Suffering But Not Alone

Not quite sure how to begin this blog. All I know is my heart is heavy and full of questions. Deep questions that I'm not sure I will ever have an answer for here on this earth. Questions like "why does God let people experience terrible suffering?" and "why do certain people have to suffer and others don't?"
These questions are stemmed from a recent loss in my friend's life. A really really devastating loss. And this friend has been through enough losses over the past several years. I don't understand why all of this is happening to my friend. I am absolutely heartbroken for her.
So because of this, I have been doing a lot of thinking about suffering. It should come as no surprise that I went digging in the book of Job in the Bible because if anyone was an expert on suffering, Job was. He lost his family, his health, his wealth... he lost everything except his own life. And somehow in all of that loss, he never turned his back on God. I find that amazing. Because I can't say that I wouldn't blame God if I lost my entire family and everything I owned and got so sick I couldn't function.
Not only did Job experience these losses, but his friends also blamed him for the afflictions that hit him. They told him that he must have done something to deserve God disciplining him like this. Wow... sounds like some Christians I know. Talk about kicking you when you're down...
So did I find answers to my questions about suffering? No. I didn't. I still don't understand why God allows things like this to happen to my friend. Why he lets people suffer for years and years..
But I do know this. I know the character of the God that I serve. I know that He is good, regardless of whether life is good. He still has a plan even when we can't see what that plan is. He still loves us. And I know that He is the ultimate comforter. I know that He brings peace and strength in the middle of impossible times. And He rebuilds things that were torn to pieces. He mends things that were broken beyond repair. And most of all, He never ever ever leaves us alone in the middle of our suffering. We might feel alone sometimes because all we can see is our circumstances, but it doesn't mean we are really alone.
Jeremiah 33 talks about the restoration work that God is capable of. And He is capable of healing the hurts that life brings. I'm thankful that He doesn't leave us alone in our sufferings. We are never out of his sight.
Some promises to hang on to in the middle of the sufferings:
Psalm 139:3 "You know when I leave and when I get back. I'm never out of your sight."
Deuteronomy 31:8 "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

We might be suffering, but we are not alone.