As I have said, the Bible consistently changes the questions we bring to the problem of pain. It rarely, or ambiguously, answers the backward-looking question "Why?" Instead, it raises the very different, forward-looking question, "To what end?"We are not put on earth merely to satisfy our desires, to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.We are here to be changed, to be made more like God in order to prepare us for a lifetime with him. And that process may be served by the mysterious pattern of all creation: pleasure sometimes emerges against a background of pain, evil may be transformed into good, and suffering may produce something of value.
According to Philip Yancey's book "Where Is God When It Hurts?", the Bible shifts our focus from questioning why we suffer to understanding the purpose behind our suffering, asking "To what end?" rather than dwelling on past causes. This perspective encourages a forward-looking view, suggesting that life’s challenges serve a higher purpose rather than being meaningless pain.
"As I have said, the Bible consistently changes the questions we bring to the problem of pain. It rarely, or ambiguously, answers the backward-looking question 'Why?' Instead, it raises the very different, forward-looking question, 'To what end?'" Yancey emphasizes that our earthly existence is not just for personal happiness but to be transformed into God's likeness. Sometimes, this process involves pleasure emerging from pain, evil becoming good, and suffering yielding valuable outcomes.
