This blog is the is the first fruits of a journey that began over 30 years ago when I was a young college student experiencing life on my own for the first time, away from the cocoon of my sheltered upbringing. It was a glorious time of exploration and growth, self discovery, and an introduction to the the excitement of faith, community, and relationships on a level I could never have imagined possible. For the first time, I encountered God as an intensely personal being, intimately interested in the happenings of my life, but even more interested in the motivations and appetites of my heart.
It was during this time that I became acquainted with suffering as well. Suffering as a result of my own brokeness, and chronic suffering in some of my closest friends around me. I had to confront the unavoidable realization that being in relationship with God did not shield me (nor my friends) from suffering, and as much as I would ask for suffering to be removed, it seemed that this was one prayer God would not honor.
I credit the seeds to the development of my theology on suffering to a single line written by Michael Card, a Christian singer and songwriter who was very influential to me during my formative years. It was written in microscopic print on the jacket of his CD, The Way of Wisdom as an overarching summary and rationale for his album.
Michael Card wrote, “Through the Incarnation, Wisdom became a person. The void that Solomon felt, that Job raged against, God has reached across through His Son. He fills the emptiness of life with His presence (Ecclesiastes) He does not give us the answer to the problem of suffering, He gives us Himself. And suffers along with us (Job)…”
It has taken me more than 30 years to begin to unpack what that means, but ever since I began grappling with the problem of suffering and how God could allow it, I have had a sense deep in my bones, that some day, I would write a book about what I have learned. For years, I was keenly aware that my limited experience in life did not qualify me undertake such an endeavor, and even now, I tremble at the thought of what could possibly justify my hubris for thinking that I might have some unique insight into such a weighty and universal question.
I have recently gone through a second life altering event (critical junctures in our lives brought on by tragedy or injustice) and the familiar restlessness deep in my soul to begin writing has reared its incessant voice. And so, I feel compelled to begin transcribing into words some of the thoughts and perspectives about suffering that I have gained that have been borne out of the bitterness of despair and the sweetness of mercy. I write this blog to share my thoughts with a wider audience and to ask for input and feedback that may help me to determine if what I have learned rings true for others. And perhaps, just maybe, someone may find some solace and understanding in the words I have to share.
Enoch Kwok
p.s. All of the photos on the website* are images I captured myself. Photography happens to be the way I express my creativity, although I must admit, I am merely recording Someone else’s Creativity when I take a picture. (*except the image of the Eagle Nebula – M16 “Pillars of Creation”, which is public domain courtesy of the Hubble Space Telescope and NASA).