Over the last number of weeks, the issue of suffering has come up several times. Specifically, the question of why Christians suffer has been at the forefront of our thoughts. Finding a comprehensive answer to this question has always troubled believers. It is too easy to latch on to one answer and then limit God's work to our theological construct. At times, we easily fall into the formula of "Do good, get blessed; Do evil: get cursed." Unfortunately, we all can immediately cite examples where those who do good aren't blessed, and those who do evil seemingly are blessed. Indeed, many of the formulaic approaches to suffering hit this snag. There are exceptions to the formula. Where do we find a comprehensive explanation for suffering?
Well, let's start with our title. It is taken from the title of a well known book from a number of years ago. It is a question that is repeatedly asked. However, it is wrong in its basic formula. Bad things don't happen to good people. Bad things happen to bad people. If we hold this question up to the scrutiny of Genesis 3 and the fall of man, we see that the question is all wrong. Read Romans 3:10-18 and very quickly it becomes evident that there are no good people - only bad. Suffering - all suffering - has its origin in the curse brought by original sin. Even in Christ, we live in a sin-cursed world, and suffering is part of that world. As long as we are in this world, we will suffer.
So does that mean that all of our suffering is related to sins we have committed? While in the broad sense all suffering finds its source in the sin of Adam in the garden, not every case of suffering is directly traceable to a particular sin we may have committed. Some can be. Scripture clearly teaches that God does at times judge our sin with suffering. Ananias and Sapphira paid a physical price for lying to the Holy Spirit, many in Corinth were sick and some had even died for dishonouring the Lord's table (1 Cor. 11:30), and Hebrews 12 tells us that the Lord disciplines those He loves. Paul encourages us to examine ourselves in the Corinthian passage to see if we fall into the category of those who are subject to God's judgment because of sin. However, Scripture also clearly reveals that not all suffering is related to a sin we have committed. The most obvious illustration of this is the book of Job. Job's suffering bore no relation to any sin in his life. In fact, Job's comforters are a failure because of their belief that there must be some sin Job was hiding. In John 9, the disciples are confounded by a man blind from birth. They debate over whether the blindness was a result of the man's sin or the sin of his parents. When they ask Jesus, He clearly states that the suffering is not due to the sin of either. Jesus answers that the man was blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him (John 9:3).
In this answer by Jesus, I believe I have my comprehensive answer to why we suffer. We suffer so that the glory of God might be revealed. I believe in that one statement, we can find the answer to all suffering in our lives. Let me illustrate. If our suffering is caused by sin in our lives, what are the results of such suffering. There are two possibilities. First we may repent of that sin and be restored by the mercy of God. Is that not a situation that glorifies God? Second, we may not repent and continue to suffer. Is not God glorified by the justice of the punishment? Either way God is glorified. What about if the suffering is not due to sin directly? Well, in the blind man's case Jesus says such a suffering was to display the glory of God. In Paul's case, his thorn in the flesh was designed to keep him humble and to teach him that God's strength was sufficient in the face of human weakness (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Glory to God!
I hope in all of this discussion that I have not minimized the pain of suffering. As a pastor, my heart breaks when I see my dear people broken by cancer, crippled by arthritis or crushed by depression. Suffering hurts. However, I am convinced that believing that suffering is arbitrary and random hurts more. If suffering is purposeless then it is indeed unnecessary cruelty. But suffering is not purposeless. It has a purpose - and that purpose is the grandest purpose in the cosmos. It is to give glory to God. It is my prayer that as you endure the suffering God has brought into your life that you can move beyond "Why me?" Instead, I hope that I can learn to say "God make me a good steward of this suffering you have brought into my life. Help to use it for the maximum opportunity to bring glory to your name."
Well, let's start with our title. It is taken from the title of a well known book from a number of years ago. It is a question that is repeatedly asked. However, it is wrong in its basic formula. Bad things don't happen to good people. Bad things happen to bad people. If we hold this question up to the scrutiny of Genesis 3 and the fall of man, we see that the question is all wrong. Read Romans 3:10-18 and very quickly it becomes evident that there are no good people - only bad. Suffering - all suffering - has its origin in the curse brought by original sin. Even in Christ, we live in a sin-cursed world, and suffering is part of that world. As long as we are in this world, we will suffer.
So does that mean that all of our suffering is related to sins we have committed? While in the broad sense all suffering finds its source in the sin of Adam in the garden, not every case of suffering is directly traceable to a particular sin we may have committed. Some can be. Scripture clearly teaches that God does at times judge our sin with suffering. Ananias and Sapphira paid a physical price for lying to the Holy Spirit, many in Corinth were sick and some had even died for dishonouring the Lord's table (1 Cor. 11:30), and Hebrews 12 tells us that the Lord disciplines those He loves. Paul encourages us to examine ourselves in the Corinthian passage to see if we fall into the category of those who are subject to God's judgment because of sin. However, Scripture also clearly reveals that not all suffering is related to a sin we have committed. The most obvious illustration of this is the book of Job. Job's suffering bore no relation to any sin in his life. In fact, Job's comforters are a failure because of their belief that there must be some sin Job was hiding. In John 9, the disciples are confounded by a man blind from birth. They debate over whether the blindness was a result of the man's sin or the sin of his parents. When they ask Jesus, He clearly states that the suffering is not due to the sin of either. Jesus answers that the man was blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him (John 9:3).
In this answer by Jesus, I believe I have my comprehensive answer to why we suffer. We suffer so that the glory of God might be revealed. I believe in that one statement, we can find the answer to all suffering in our lives. Let me illustrate. If our suffering is caused by sin in our lives, what are the results of such suffering. There are two possibilities. First we may repent of that sin and be restored by the mercy of God. Is that not a situation that glorifies God? Second, we may not repent and continue to suffer. Is not God glorified by the justice of the punishment? Either way God is glorified. What about if the suffering is not due to sin directly? Well, in the blind man's case Jesus says such a suffering was to display the glory of God. In Paul's case, his thorn in the flesh was designed to keep him humble and to teach him that God's strength was sufficient in the face of human weakness (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Glory to God!
I hope in all of this discussion that I have not minimized the pain of suffering. As a pastor, my heart breaks when I see my dear people broken by cancer, crippled by arthritis or crushed by depression. Suffering hurts. However, I am convinced that believing that suffering is arbitrary and random hurts more. If suffering is purposeless then it is indeed unnecessary cruelty. But suffering is not purposeless. It has a purpose - and that purpose is the grandest purpose in the cosmos. It is to give glory to God. It is my prayer that as you endure the suffering God has brought into your life that you can move beyond "Why me?" Instead, I hope that I can learn to say "God make me a good steward of this suffering you have brought into my life. Help to use it for the maximum opportunity to bring glory to your name."
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