In the sermon this past Sunday, we took a break from the Desires of the Heart series to look at the heart of God in the midst of tragedy and suffering. When tragedy strikes, the first human response is to ask the question, “Why?” Questions like “Why did this happen?” or “Why did God allow it?” seem to beg to be answered. In Romans 8, the Apostle Paul reminds Christians that suffering can’t be understood by looking at the event itself. In order to understand God’s heart and perspective on suffering, we have to look at the bigger picture of the human story to see that suffering is a result of living in a fallen world. However, this doesn't leave us without hope; our hope is not in taming evil or fixing the brokenness of this world. Through Romans 8, we are reminded that, in the midst of our suffering and groaning, we are waiting for something better. Our hope is rooted not in understanding the purpose of a single event of suffering but in God’s promise to redeem and one day put an end to sin, suffering and death itself.
