Torch, Winter 1991

-------------------------------- othing in my formal training as a counselor prepared me for the emotions that I experience as I sit in my office each day hearing the stories of people who are going through tremendous suffering. During my first year in this profession, I was nearly overwhelmed by the magnitude of human suffering: the grief that accompanies a loved one's suicide, the haunting memory of sexual abuse, the agony of wrestling with one 's own onse sin. I saw firsthand the devastation that sin has wrought in our world. The two questions that seem fore– most in people's minds are, "Why does God allow people to hurt?" and "How are we to survive?" Fortunately, God, in His wisdom and compassion, has answered these questions in the Scrip– tures. His answers may not be as specific as we would sometimes like, but they are completely sufficient to guide us. My search through the Scriptures for answers to these questions began during a time of suffering in my own life when I was a student at Cedarville College. I diligently looked up every verse I could find on human suffering and began the arduous task of memorizing each one. As I mulled these verses over in my mind , certain themes began to emerge. God taught me some of the specific reasons why suffering occurs, and in the Scriptures I found instruction as to how I should respond . • Suffering builds character. Romans 5:3-5 tells us that we can rejoice in our suffering because it will strengthen our