Abstract

The postmodem age considers suffering as the greatest evil and an indictment of God. Yet a Biblical perspective on suffering reveals it as part of the human condition and a test of discipleship, Both the Old and the New Testaments view suffering through the lens of God's faithfulness, pace, transcendence, redemption, and salvation for all who believe in Him. This essay explores what we may discern from Scripture regarding suffering and its role in spiritual growth, self-discipline, character formation, and the Christian vocation of witness in the world. Crucially, we ourselves consciously decide our attitude towards suffering whether it is our own or the suffering of others. Yet suffering ony truly becomes that when we suffer unjustly for matters that we have not knowingly brought upon ourselves, in contrast to suffering due to our own mistakes or misbehavior. Ultimately, only God can answer difficult problems in the realm of justice. For the believer, God's promises are the foundation for life which fill the heart, mind, and soul.