II Peter 3:8-9
“Don’t overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. God isn’t late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change.”
“But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”
This is the answer for those who rail against evil and suffering, wondering why God does nothing. It is because of his great love and longing for each human. He asks that we who believe be patient in the our own suffering and that which engulfs the earth so that more brothers and sisters may discover the One who perfectly loves them. Suffering gets our attention. The Lord’s focus is adding souls to eternity. Again, reality is upside down from our expectation. We should not be surprised. Our Lord is completely other from us, as is his purpose.
Lord, may I grow facile in adapting to your upside down way of doing things. May I learn to value the addition of souls to your kingdom over my own and others comfort and freedom from pain.