Sense and Suffering

“If there is meaning in life at all, then there must be a meaning in suffering. Suffering is an ineradicable part of life, even as fate and death. Without suffering and death human life cannot be complete.” — Viktor E. Frankl

We yearn to make sense of our lives and the inevitable traumas we face. We often begin by crafting a personal narrative to explain why we suffer. When this explanation fails, trauma initiates a journey toward a better, less subjective, explanation.

Christianity offers that better, objective explanation — providing an accurate description of why we are here, why we experience trauma, and how God can use this trauma for our good. Trauma can point us to the truth, just as the Bible describes.

When we are united to Christ, our trauma cannot hold us any more than the grave could hold Jesus. We long to overcome because we were created in the image of the God of life. He suffered as part of the overarching story of our salvation, demonstrated His power in the resurrection, and promised this power to those whom He is conforming to His image.

Jesus provides us with the power to flourish, even after suffering, and the power to thrive, even after a trauma — because we were created to overcome.