This is not Heaven featuring Lucy Stimpson-Maynard from the album Uplifted recorded and produced by Bob Ross

When we take a long look at the world, especially the horrors of war in the Ukraine an obvious question is “Why is God allowing this to happen?” This question is pretty much the same as “Why does God allow suffering.” Back in 2016 I wrote about 12 blogs offering some ideas on this most difficult of issues.
During a recent sermon, the Vicar of Holy Rood Church, Stubbington pointed out that we, in the West seem to expect to have a life that is epitomised by “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”- this is our right and something is fundamentally wrong when we don’t get it. In other parts of the world, however people are much more realistic and accept that suffering is a part of this life and we should not be surprised when it happens. This does not mean that there is no God or that He does not care – it just means that “This is not heaven” – things will go wrong and His promise is not to take bad things away but to stay close to us through life’s challenges and yes, the sufferings.
Back in January 2016 I made a similar point referring to a chapter in John Young’s book “The Case Against Christ” (not be confused with Lee Stobel’s “The Case for Christ”)
Young writes that we live in “a world that makes itself”. He says that as science has shed more light on our world, we have discovered that the finely tuned processes which enable and sustain life are inevitably fragile; good outcomes contain risks. The movements of the continental plates- an essential aspect of our eco system- can also cause earthquakes. The weather system on which life depends is extremely sensitive and climatic events in the Artic can lead to hurricanes in New York.
God, continues Young, has created this amazing world with a life of its own – “a world that makes itself”. Accidents happen, they are not “sent”. We live in a beautiful and exciting world but it is unpredictable, often dangerous and sometimes downright terrifying. Perhaps the act of creation inescapably involves the fact of suffering. Can we have one without the other? Jesus Himself accepted suffering as an inescapable ingredient of life.
It would seem that it is impossible to come through this life without experiencing some form of suffering – so perhaps we should not be surprised when it does come our way- and perhaps also appreciate the good times more than we do.

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