Why Suffering?
Americans think that suffering is meant to be avoided at all cost. We have been taught that our right as Americans is the pursuit of happiness, and that suffering is contrary to our right to be happy. However, according to Romans 5, tribulation, (trials, pressure and suffering) produces patience, and then patience experience (God’s tried and proven character.) The trials of life reveal God’s character within us. The patience to bear up under pressure is in the Lord. God will deliver us by the fire, through the fire or in the fire. For the crucible, the melting pot is for silver, and the furnace for Gold, but God tries and proves the heart by his refining fire. Then when he teaches us through trials and reveals his character within us, experience makes us not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.
Jesus said, in this world you will have tribulation, pressure, trials and trouble… but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. In the book of Acts the leaders of the city arrested Peter and John and said, “we command you not to speak in the name of Jesus.” Then Peter said, “if we don’t speak, then even the rocks will cry out…. We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
Paul said to his son in the faith Timothy, “the world will persecute you to silence you… to stop you from preaching the gospel of truth.” Jesus said in the last beatitude, “blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven.”
Americans who read this verse have not experienced this type of persecution in the last three hundred years. In years past, Christianity in America was considered honorable and exemplary. However, lately, to be identified as a conservative evangelical Christian is considered an insult…. The popular culture has denigrated and ridiculed Christians, characterizing them as “puritanical,” close minded, intolerant, and hateful.
However, the Apostle Paul said, “abhor, (hate, despise, and detest) that which is evil…. Instead, cling to that which is good.” The context of this verse is to let the love of God be genuine…. Without false pretenses. Then Paul said, recompense to no man evil for evil. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
According to Oswald Chambers’ devotional My Utmost for His Highest, there are some loads we must learn to bear. Those who do us the most good are not those who sympathize with us… they are the ones who challenge us to rely on God as our power, our refuge and strength. We think that God calls us to be useful to gain glory and honor for ourselves because of his power… however, let tribulation have her perfect work, for when we have endured the pressure we will glory in tribulation also… For when ye endure trials, tribulation yields patience and ultimately patience will reveal her perfect work… that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
The apostle Paul learned this lesson the hard way. He had been beaten, scourged with a cat-o-nine tails…. Whipped with a scourge that had metal and bone imbedded in the cords that tore the flesh away from his body. He had been shipwrecked and thrown overboard. He had been stoned and left for dead. He had been thrown into prison for preaching the word of God. Paul prayed, Lord, Please take this thorn from my flesh… I can do a much better job for you Lord if you remove this pain and suffering. Paul earnestly prayed this prayer three times. Two times God did not answer this prayer. The third time, God answered, but it was not the answer that Paul expected. God said to Paul, My strength is made perfect in thy weakness, my grace is sufficient for thee.
This is the example of Jesus Christ himself. In the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed in agony, Lord If there be any other way, please take this cup of wrath, judgement and the sin of the world away from me. Jesus prayed this prayer three times. Then he concluded his prayer, nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.
Prayer is not aligning God’s will with my will. Instead, prayer is aligning my will with God’s will. How did Jesus conform his will with his Father’s will? The context of Jesus’ prayer in the garden does not answer this question. However, the Bible is its own best commentary. Hebrews 12 gives us the answer to Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus Christ who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and is set down upon the right hand of the throne of God. God revealed to his son, the joy of your salvation and mine. His Joy was in 2 Corinthians 5:20…. He who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him. Jesus’ joy was the mission for which his Father called him…. the redemption of those who would accept him as Lord and Savior.
Through the pain and suffering of this world, God will bring us to our knees…. He will break our hearts for what breaks his. He will teach us through his refining fire the true meaning of hope and love and reveal what really matters… his character within us, Christ in us the hope of glory….
…that we may love God above all, to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael
