People often ask, “If God is a God of love, then why [fill in the blank]?” Often, this question thinly veils an attempt to excuse their own sinful behavior or to blame God for a ll the suffering in the world.
They have either forgotten or become ignorant of two things: First, they have neglected the fact that there is not total suffering only because of the grace and mercy of God. Men and women have taken the gospel around the world, and lives have been changed for the better. Second, some of the world’s troubles are the inevitable consequences of sin.
Jeremiah knew from the beginning that his life would be difficult (cf. Jer. 1:18-19). Annie Johnson Flint’s poem, “What God Hath Promised” comes to mind:
God hath not promised skies always blue, Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through; … But God hath promised strength for the day, Rest for the labor, light for the way. (Bible, Expositor and Illuminator Union Gospel Press, Summer Quarter 2021).