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Why have we been cursed, yet blessed?
These questions have vexed theologians for thousands of years, and as you might imagine, they have generated a variety of responses. Some believe that the blessings are God’s reward for righteous, or faithful living, while the curses are punishment for unrighteous and unfaithful living. Others believe that moments of suffering, or curses are meant to be times for us to learn something important from our suffering, and that we will be rewarded for enduring suffering, either in this life or in a life to come.
You began your question by asking, “why?” The premise of your question is that there is a why. Some would say that there is no “why,” and that suffering is simply part of the human condition. I don’t presume to know who is right and who is wrong, and if I’m completely honest, I need to admit that before I share what makes sense to me. I don’t think of God as a God who is controlling every event that happens in the world, that is, every blessing and every curse. Instead, God cedes some of God’s power to humankind and gives us the freedom to make choices – some good and some not as good – to allow us the opportunity to grow and flourish. But I don’t believe God is indifferent. God is present even when we suffer. God is more like the loving parent who kisses her child as she walks out the door in the morning and says, “make good choices today.” We need that freedom to grow, to flourish and to live out our potential, to become all that we can be; and that involves risk on God’s part. I believe that risk is an inherent part of God’s creation. Some will argue with me and say, “but couldn’t God have created a world without that risk and without the likes of Adolph Hitler?” Perhaps. But that may also be a world without Jesus, Mozart, Albert Schweitzer, or Mother Theresa.
