Since the fall of Adam and Eve to temptation, suffering has been a prevalent concept in our faith that humans have tried repeatedly to understand. Even though suffering sometimes causes us to question the power of God, it is a crucial means to which we grow into stronger individuals. I believe we can reconcile faith and suffering because suffering strengthens our relationship with God, everything happens for a reason, and sufferings draws us closer to others.
Suffering is a difficult yet important part of our faith because it strengthens our relationship with God. In Job 1, we meet a righteous man named Job who worships God daily. Then, Satan tells God that the only reason Job is so devoted to Him is because nothing bad has happened to him.
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Another example of how suffering strengthens our relationship with God is evident in the satire, Masque of Reason.The Masque of Reason is a satire written by Robert Frost in 1945, that addresses the Book of Job, its unanswered questions, and modern skepticism with theology. Since the reason for suffering is not revealed to the readers through the book of Job, Job continues to ask God for the reason throughout the …show more content…
In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, we learn that there is a time for everything. One main appearance of suffering apparent in many people’s lives is the loss of a loved one, but Ecclesiastes shows us that there is “a time to be born and a time to die.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) Ecclesiastes emphasizes that there is a time for everything and God has a plan for everybody. In Masque of Reason, it teaches us that our faith is a mystery. On page 591, God says, “There you go asking for the very thing we’ve just agreed I didn’t have to give.” This quote emphasizes that God does not have to tell us the reason for suffering yet we should trust in the Lord that he will protect us according to his plan. Finally, my last example is my grandfather. My Grandfather suffered with dementia for many years. At the age of 81, God called his servant up to heaven with him. Even though, his death caused his family and friends suffering, his suffering was ended. This shows that everything happens for a reason because God wanted to end my Grandfather’s suffering, and conclusively gave him a greater reward than he could ever imagine: