Suffering and Faith

At times in life we suffer because we do not trust God.  This or that happens to us and we worry about the future.  It can be in a sense that our worry in these times if we look back was the primary suffering we faced.

It is easy for us not to trust God's goodness toward us.  Jesus in his preaching tells his followers not to worry about the future because each day has enough troubles of its own.

It is not uncommon for our lack of faith to cause us suffering as at many times we suffer simply because of worry.  It is not that the hardship is brought on by our lack of faith, but rather our lack of faith makes the hardship ten times harder than it really is.

God wishes us to be happy and that is why Jesus had many things to say about worry.  It is easy to feel that God is not for us, but you see everywhere that God is for us.

God wishes for us to enter the kingdom.  He reaches out to us to join him for eternity.  He does not want us to worry in the present day.  He wishes to bring him our troubles in prayer.

If God is for us who can be against us.  God is for us at all times.  He loves us even when we find ourselves difficult to love.

Righteousness Requires Action

Righteousness is being set apart and different than the world. Often the church mostly sees righteousness in avoidance of certain actions.

Of course righteousness is avoiding sin, but it is also active. Often righteousness requires us to act. The world often has very little concern for certain issues.

True biblical righteousness requires that we act. Jesus did not simply avoid sin perfectly as his fulfillment of all righteousness. He also acted and his action completed his perfect righteousness.

The Pharisees misunderstood the law by making it fulfillable by the keeping of external states and avoidance of sin. They missed the fact that active righteousness and concern for the other is the core of righteousness.

True righteousness understands that love is more important then religious expectations when these collide. Jesus did what was right when he worked on the Sabbath to alleviate dire suffering.

Suffering as Non-Ideal

Various Christian groups have promoted suffering as a Christian virtue. While the bible does suggest that suffering produces virtue, the bible does not promote a life of suffering.

The bible has a great care about the well being and happiness of mankind. Jesus wishes for us not to worry and has concern for the emotional well being of others. The Christian church has often had many groups within itself which promote suffering as the path of obedience. It is going without which is the best path of faith and having which is a lesser path.

Such a position is a philosophical one which greatly distorts the bible's teaching. The bible teaches contentment whatever the circumstances.

The bible teaches sacrificial giving, but it also talks about wise financial management and that it is good for an inheritance to be left to an heir after one dies.

You see the bible never has easy answers to questions. It has significant guidelines. It does not judge circumstance or suggest circumstance has relevance to ultimate reality.

Each of us has our own path in God's plan and the promotion of suffering as the path to follow God is a great oversimplification and thus an errant teaching.

Most errors in Christianity are not additions to scripture, but rather half truths. Part of scripture is taken without the counterbalance in scripture that comprises the whole truth.

Setting Expectations for Marriage

By Michelle Dowell
Secondary Contributor

Long before the wedding bells ring, some engaged couples are being told to expect suffering and hard times. Priests, pastors, or other church staff sometimes warn that marriage isn't easy--in fact it's difficult, they say. Sometimes they remind the couple over and over again to not expect too much.

For these counseled couples, a delightful surprise comes when they're married and sense that it's a sense of joy, not suffering, that their marriage brings to their lives.

Some might argue that it won't always be that way, that over the years people change or love changes and the marriage will therefore cause suffering, but that's more likely rare for true Christian couples who have a Christ-like love for one another. A spouse may get sick, but even then, there's beauty in truly loving a spouse and being loved.

The Bible says that marriage is a blessing. That's why there is hope and joy for marriage. As much as a church may want to warn couples that marriage can be full of suffering, the wedding ceremony often is recognized as a celebration, a cause of joy.

Benefit of Seeing God's Hand in Life

A lot of us go through many hard times. The bible says that God uses hard times to help people grow.

A lot of people feel as if this is in some sense terrible. I actually find it very comforting.

Suffering is normal in this fallen world. It is far more difficult when we are suffering and we can see no point in it.

Sometimes when we see a point in the suffering (maybe it is as small as a lesson learned or a bad habit fixed) then there becomes something of meaning happen.

This does not make suffering fun, but seeing that God is using things brings purpose to life. And suffering that has purpose is easier to stand than suffering with no purpose.

For a Christian God claims he works all things for their good. So there is always purpose in suffering although it may be impossible for us to see.

At times it may seem impossible that God could work good out of certain events, but by faith we can trust that God is faithful to his promises even when we cannot see how he is doing so.

Charles Simeon Quote

"My dear brother, we must not mind a little suffering for Christ's sake." —Charles Simeon

Spurgeon Quote on Suffering

A quote from Spurgeon I found in a Piper sermon:

"I am afraid that all the grace that I have got of my comfortable and easy times and happy hours, might almost lie on a penny. But the good that I have received from my sorrows, and pains, and griefs, is altogether incalculable ... Affliction is the best bit of furniture in my house. It is the best book in a minister's library."

Suffering - The Beautiful Gift form God

Suffering - The beautiful gift form God.

Anyone who denies that suffering is a beautiful gift from God denies many parts of scripture.  Consider when Paul had the thorn of his side.  He asked God for it to be removed three times.  God's answer was that his grace was sufficient and his power is made perfect in you in weakness.  God was not causing Paul something bad, he was giving him something good as "All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose."  God was increasing his power and grace in Paul.  So what did Paul do to accord with this divine work in him.  He did this (2 Corinthians 12:9-10): "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

How We'd Live Differently If We Really Understood that "All Things Work Together for the Good of ..."

Some pondering on how we would live differently if we really understood that, "All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose."

1) This should be a source of major comfort to us in times of trials.  If it isn't it is a sign that we need our relationship with God and the way we think about him mended.

2) We would have a way to really comfort our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering.  Something that goes past, "Oh I'm sorry... or That Sucks..."  It adds something deep and bring the focus back to God where it should be in the first place.  It gives real comfort if taken to heart by one who loves God loves and is loved by God.

3) It should be a source for great risk taking.  If all things work together for my God why shouldn't I say a loving, but very hard thing for a person to hear, it indeed it is something that should be said.  If relationships are shatter or friendships weakened, or money given away it is for our good.  You could argue that if relationships are made firm or kept safe, and if we hoard money or just guard the little we have then it also works for our good.  I think its safe to answer like Paul here.  Shall we not take risks for the kingdom of heaven so that God will work them for our good. May it never be.

4) We should wish for others to see the brilliance of this truth and tell others not to just settle with this one promise but to search high and low and far and wide to learn and savor the many additional promises that flow from the beauty of God.

5) We should remember this promise and turn our hearts to thank God at all times and in all situations for his goodness to us.

6) Our love for God would be greatly increased.  If we really took it to heart that everything worked together for our good we would be filled with awe at the awesome wisdom and power of God.  Today I was filled with that wonder as I accidently dropped a peanut butter filled cracker and spent a while mashing it around on the floor (without realizing it only to have to clean up the mess) Yes mashed peanut butter and cracker bits all over the bottom of my shoe and all over the floor is working for my good and I remember it!

7) We would be more conscious in our effort to try to make everything work for the maximum good possible.  If we focus on that everything works for our good and focus on God we will want to work everything for as much good as possible.

A lot more but lunch time is over...

Focusing on God

Lamentations 3:22-23: "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

The Lord teaches us in a most kind and gentle way.  One can always say in ones darkest moment that “this is far better than I deserve,” as we all deserve hell.  In trials God is graciously and generally disciplining (teaching) us by his gracious fatherly care. If God did not discipline us it would be a sign he did not love us.  God wants nothing but good for us and is working everything for our Good. (Romans 8:28). When times are bad, Rest your hope in comfort in God.  Do not let worldly discomforts take your eyes off God. When times are good Do not let worldly pleasures take your eyes off God.  Do not take your eyes off God.  For Lamentations 3 continues: "The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD" (vv. 25-26).

Focus your eyes on God.  Is Man not made in the image of God.  Is not God far more beautiful and glorified man?  Is not the current state of man hideous ugliness due to sinfulness.  Is not beauty and comfort worth of being chased?  Fix your eyes on God and chase your happiness while aiming to give God glory. The two are not in conflict.  Does not the Lord know what is better for you than you do yourself?  If he tells us that it is better for us to love him with all our heart, mind, and soul, than to love worldly things should not we trust him?  If so why do so many Christians not trust God’s promise?

The Journey of Life

A brief excerpt from a really incredible sermon by John Piper:

"Suffering is appointed for us in this life as a great mercy to keep us from loving this world more than we should and to make us rely on God who raises the dead. 'Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God' (Acts 14:22). There is no other way. Do not begrudge them. They are hard to bear. I know they are. But if you keep your inheritance before you, and if God gives you the grace to see what Paul calls 'the riches of the glory of his inheritance' (Ephesians 1:18), then will you not say with the apostle, 'I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us'?

"Picture this life as a journey on your way to receive a spectacular inheritance. It will protect you from idolatry and make all your burdens lighter, and quiet all your murmurings.

"Here's the way the old John Newton put it:

Suppose a man was going to New York to take possession
of a large estate, and his [carriage] should break down a mile
before he got to the city, which obliged him to walk the rest of
the way; what a fool we should think him, if we saw him ringing his
hands, and blubbering out all the remaining mile, "My [carriage] is
broken! My [carriage] is broken!" (Richard Cecil, Memoirs of
the Rev. John Newton, in The Works of the Rev. John
Newton, Vol. 1 (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1985),
p. 108.)

"Amen."