Reduced to Nothing

Am reading When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty by Joni Erickson Tada and Steve Estes. She quotes Soren Kierkegaard: "God creates everything out of nothing. And everything to which God is to use, He first reduces to nothing." 


In the chapter about the emotional component of suffering, the book tells a story of a young child molested and beaten by her step father and neglected by her mother for several years. That child later read a tract and gave her life to the Lord on the very night she was going to commit suicide. As a mother, this woman struggled to forgive her parents. Joni writes:


Some would think Glenda's offense should be aimed against God rather than her parents. [Description of her suffering at the hands of her parents.] Where was God? Why not take offense at Him? What answers could possibly atone for such horrific treatment. "It would be better for [a man] to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin," says God Himself. (Luke 17:2). Fine: wicked men will one day face the anger of a righteous Judge, but what about now? 


We want answers now. But even if we know why, will it satisfy? We might ask, "Where was God? Was it His fault" and be assured that although He is sovereign, it was not his fault. Or, "Was it an assault from the Enemy?" and find that yes, it possibly was. Or we may press further, "Is it the consequence of living in a fall, wicked world, and not the direct personal assault of either the Devil or God?" and learn that, more than likely, it is. Back to square one: do such answers satisfy? Probably not. 


The next part talks about how in her hatred of her step father, Glenda would have gladly killed him. She had to acknowledge her hatred as sin and have the Lord take it away. Jesus loving us through His death on the cross is the answer. I've read some fairly logical explanations of the purpose and benefits of suffering. To some extent, I believe and embrace those explanations. Yet, even the best answers do not satisfy. I liked this paragraph quoted above because it brought a new thought: Even if God deigned to somehow let me, at this moment, fully understand all the workings of suffering and who is culpable for people's pains, I still would not be satisfied with the knowledge.