Cited in Strobel, Lee. The Case for Faith: a Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000. 47.
While this is difficult to imagine, the Bible teaches that God will comfort us personally (Rev. 21:4). In fact, God will mend our pain and suffering in two ways: length and love.
First, God will repair our pain and suffering in LENGTH. How does 100 years of suffering compare to eternity? It doesn’t outweigh it by a billion or even a trillion fold. Instead, eternity infinitely outweighs this life in its length.
Second, God will repair our pain and suffering in LOVE. God is completely loving (1 Jn. 4:16), and he is an inconceivably beautiful Being (Ps. 27:4). To be in the presence of God cannot be comprehended in this life (1 Cor. 2:9; 2 Cor. 12:4). The apostle Paul suffered immensely (2 Cor. 11:23-29), but in the very same letter, he called these atrocities “light and momentary” affliction compared with eternity (2 Cor. 4:16-17). Mother Theresa said, “In light of heaven, the worst suffering on earth, a life full of the most atrocious tortures on earth, will be seen to be no more serious than one night in an inconvenient hotel.”
In light of the length and joy of eternity, earthly suffering will be overwhelmingly restored.
Cited in Strobel, Lee. The Case for Faith: a Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000. 47.
James earned a Master’s degree in Theological Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, graduating magna cum laude. He is the founder of Evidence Unseen and the author of several books. James enjoys serving as a pastor at Dwell Community Church in Columbus, Ohio, where he lives with his wife and their two sons.