Why Suffering?
Dr. Vince Vitale—speaker and author who serves as Ravi Zacharias International Ministries’ Regional Director for the Americas and Director of the Zacharias Institute.
In one of the first significant conversations I had on this topic, my Aunt Regina expressed to me how difficult it is to see her son Charles – my cousin – struggle with a serious mental illness.
Putting the question before the questioner, I started spouting some of my abstract, philosophical ideas about why God might allow suffering. But after listening very graciously, Aunt Regina turned to me and said, “But Vince, that doesn’t speak to me as a mother.”
Suffering is very real and very personal, and since that conversation with my aunt I am always hesitant to address it briefly. Here I will try to provide a few starting points for further thought and prayer, but please forgive me if anything I say comes across as if I am not taking seriously any real life suffering you are dealing with. My hope is this will not be the case, and that amid the suffering of this world each of us will find strength, comfort, and meaning in the community of those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ.
Click below to read more as Dr. Vitale outlines four approaches to thinking about the challenge of suffering.
Church Planter of the Week
Clifton Jang, Cornerstone Trinity Excelsior, San Francisco, California. Cornerstone Trinity Excelsior launched last year out of Cornerstone Trinity Baptist Church with a team led by Pastor Clifton Jang and his wife, Adrienne. The desire of CTX, as they call themselves, is to branch out, build community, and allow others to worship and experience God’s love in additional parts of San Francisco. Part of the way they do this is through taking the occasional Sunday service time to leave the four walls of the church and go out into their community to serve. Pray for this outreach, that the love of Jesus and care for others they express would manifest in the lives of everyone they interact with. You can check out more about the church by visiting their website: www.ctxchurch.org.