Have you ever wondered why people suffer, and why there's pain in the world? Well, C.S. Lewis did too. He didn't just think about physical pain; he also thought about the confusion and emotional pain that comes from not understanding why bad things happen. Lewis believed that when we wrestle with these tough questions, it can help us get closer to understanding God's plan for the world.
This beloved author of "The Chronicles of Narnia," took a break from fantastical tales to explore some deep questions in his book, The Problem of Pain.
Suffering: A Gateway to Understanding God's Plan
He wanted to make one thing very clear: God isn't the one causing all the evil and pain in the world. Instead, God can take the tough times in our lives and use them to heal us and make us better people. It's not about pretending that suffering doesn't exist; it's about showing that at the core of Christianity is Jesus, who went through a lot of suffering for our sake. Lewis believed that just like Jesus sacrificing himself can bring new life, our everyday struggles can also bring us closer to a joyful life with the Creator.
The Human Predicament: Are We Truly Good?
Lewis also wanted to explore whether humans are truly good at heart or if we're a mix of good and bad. In today's world, many people like to think they're decent and not really bad. We tend to see our bad actions as rare mistakes, not as things we do regularly. Plus, as time goes on, we often feel like our past mistakes don't matter anymore.
But Lewis reminded us that God sees everything, past, present, and future. And sometimes, we compare ourselves to others who aren't exactly saints either, which can make us think being just "okay" is good enough. Lewis argued that Jesus recognized that people can do terrible things and need to be saved. Saints, who are considered really holy people, don't pretend to be perfect either. They acknowledge their flaws and stay humble about it. They understand their own imperfections when they stand before God.
The Fall: A Reflection on Human Disobedience
With the story of Adam and Eve – some people think it's just an old myth. Lewis, however, thought it had a lot of relevance. He believed that the story isn't about God punishing people for what their ancestors did. Instead, it's a story about disobedience and pride, where people forget they need God. Lewis asked us to imagine a creature that existed for a long time, kind of like an animal, before suddenly becoming self-aware, realizing, "I exist." With this self-awareness came a desire to connect with God by enjoying the presence of God in everything around them. But this self-awareness also brought the danger of becoming too focused on oneself instead of God.
Importantly, Lewis stressed that the fall wasn't part of God's plan, and God didn't set us up to fail. It's something humans did to themselves. Original sin, according to Lewis, isn't punishment for someone else's mistake or just bad luck. It's a way of describing how we naturally turn away from God and end up feeling ashamed and guilty. In this messed-up state, Lewis believed we need something to make us better.
Understanding the Purpose of Pain
Pain isn't something anyone likes, but Lewis suggested that it can actually help us realize that we need to change. When everything is going well in our lives, we tend to be pretty happy with ourselves. However, when we experience pain, whether physical or emotional, it often makes us see that we're not as great as we think we are. Even the desire for revenge, although not a good response, shows that we recognize something is wrong within us. Pain can remind us that we need God, not only when things are tough but also when they're easy. Lewis thought that sometimes God might make life difficult to break our pride and make us more humble.
Suffering, according to Lewis, can change a person in a way that they start following God's will instead of just doing whatever they want. But it's not about blindly following a set of rules; it's about letting go of our old selves and finding a new life in God. For example, Lewis pointed to the story of Abraham who suffered when he was willing to sacrifice his son. However, through this trial, he found a deeper connection with God and received many blessings.
It's important to note that Lewis didn't suggest that we should ignore how terrible pain and suffering can be. He was just showing that the Christian idea of becoming better through suffering isn't crazy. Sometimes, going through tough times can make us more compassionate, patient, and humble, and our inner spirit can become more beautiful.
Hell: Confronting Uncomfortable Truths
Hell is a topic that can make some people uncomfortable, but Lewis thought it was important to address. He believed that hell is like choosing to live against God, and it's not a pleasant place. Sometimes, when people experience pain or suffering, it can make them realize they're doing something wrong, and they may try to change.
But for others, pain can push them further away from God, making them rebel even more. Lewis acknowledged that not everyone will be saved, which is why the idea of hell exists in Christian teachings. However, he also recognized that this idea can raise questions about God's goodness.
Lewis tackled four common objections to the concept of hell: First, some find it repulsive to think of God punishing people forever. However, Lewis asked us to consider someone who is cruel and selfish their whole life – should they stay that way forever without consequences?
Second, people wonder why a short life of sin would lead to eternal punishment. Lewis explained that eternity isn't just a really long time; it's more like an everlasting state of being. When we misuse our free will to do bad things, it changes who we are, and only God knows when that change becomes final.
Third, some find the scary images of hell in the Bible hard to accept. Lewis suggested that these are symbols pointing to something terrible – mainly, the loss of our true humanity.
Fourth, people worry that they couldn't be happy in heaven if they knew someone was in hell. But Lewis clarified that hell is final, unlike heaven, which is ongoing. They're not the same thing.
Lastly, some think that if anyone goes to hell, it means God isn't all-powerful. But Lewis argued that creating beings with free will who can choose to go against God is already an amazing feat. He believed that God gave everyone a fresh start through Calvary.
Heaven: The Joyful Dance of Redemption
Finally, Lewis encouraged us to think about heaven, which some people avoid discussing because they don't want to seem like they're just dreaming or escaping from the real world. But Lewis thought that avoiding thoughts of heaven means missing out on a significant part of Christian beliefs.
He acknowledged that heaven might seem like a distant dream compared to our everyday lives. However, he suggested that the things that make us happy in our daily routines are like hints of something even better. Even in our hobbies, there are moments that feel like there's more to life.
Our desires for something greater, according to Lewis, call us to look beyond ourselves. He likened the idea to something needing to end or be given up for something new and better to begin, like a seed needing to die to become a plant or bread being thrown into water to become something better.
Importantly, Lewis emphasized that heaven isn't about everyone becoming the same – it's more like a beautiful symphony where each person has a unique part to play in sharing and receiving God's love. Being close to God, Lewis argued, means always letting go and staying open. There might even be challenges in heaven as we keep changing and growing.
This way of giving and receiving, Lewis believed, is the truth behind everything in the world, like the way God and Jesus give themselves to each other. Anything that goes against this giving and receiving is like a prison, and that's what we call hell.
In the end, Lewis saw heaven as a never-ending, joyful dance, and he believed that it's already happening. It's all because of Love Himself, who invites all of us to join in.
God's Goodness and Power Amidst Pain
The big takeaway I get is that C.S. Lewis wanted us to understand that the existence of pain and suffering doesn't mean that God isn't good and powerful. Instead, he believed that God's goodness and power shine through in how He created the world and gave us the freedom to make choices.
Lewis stressed that God didn't create us because He needed us; He did it purely out of love. The awful things in our world, like evil and pain, doesn't come from God; it comes from creatures misusing their free will to go against God's plan.
But even in the toughest times, like Jesus showed us, suffering and letting go of our selfishness can lead to healing and a closer connection with God. For us, going through challenging times can make us better, not by becoming super strict rule-followers, but by living like Jesus did and working together as one big family to bring glory to God in everything we do.
So, The Problem of Pain isn't just a book filled with heavy ideas; it's a journey into understanding some of life's big questions and finding hope, even in the midst of suffering. It's a reminder that there's more to our existence than what meets the eye and that exploring these questions can lead us to a deeper understanding of our faith and ourselves.