I choose Jesus. I will choose Him every day. I can understand why people choose not to believe in Him, though. After all, why would a loving God allow so much suffering?
As someone currently suffering, let me offer my point of view...
I am in the first day of what will be many days of a miscarriage. My unborn baby is not alive anymore. In this lifetime, I'll never get to kiss her cheeks or snuggle her at night. It sucks. It is such a waste.
I could throw in the towel and not believe in Him anymore. What would be left when the dust settled? I might be comforted in the knowledge that no higher power was responsible for allowing my suffering. This was simply nature doing what nature does. Do I really want that, though? Do I want to suffer with only humans to comfort me? Humans who are just as helpless as I am?
I want to suffer with Jesus because He is with me. He knows me better than any human ever could. He is the best partner in suffering because He has experienced it on deep levels. His closest friends ditched Him when He got arrested. The people who previously enjoyed spending time with him gave the Ok for His torture and murder. Even though it was not at all what God originally wanted, God didn't answer His prayer to take His suffering away. For the sake of me and you, Jesus suffered.
He suffered willingly so that we could know what it was like to talk to God with no barrier between us. Jesus pulled back the curtain that was humanity's guilt and gave us unlimited freedom. We don't have to sacrifice animals to make good. We don't have to pray certain prayers, chant, eat the right things, wear the right things, or do good deeds. We just need to allow our hearts to respond to His. God wants to be with us.
That's why I choose Him. He's holding my baby right now and one day, I'll get to see both of them in person.
This is from a song I heard a long time ago:
I will glory in my Redeemer; Who carries me on eagles’ wings; He crowns my life with lovingkindness; His triumph song I’ll ever sing!
I will glory in my Redeemer; Who waits for me at gates of gold; And when He calls me, it will be paradise; His face forever to behold; His face forever to behold!
Thank you all for your prayers and kind messages. We can feel them lifting us up.