When God Suffers

Home / Blog / When God Suffers

If Jesus is the Son of God, what does it mean when God chooses to engage suffering?

Jonathan BrinkI am an business development and communications consultant. I am also the senior editor and publisher for Civitas Press. I recently published, Discovering The God Imagination: Reconstructing A Whole, New Christianity. (Civitas, 2011)View all posts by Jonathan Brink →

http://openmindedconversations.blogspot.com/ jshmueller

Great thoughts! Reminded me of many points John Stackhouse brought up recently too http://tinyurl.com/3gqt9j4nnI still think the problem of suffering cannot be solved by addressing it philosophically. Whenever we do it anyway, it seems to belittle the pain of the one suffering and provides little or no comfort. It also raises the question: what about those who are told that God also suffered and overcame death but see no real connection to their actual lives? And even if they may see a mental connection, just aren’t able to overcome. What about the suffering that doesn’t end?nnIt seems to me that the only adequate way of addressing it, is living the message by showing love, care and help where we can. It can only be incarnational and relevant when we bear the burdens together.

http://jonathanbrink.com Jonathan Brink

I agree Josh. I was working with some people last night on this very thing and we all have to reach a point where we address our own suffering. Love is the only way to address suffering. It doesn’t rescue. It doesn’t fix. It sits in the midst of suffering and waits to stand with each other.

http://theprodigalprophet.com Dylan Morrison Author

Is suffering the stripping away of psychological attachments that blind us to a sense of Self or the Divine? If seemingly an ‘Act of God’ is it a painful aid to our journey Home? Some questions to ponder in the quietness of our honesty.

http://jonathanbrink.com Jonathan Brink

Dylan, I made that argument in my book, so yes I agree.

http://www.paradigmshift-jmac.blogspot.com Joe Machuta

Great post Jonathan,nnThis is the area where karma makes so much sense to me. The process of the transmigration of souls allows for suffering, pain, joy, and pleasure to play out naturally in a process of growth. Manufactured suffering like the sect of priests who scourge themselves creates artificial suffering. Life, in varying degrees brings us all just the right mixture.nnGod participates through Christ Jesus to show us that we can embrace life which includes all of the extremes of our natural life here. I hear the song of a spring bird celebrating outside my window right now and I am reminded of how rich life really is.

http://jonathanbrink.com Jonathan Brink

Isn’t it funny that we often have to just look to see the beauty in the midst of suffering.

http://thepangeablog.com Kurt

Great post Jonathan. This is a wonderful video! Where is it from? nnAlso, this video reminds me of an article I wrote over at my site. Not sure if you saw it but it fits pretty well: http://www.thepangeablog.com/2011/03/23/the-god-who-suffers-in-japan/
Anonymous

Writing on Romans 8 recently I was thinking about how the Holy Spirit chooses to suffer with us too. The repetition of ‘groaning’ (a particularly visceral word in greek) shows the world suffering, then us crying out in the suffering of the world and then the Spirit in us crying out in our suffering, interceding for us.u00a0The divine takes his place with the creature,ngroaning in intercession on our behalf.

Blog