Meaning amidst Suffering

Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, Victor Frankl, spent approximately three years in Nazi concentration camps living in the most horrid situations imaginable. Out of the depths of this experience was birthed his life work entitled "Man's Search for Meaning". In this book he investigates despair and muses over the difference between those who were lead to utter despair during their time in the death camps and those who were able to overcome insurmountable suffering and emerge with hope. What were the differences between the two? What lie between the thin line of hope and despair?




Frankl's observations are fascinating.

First, he defines despair. What really is the condition of despair? According to Frankl the word can be best defined through a simple mathematical formula: D=S-M. Despair is suffering minus meaning. Frankl observed that those who could not make any sense of their suffering turned to one of three poisons: anger, depression or denial. Each of these toxins lead to a slow death by despair. So, despite what we often think in our plush, comfortable worlds today, it is NOT suffering or difficult circumstances that rob us of hope and plunge us into dispair. It is the absence of meaning.

In fact, Frankl witnessed and personally experienced people going through the same horrendous ordeals who did not turn to despair. One the contrary, some individuals became more wonderful and more loving human beings precisely because of their adverse conditions. They became people of greater hope! Why is that? It was not that they were ransomed from their circumstances. Rather, it was that they found ways to make sense of this world within those difficulties. They were able to see a more ultimate purpose and meaning to life that others could not. And, that purpose formed their character and framed their thinking in ways that transcended their circumstances.

The apostle Paul and Victor Frankl seemingly were on to the same thing. I'd love to be in a room listening to them muse over this topic. Paul, in Romans 8, reverberates the same findings as Frankl. Read the text. In Romans 8 Paul explains that he is able to legitimize his present suffering and the creation's sufferings (groanings) because Jesus himself, the living God of the universe has entered our mess and salvaged our pain. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah infuses meaning into the madness of this present reality we call life.

According to Paul, suffering is the normal and consequential reality of a sin cursed world. But, because of Jesus, it is only seasonal. Yes, the present pain is great. Yes, it looks like the whole world is groaning. Yes, our suffering is real. But, it's not an empty pain and it's not an eternal pain. Our suffering is not random or purposeless. Because of Jesus Christ, the pain of the world is more like. . . birthpains. . .Yeah, weird metaphor coming from a guy (Paul) who is well. . .a guy.

But, catch the significance of the birthpain metaphor. Birth is always pain with a purpose. Labor has an ultimate goal. The blood and sweat and tears in the delivery room will culminate in new creation! Ever see a women in labor without hope? Of course not. Why? Because there is ultimate meaning behind her suffering. The pain is unbearable without the anticipation of new life.

For Paul and Frankl, there's hope, because there is infused within creation a something deeper and more powerful than human suffering. And, that which is deeper and rings with more potency is the gospel message itself.

Both the cross and the resurrection inject meaning and hope into human suffering. The meaning behind Good Friday is that our God has strangely entered our suffering, legitimizing and sympathizing with our pain at once. The meaning behind Easter Sunday is that he has overcome all suffering, redeeming and ransoming us from death and despair. Sundays promise is that he will make all things new. What a promise!

Because of the gospel hope is free to roam in the most unusual and unlikely places. Places like Golgotha and Nazi Concentration camps.

The backdrop to all our smaller stories and days of despairing is one grand story that provides purpose and meaning and a way to make sense of it all. And, that meaning is not found in a system or a thought or a solution, idea or philosophy. None of those things bring meaning to our suffering.

No, the meaning to human suffering is found in a person who entered it and has come out the other side vindicated and unscathed. And, now he mediates on our behalf. Jesus the King, our savior, brings hopeful meaning to our senseless suffering. His suffering and death was redeemed. Ours will be too. May His name be praised!