August 18 - The Redemption of Suffering

The Redemption of Suffering

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3, 4

In a recent survey, the question was asked: if you could ask God any one question, what would it be? The number one response was, “Why is there suffering?” There are few questions that cause people to attack faith in God like suffering.  “Why does God allow this?” or “Can God be good since people suffer?”

There are times that not only the agnostic and atheist ask these questions, believers can have their moments as well.  That question was first asked thousands of years ago by Job, and it’s repeated by David throughout the Psalms. Why God? Why is this happening? Throughout  the wars, the Holocaust, the famines of Africa, the emergence of AIDS, 9/11, the tsunami, and the hurricanes.  Why God? Why would a God who is good and full of love allow these things to happen?

The truth is, life should come with a warning sticker.  Lee Stroble has noted, “When a doctor prescribes medication, it is supposed to be for our good and to help us with whatever may be ailing us. But have you ever noticed all the side effects that come with the prescriptions? You take a pain reliever for a headache which will help ease the pain, but the side effects may be nausea, dizziness, weakness, night sweats, etc…Makes you wonder if it’s worth it. Life should come with a list of side effects as well.” Just as easily, every person should be taught that life comes with side effects.   It may be illness, abuse, betrayal, sorrow, heartache, disappointments, injuries and death.  None of us are fully exempt.  But God never planned it that way. In John 16:33, Jesus told us as much. He said in this life, there will be trouble. But the question that millions of people want an answer to is why? Why does there have to pain and suffering?

The question has been asked - “Why didn’t God create a world where suffering and evil did not exist?” Actually, He did. Genesis 1:31 “ God saw all that He had made and it was very good.”  You find very quickly in scripture that since God is not the author of pain and suffering, it must have come from somewhere else.  And again, we could say, it did.  God created humankind with a free will, which is necessary if we are to be able to express our love to God and to one another. We are all created, not like puppets on a string, but with a free will. We have the choice that we can love God or we can reject Him. We choose to be kind and generous or selfish. We choose to be good or bad. God gave us that ability with a free will. If you pull a string on a Barbie doll, she may respond by saying “I love you”. It’s not because she means it or has any choice to love you, she has been programmed to say those words. Real love always involves a choice. And because humans have made a choice to reject God and His way of life, evil exists.  Immoral choices, which entered through Adam and Eve, and yes, enter through you and me, will always bring a sowing and reaping.  But God, in His redemptive plan, can take those challenges and suffering and use them for our good.   Romans 8:28 says, “And we know all things work together for the good for them that love God and are called according to His purposes.”  Paul writes this after Romans 8:18, (Ironically today is 08/18) where He explains the suffering world. He says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Oswald Sanders writes in, The Christian Discipline, “Suffering is the heritage of the bad, of the penitent, and of the Son of God. Each one ends in the cross. The bad thief is crucified, the penitent thief is crucified, and the Son of God is crucified. By these signs we know the widespread heritage of suffering.” None is exempt including our Savior. Yet God uses it when we allow Him to work through us. 

Here are a few of sufferings benefits:

1. The testing of our faith produces mature-well rounded Godly character qualities.

    (James 1:2, 3)
2. Suffering is a privilege of identifying with Jesus Christ. (Phil. 1:29)
3. Suffering is proof that we are true children of God. (Heb. 12:8)
4. Suffering helps identify and eradicate impurities in the life of a believer. (Heb.

    12:9, 10)
5. Suffering helps us become more fruitful and wise. (Heb. 12: 11)
6. It is the proven path to Godliness. (2 Tim. 3: 12)

7. Suffering can come through our efforts to discipline ourselves for the purpose of
    Godliness. (I Tim. 4:7,8)
8. Suffering helps us to intimately know more of the Lord’s attributes through a closer

    identification with His sufferings. (Phil. 3: 10)
9. Godly chastisement is profitable to make us better not bitter. (Heb. 12:10) We are

     commanded to endure suffering and deny ourselves as Jesus did. (Luke 9:23, 24)
10. Suffering has a way of sharpening us to make us more effective in our ministries.

     (Eccl. 10: 10)

A famous evangelist told the following incident: I have a friend who in a time of business recession lost his job, a sizable fortune, and his beautiful home. To add to his sorrow, his precious wife died; yet he tenaciously held to his faith -- the only thing he had left. One day when he was out walking in search of employment, he stopped to watch some men who were doing stonework on a large church. One of them was chiseling a triangular piece of rock. “Where are you going to put that?” he asked. The workman said, “Do you see that little opening up there near the spire? Well, I’m shaping this stone down here so that it will fit in up there.” Tears filled his friend’s eyes as he walked away, for the Lord had spoken to him through that laborer whose words gave new meaning to his troubled situation.

God never intended suffering, but He’ll “shape us down here” so that we will “fit up there.”  Whatever you are facing today, let the Master use it to shape you.

Terry Risser

Reflections:

1)   What situation of suffering in your life has been hardest to explain?

2)   Do you believe God can use it?

Consider reading the Word today:

Copyright 2014- Terry Risser