Philosophers have grappled with the problem of suffering for ages, but none have ever come up with an acceptable theory. In Germany, the Nazi intelligentsia reduced this problem to a bogus theory of race, a pure Aryan race, and it set out to eradicate whole nations and peoples whose blood it considered impure. The irony is that Nazism, rather than eliminating suffering, created untold suffering for masses of people, including Germans.

They failed miserably to offer an answer to the problem of suffering.

The best we can say about this problem is that it is a mystery. But, even if it is a mystery, it is legitimate to ask questions to appreciate our role in relation to suffering.

Thus we ask why is there so much suffering in the world, and why does a loving God allow it? Why did Jesus have to suffer? After all, He did no wrong. Why do innocent people, especially children, have to suffer when they don’t deserve to? These are questions that have plagued people down through the centuries. Rabbi Mark Gellman readily admits the difficulty in dealing with suffering and he offers this interesting explanation:

“The reason God allows suffering in the world is that the alternative would be worse. Let’s suppose God decided to suddenly end all suffering on earth right now. On first look, this might seem terrific. No agony. No death. No failure. No struggle for justice or freedom in the world. Nothing but elevator music and sunny days! And all of it accomplished by God alone with no help from us.

“However, that’s what you might want God to do for you, not what God wants. I call it : The Superman Solution. What would happen to your free will and your moral judgement if God decided to fix everything? What would happen would be catastrophic. You would be transformed into a meaningless, couch potato with no free will.

“Quickly, you’d learn that you’d be reduced to doing nothing since God, like Superman, would always swoop down in the nick of time, and set everything right.

“This alluring fantasy, however, would be horrible for us. Moral indolence would make us weak, passive creatures. This is what children, selfishly, desire. Its what a mere pet expects of its master. But God wants us to grow up and worship Him out of love, not need.

“You cannot wait for a fantasy Superman. You must learn to fly yourself. You must find cures for diseases. You must stop aggressors. You must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and lift up those who sleep in the dust. This is why God has given you a free will and intelligence to alleviate suffering. He has given you the knowledge of His Presence and the gifts of faith, hope, and love to fix a broken world.

“In the Book of Isaiah, chapter 58, the people have the arrogance to believe that their ritual acts ought to compel God to reward them with an easy life. The Lord mocks their foolish conceit by asking what have they done to end suffering on earth besides their fasting?

Ending or alleviating the suffering of the world is God’s plan for us.

The Christian answer to suffering is to be found in the Cross. On the cross, Jesus offered His life for our redemption. His capacity to love is only matched by His capacity to suffer. Thus He prayed to His Father,” let this chalice of suffering pass from me ” but, because His mission demanded suffering, He said, “not my will, but Your Will be done” ( Luke 22:42 ).

No one voluntarily chooses suffering, but you cannot grow in the love of God and your neighbor without it. Love and suffering are indelibly linked together.

They are the yin and yang of life.