The Theodical Significance of Friendship (Part 2)

Depending on each person’s perspective and framework, everyone responds to the problem of evil and suffering differently. Similar to some of the ways we encounter life’s problems, some believe we can “fix” them with mere theological or intellectual arguments without paying attention to the severity nor the impact of the awful experiences themselves. We contend and justify God’s omnipotence and omniscience, but left the one who has experienced the actual suffering beaten and uncared for. 

From Christ’s enduring life on earth, we learn that our God is a compassionate God who prays, laments, empathizes, and forgives.

I believe God is deeply involved with us. Our God uses different disorientations as opportunities to invite us to become more intimate with him. Every suffering and shaping experience have developmental significance. God has blessed us with the community of friends who not only can help us enter these focused times of disorientation together with incarnational love, they can also continue to help sustain one another through forgiveness. 

Photo by Shane Rounce on Unsplash

Photo by Shane Rounce on Unsplash

I believe the practical responses to our world’s suffering approach first with practical consequences, not mere theories, address first to the sinner or the person then to the sin or the action. In the effort to faithfully respond to someone’s suffering and pain, the practice of friendship shaped and framed by Christ’s incarnation and the cross addresses first to their friends’ responses by interceding and lamenting, then offering practical solutions through showing empathy and offering forgiveness. They will not only practice together the postures of friendship that is most Christologically-informed, they’ll lead each other to experience God’s goodness and joy. 

Ashley WongComment