This is a transition article moving from the third major section asking the question, ‘Why does a loving God allow suffering?” to Part Four. Part Four deals with the victory a Christian can have in and through suffering.

To this point, we have acknowledged that “We live in a world of suffering.” This was Part One. It demonstrated the tremendous and horrific suffering both locally and abroad. We looked at the kinds of suffering, how often innocent people are involved, the fact that some suffer more than others and if this is an injustice that God allowed some to suffer more than others.

Part Two looked at “Man deals with suffering in many ways.” Man seeks to both deal with and overcome the suffering God allows. We looked at the results of this action, how people are guilty before God, what happens to those who dwell on their suffering, how great the suffering is and who is the one who started the suffering.

Part Three then began exploring “There must be a reason for suffering.” This became more detailed as we pondered “how” and “why” God allowed suffering. We asked if He could have created a place where there was no suffering, what some of His purposes and unseen reasons are in allowing suffering, whether or not He was indifferent to our suffering, the One person who should have escaped suffering and “did Jesus suffer like we suffer”? As has been mentioned, because we are finite and God is infinite even a lengthy explanation with a number of questions will fall short of fully understanding the Divine Almighty’s complete explanation for suffering!

This brings us to Part Four, which examines, “There is victory through suffering.” Part Three gave hope that there were reasons why God allowed suffering and that it was not beyond His ability to handle. Part Four lifts our eyes to heaven for the hope that even through the miseries of life there can be victory – victory that is only found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, that may seem simplistic and those who are in the throes of anguish may have many additional questions. I have tried to address these questions and offer hope that this victory can be experienced now and in eternity.

Let’s begin looking at Part Four by answering the question, “Will God remove the suffering He allows?” This may seem trivial to those who are not suffering, but let all of us demonstrate genuine compassion and come alongside those in our midst who are struggling in a multitude of ways and walk with them.