her up and bearing it for her.  Finally, I trust that she was at peace when God finally deemed it time carry her home to glory. 

If you are suffering--if your pain feels more than you can bear, and you fear that you are being punished--I encourage you to find encouragement Psalm 106.  Our history with the Divine may be full of human betrayal, but God's love remains steadfast.  When we are hurting, there is no better place that we could possibly be than in the arms of the Holy One.  If we let our souls rest there, we will find ourselves strengthened, shielded, and supported.  Most importantly, we will be loved.  Always, eternally loved.

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting.  And let all the people say, 'Amen.' Praise the Lord!"

A Prayer & Meditation

"Do not look forward in fear to the changes of life; rather look to them with full hope that, as they arise God, whose you are, will deliver you out of them.  He has kept you hitherto and He will lead you safely through all things; and when you cannot stand it, He will bear you in his arms.

Do not fear what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you then and every day.  He will either shield you from suffering or will give you unfailing strength to bear it.  Be at peace and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations."  

-Francis de Sales (1567-1622)