by Mike Edwards
Whether you think God suffers, depends on your view of God. If you think God is unchangeable, you probably believe God can’t suffer. If you define God as relational than you probably can believe God does suffer. If God can’t know an unknown future, he may be surprised or experience the journey with us. See What Does God Know About The Future?
What does the Bible claim
Many get their view of God according to their interpretation of the Bible. I can’t say I get all my information about God just from the Bible. I don’t believe God controlled or dictated thoughts to the writers, so biblical writers/editors recorded what they believed about God. There are verses that can imply God does suffer or God doesn’t suffer. Since I am inclined to believe God is relational – created with a purpose in mind – I will cite verses to suggest God does indeed suffer.
Genesis 6:6
“The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled
Hosea 11:8
“My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.”
God speaks like a parent in emotional turmoil over Israel’s rebellion.
Isaiah 63:9
“In all their distress he too was distressed…”
This suggests God is not distant
If you believe Jesus is the Son of God….
the idea of Jesus introduces God choosing to enter human experience, including suffering.
So how can we know what God is like
Why wouldn’t God be most like what our moral intuitions suggest. Our inborn sense of good and evil, not an ancient Book, tells us sexual abuse or murder is immoral. If a Creator exists, it is only intuitive that a Creator loves the ways their creations ought to love one another. God’s love is surely the same as perfect human love. Only a perfectly good or loving God is worth believing in. Such a statement is nonsensical if we are clueless about perfect love. We can talk about perfect Godly love by comparing to perfect, human love. The Bible even suggest perfect human love and God’s love are the same. “Be perfect. therefor as you heavenly Parent is perfect (Mt 5:48). “Follow God’s example (Eph 5:1). We don’t always know what perfect love entails but we know the question we ought to ask ourselves – am I loving others perfectly aka am I loving other like our Creator loves. Problems often begin when we stray from common moral sense and don’t challenge our understanding from a supposed inspired Book.
There is a problem claiming the Bible is the definitive word on what God’s love is like. Ancient literature is subject to interpretation. Even if the writers understood their God perfectly, which we can’t prove, we can’t claim our interpretations are perfect. The truth is biblical scholars who have a deep respect for the Bible don’t agree what God thinks about gays, women, hell, and other moral issues. See here. See here. See here. Gays are supposedly condemned, women’s leadership roles are limited, despite their gifts and a fiery torturous afterlife awaits infidels – all in God’s name!
So what is true love when loved ones suffer
God’s love surely is the same as supreme parents – other-directed not self-consumed. Love gets excited when we do well and make a difference in the lives of others. Love anticipates, hopes for my success, believes in me, pulls for me even when failing, because I do the same for my children. Parents bring children into the world hoping their children freely reciprocate their love for authentic relationships. Why would God be any different. When my children suffer, I hurt. Why would God be any different about their children?
Why it matters
I’m convinced belief in a benevolent God, according to common moral intuitions, makes you kinder. We often treat others the way we think God treats us. I guess fear God if helps to avoid consequences of destructive actions. But if struggling and need encouragement and mercy, a loving God awaits with open arms. If God can suffer, then suffering is not something God merely observes from far away. God understands grief and physical pain. The verse Jesus wept. (John 11:35) takes on a different meaning. It is easier to believe that hurting people matter to God. God may be seen as participating in redeeming suffering rather than ignoring it. If God suffers, evil is not something that God causes or simply allows or surely God would take away their own suffering. Grace or authoritativeness doesn’t guarantee change, but I believe we best change because of a friend’s or God’s love and acceptance. See It Matters If Your God Is Nurturing Or Authoritative!
Mike Edwards was added as a writer and has been a great addition to the site. Mike provides many interesting views and various ways of looking at things. He is not afraid to ask questions and he keeps an open mind as to teachings of the institutional church. Mike also has his own site where he writes at What God May Really Be Like
Done with Religion 