Most of us
wrestle with the human experience of suffering. We may do so in a quite
personal way due to our own experiences. We may do so because of what we see
other people experience.
Buddhism
will tell the story of Gautama Siddhartha (living in the 500’s BC), a prince
surrounded by luxury during the first part of his life. Yet, in his twenties,
he decided to explore the world that his father did not allow him to see. As he
went in his chariot with one of the workers of his father, he saw a person
alongside the road who was ill, then he saw a person bent over from aging, and
then he saw a funeral procession. After each incident, he asked his companion
whether this was the only person to suffer. Of course, his companion responded
that every human being suffers sickness, aging, and death. With this
experience, he would be begin a spiritual journey that would end when he
“awakened,” the term in India being “Buddha.”
My point
here is not to suggest the Buddhist answer for human suffering, which, while
having valuable insights is not sufficient, I think. My point is that we know
what Gautama experienced. We have experiences that remind us of the fragility
of human life. We have experiences that remind us of how broken human life is.
I have been
thinking of how hesitant we are to accept human brokenness, especially its
sinfulness, evil and twistedness. We try to explain it, especially with
psychology and sociology. We want to know its reasons. We want to make sense of
senseless human behavior. Frankly, that is how the human mind works. It reflects
why we keep exploring mysterious things, looking for reasons and explanations.
It seems as if when evil raises its ugly head, our response is surprise. I know
I am. Yet, anymore, my response is also, “Oh no, not again.” I have seen it
often. Many of the people reading this article would have seen it as well.
Is
everything that happens the will of God? My answer is simple. It is never God’s
will to harm, hurt, or damage. People oppose what God wants all the time. You and
I have done so. Of course, our world has its suffering, but God also has a
purpose that neither suffering nor death can define or limit. I think Paul was saying
something like this when he wrote in Romans 8:28 that God works in everything
for good. He did not say that everything that happens is good. However, God
providentially works through everything, including evil and suffering. Karl
Barth said it well. To refer to the providential care of God is to say that the
world is not in strange hands. Rather, the world, and your life, are in the
kind and loving hands of your divine parent.
You may
have already guessed that I am writing in this way because of the terrible shooting
in Aurora, CO. I am also thinking of the terrible abuse scandal at Penn State
University and its cover-up by their football program and university
leadership. I realize many other issues are involved in both incidents, but I am
focusing on spiritual matters here. In both cases, we see the way evil works.
Evil works through power intimidating others and taking advantage of a
situation. As Bishop Michael Coyner (Indiana United Methodist Church) recently
put it, this is why evil is cowardly. It will rarely confront strength to
strength directly. It will find weakness, and exploit it for its own ends.
I am sure
all our prayers are with the people and families of these two recent events. I
am also sure that many people right here face their own battle with the broken
human condition. I have the confidence that if you are, God is along your side
to help you wage the battle.
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