One of the most challenges facing monotheistic believers is the reality of sin and suffering. At some point, one can find themselves baffled by the apparent contradiction of the existence of God and the fact that the world is suffering, especially the people dedicated to serving Him. The Bible states that the first suffering was through the punishment of Adam and Eve after they sinned. In other words, suffering entered the world through sin. Most people seem to question the origin of pain and attribute it towards God. According to me, although most of the suffering arises from sin and evil, not all of it is as a result of that. Sin separates us from God and makes us be far away from His will and purity. The punishment accorded to Adam and Eve was transferred to every man, and this makes everyone who descended from that line to be susceptible to suffering (Slater, 2002). We all sin and thus all of us can suffer. Sin can lead to direct devastation as the person who commits evil bear the consequences. For instance, a person who goes ahead to steal someone’s property may end up in prison incarcerated.
The direct result can even be death and pain. If a person decides to drink too much and then get in the driver’s seat and then drive off a cliff, then the sin is said to lead to direct suffering as the person can die or get hurt if they survive. Every evil done is a cause of suffering either directly or indirectly. It may be the sinner who suffers, the direct and indirect victim of the perpetrator, or at times it may be the society at large. But all in all, somebody has to pay the price for the sin even if they did not commit. However, not all suffering is as a result of sin. Some of it is as a result of the test of faith in God. The best representation for this information is found in the Book of Job where the person obeyed God, did not sin, but ended up suffering. This means that some tribulations are just there to help us in growing our faith towards God and believe that things will be better. The contemporary world is filled with these suffering, and this is because of various sins committed by people. Humans have hatred for one another; there are outright selfishness and greed. This makes us start competing for things and to try to be better than each other. This is where sin comes in. Humans begin being envious and going against the commandments of God.
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Alienation is processed by which a person becomes detached from what there is. Sin has made a man be far from God and themselves. We are in enmity with our own kind and with God, although the load is on our side. The feud brings the feeling of evil and hostility. We are alienated from the creation, and this is the basis of bad competition, greed, and hatred. People thus start doing things that hurt others due to the distance that exists between them. So as far as sin is still engraving the world, there will be suffering.
The concept of condemnation is as a result of not living according to the standard of God. Our sins bring us the sentence or judgment that hangs over our head. We are guilty of not meeting the demands of the image of God out of which we were made. Thus, the guilt is manifested in the form of condemnation and bring us suffering emotionally. God promises that whoever does not believe in Him stand to be condemned at the end.
By sin, humankind is tied and bound by this act and making it impossible for some to be free, a situation known as enslavement. The result is that sin and evil become so powerful and engulf us thus keeping us bound. This increases suffering in the same note.
Depravity is the moral corruption of humankind. In other words, it refers to the viewpoint of the original sin. This is not the reference of the first sin by Adam and Eve, but a connotation of the consequences coming from this. Depravity makes us sinner not because we inherit the sinning genes from the first man and woman, but because we are innately sinners. After the two sinned, the entire human race fell and led to the original sin that is influenced by the power of evil. Also, this does not mean that the total depravity means that a person can be wicked as much as they can be, but that the fall during the original sin was so much such that the effects on the whole person were immense. We can become sick and die and have our minds clouded with evil. That is why it is possible to see people doing heinous deeds to each other because we have corrupted minds.
As Keller (2015) states in his book “Walking with God through Pain and Suffering,” we should not see suffering as a means of improving our lives but primarily as a way of believing more in God and getting closer with Him. Pain and suffering should be a basis for us to turn back and know Him better (Keller, 2015). I agree with this statement as we can see suffering as a positive call towards believing God can turn cries into smiles. It is evident that Job was able to understand God better after his pain. Keller wants us to refrain from seeing sin and suffering as something that needs urgent eradication. It should indeed help us to walk together with God in the face of evil.
Forming connections and a sense of community with people is essential in contributing to the well-being of humans. The community and relationships create a base where all our suffering is eased, and we feel better. It offers a sense of belonging and personal meaning in life (Williams, 2008). During the time of suffering, our resilience is a product of the strength of the community in which we are. The interwoven relationship in communities is a source of strength and support during hard times. The connectedness brings some sense of compassion, and people feel essential. However, this sense of belonging is not the characteristic of every relationship out there. The conditions of the community can also lead to unfulfilling relationships and thus creating a breeding ground for suffering. The indifference and hate that people possess shows the level of dormancy that humans have in treated themselves and others with respect.
Sociology suggests that for the alleviation of suffering to be experienced in the community, we need to experience the suffering of others and relate it to the pain within ourselves. Compassion is both the beneficiary and adversary of suffering. Therefore, there should be a struggle to ensure that the intrapersonal pursuit is flourishing to yield social justice (Williams, 2008). Social well-being should be grounded on the collective overcoming of obstacles that stand on the way of natural human disposition toward intrapersonal awareness. These obstacles are embedded in the way we view and feel about ourselves and others. Through compassionate awareness, humans can appraise themselves, others and the aspect of suffering. They will relate the pain to theirs and thus help in culminating recovery.
References
Keller, T. (2015). Walking with God through pain and suffering. Penguin Books.
Slater, P. (2002). God, evil, and innocent suffering: A theological reflection. Theological Studies, 63(4), 885.
Williams, C. R. (2008). Compassion, suffering and the self: A moral psychology of social justice. Current Sociology, 56(1), 5-24.
