Skip to main content

When God Suffers

Written by ronda on . Posted in Phoebe Connections.

Isaiah 63:9

In all their suffering, He suffered, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. He redeemed them because of His love and compassion; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of the past.

While this is most likely a reference to God’s response to the children of Israel while they suffered under Egyptian bondage, it describes His heart toward His children today. When we suffer, God suffers, too.  He feels our pain. We are made in His image, and when we hurt, He hurts. 

We might wonder then, if God can feel our pain, why doesn’t He do something about it? Why doesn’t He eliminate it or prevent it altogether? Pain and suffering are a part of the fallen world in which we live.  He promises us eternal life with Him in heaven, where we will never suffer from pain again. He does, however, promise to be with us through the pain we experience here on earth. In all their suffering, the Angel of His Presence saved them. The Angel of His Presence saves us in the midst of our suffering, too.  What we suffer now is temporary. Where He is taking us is eternal.

We must come to look at pain and suffering as temporary. For whatever reasons we have to endure such times, God is with us, and He suffers, too. He will not allow us to remain in suffering any longer than necessary. He will provide a way out because of His great love and compassion for us. When we think we can’t go even one step further, he will lift us up and carry us to the place where we need to be.  Suffering comes for a reason, and it must do its perfect work. Most surgeries are usually painful, but they do a healing work in us that is necessary. Somehow, God will make sure that the pain and suffering we experience today will benefit us in the long run; He will not allow it to be wasted.  If we have to endure it, we can count on a reward from it in some way.

 Know today that wherever you are hurting, God hurts, too. Seek His Presence because it will lead you out of your misery. God is compassionate toward you, and He will carry you through to victory. This, too, shall pass, and you will rejoice in what He does for you!

Have a blessed day!

PHOEBE Connections, Inc. is a 501(c)3 dedicated to enhancing the lives of widows by building relationships and helping them find new identity in Jesus Christ through serving others. We promote an atmosphere of fellowship, where the widow can connect with other widows to develop friendships and supportive relationships.