A Theology of Suffering - Faith in Grief

Oral Roberts University alum Alan is many things: a follower of Christ, a husband, a father, a pastor, a reader, and a soccer fan. Yet perhaps one of the most pronounced things about Alan and his story is this: he knows suffering, and he knows that Jesus does too. This is his story. 

Alan grew up in church, and his faith became personal during his junior year of high school. That was when he decided to take God seriously. He started spending time in Scripture, being intentional about his community, and leaning into the local Church. After starting college at a secular university, he transferred to Oral Roberts University when he realized he wanted to be developed spiritually as well as academically.

Then in 2020, Alan married his wife, Daniela. After spending a few years enjoying life as just the two of them, they began trying to grow their family. At the end of 2022, they found out they were expecting twin boys.

When Joy Turns to Heartbreak

The twins shared a placenta, creating serious complications around 23 weeks into the pregnancy. What followed became a time of uncertainty, fear, and simply waiting. During that same period, Alan landed in the ER after a mountain biking accident. While they were there, Daniela told him she was bleeding. Doctors admitted her immediately and let them know they would likely remain in the hospital until delivery.

After several difficult days, an intensive screening of the twins showed that one of the boys was having a very difficult time and not developing as was expected. The Klines and their doctors made the very difficult decision to move forward with a C-section, hoping to save both of the boys.

Alan was able to spend an hour with his son Pax before he passed away. Their son Jude fought valiantly for nine days before joining his brother in Eternity.

The grief of this loss was devastating.

Alan describes that season of his life in this way: he had never needed God more, but he had also never been angrier with Him.

A Savior Who Suffers With Us

After Pax and Jude died, Alan and Daniela entered fully into grief. They knew they were “mom” and “dad,” yet they returned to an empty home with broken hearts. Here, they leaned on family, friends, their local church, and grief counseling.

During this season of grief, Alan began to sense something about the Lord. He had an overwhelming sense that Jesus was grieving and weeping with them in their loss. He knew that Christ was not distant from their pain and made Himself very present in it.

He began leaning into a theology of suffering, really knowing the truth that God is not immune to pain. In Scripture, we see a Savior who took on suffering at the Cross and entered fully into human sorrow with us. 

Alan encouraged us that grief is not a lack of faith. Faith sometimes looks like facing the coldness and brutality of this world and still trusting God with your heart. Can we lean into pain without being utterly consumed by it? 

Hope Beyond Understanding

Alan’s encouragement to others walking through tragedy is this: you do not have to make sense of everything.

Not every question gets answered on this side of eternity. But for believers, suffering is not the end of the story. Our ultimate hope is in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because He rose again, we can trust that one day soon, every broken story will be fully redeemed.

Faith is never about having all the right answers. Sometimes faith is simply believing that redemption is possible and that resurrection is coming. Selah.