November 13, 2002
For several weeks, I’ve offered reasons why God allows suffering.
Sometimes suffering is the consequence of our own actions. Israel’s King David chose violence. The consequences were as predictable as dropping an egg on a concrete floor. Not only did bloodshed follow him most of his life, but God also refused to allow him the great thing he wanted to do for God, built a temple. However, God is gracious — David was allowed to write the Psalms.
Sometimes suffering is God’s punishment for sin. This may not happen for each sin a person commits in their lifetime; however, God warns of a coming judgment when unrepentant sinners will receive what is due them. The Bible says their torment will be everlasting.
God may allow suffering because He intends to bring good from it. Old Testament patriarch Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. Years later Joseph became powerful in the land where he once lived as a slave, and rescued his entire family from a famine and certain death. He said to his brothers, “You intended it for evil but God used it for good.”
Sometimes suffering tests our faith. Job is the strongest example, but every Christian knows that tough times affirm God’s faithfulness. He sustains His people during suffering.
Suffering also results when godly people are hated by the ungodly. Rather than preventing it, God says “those who live godly lives will be persecuted.” In this case, sufferers bear the brunt of godliness.
Sometimes God allows suffering so He will be glorified. A man was born blind, not “because he or his parents sinned” but so that “the work of God might be displayed in his life.” Jesus healed him and glorified God.
And sometimes suffering happens for no reason at all. We live in a sinful world where all people do bad things. Often innocent people suffer because of what others do.
Out of all these reasons why God might allow suffering, there is only one occasion in history when every one of them applies. It happened when Jesus died on the cross.
In one sense, Jesus suffered the consequence of His own actions. He rebuked the legalism and hypocrisy of the religious leaders of His day. They retaliated by crucifying Him.
The cross tested the faith of Jesus. The Bible says “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made not threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him (the Father) who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.”
Jesus suffered as a punishment for sin, not His own for the Bible says He was sinless, but bore our sins. The penalty for sin is death.
In that, God intended to bring good out of His suffering. He offered Jesus as a sacrifice for us, and promises that all who believe in Him might be forgiven and receive eternal life.
Even though Jesus died because He was godly and hated by the ungodly, He did not deserve death, and death could not hold Him. He rose from the tomb, and His suffering and subsequent resurrection brings great glory to God.
When the life of Christ is examined, there seems to be no reason at all that others would kill Him, but the fact that they did proves the very reason He came to earth — we live in a sinful world where all people do bad things. This innocent man suffered because of what we do.
Yet the only way His suffering can be labeled meaningless is when people refuse to consider Jesus, and will not let His suffering affect what they believe or how they live.
Showing posts with label reasons for suffering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reasons for suffering. Show all posts
Friday, July 13, 2018
Monday, July 9, 2018
Why God allows suffering ............. Parables 765
October 2, 2002
For this series on why God allows suffering, I had prepared an outline for each article. The past couple of weeks have been filled with so many other responsibilities that I’d no time to write, or even think about writing.
Then came Sunday, September 15. My mother woke that morning with her usual cheerful attitude, and asked her care givers in the nursing home to play some music on her tape deck. As they began to prepare her for the day, she bowed her head and died.
My mother had Alzheimer's yet still recognized her family and maintained a remarkable attitude. She was happy, thankful, and as her nurses said, a joy to take care of.
With great sorrow in our loss, I’ve fumbled through my responsibilities in preparation for her funeral. Today, I determined to finish the next article in this series. When I opened the file, my first line said, “God allows suffering because this is the way that He takes us home.”
Death is inevitable. When someone is ill, my husband often says, “We are all terminal, but most of us don’t know when — so we need to prepare for it when we are alive.”
Most of us do not know how death will come either. Will it be an accident? Illness? Great suffering? Even “natural causes” involve some pain as the body ages and common illnesses or organ failures join hands with death to carry us from this world. Suffering and dying usually go together.
That said, some suffer more than others. We have two doctors living nearby. One told me a horror story of “the worst death I have ever seen” and another talked about patients who linger for months, even years, in pain. They want to die but cannot.
Some advocate euthanasia as the means to overcome the pain of dying. Others will not go that far but will ask for morphine or some medication to ease the pain. Even though many people seem to fear pain far more than dying, the Bible calls death the final enemy.
However, for God’s people, there are no guarantees of an easy death. Hebrews speaks of Old Testament saints who were stoned, sawed in two, and put to death by the sword. Jesus Himself died a horrible death. He suffered more than we can imagine.
Even so, the New Testament also says that Jesus endured the Cross “for the joy set before him” and that some of God’s people “were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might face a better resurrection.” That is our hope.
Hebrews 2 says that Jesus shared in our humanity so “by His death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil — and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”
Because of Jesus, we no longer need to be afraid of suffering or dying. Those who believe in Christ know that because He lives, we also will live.
Suffering does not always imply punishment. Suffering does not always lead to a greater good, at least in this life, but in the suffering of death, it can be the doorway to eternal life with Christ. That is the greatest good of all.
Ultimately, God takes responsibility for our suffering. He knows all about us. As a butterfly must not be helped out of its cocoon, or a chick aided through the shell of an egg, our Maker may have an unseen purpose in the struggle of some to move from the confinements of this life to the freedom of eternal life.
Yet for others, God has a different plan, perhaps just to show the gentleness of Jesus. My mother’s suffering was minimal. Because she knew Jesus and was not afraid of death, when her time came, she went without any resistance.
For this series on why God allows suffering, I had prepared an outline for each article. The past couple of weeks have been filled with so many other responsibilities that I’d no time to write, or even think about writing.
Then came Sunday, September 15. My mother woke that morning with her usual cheerful attitude, and asked her care givers in the nursing home to play some music on her tape deck. As they began to prepare her for the day, she bowed her head and died.
My mother had Alzheimer's yet still recognized her family and maintained a remarkable attitude. She was happy, thankful, and as her nurses said, a joy to take care of.
With great sorrow in our loss, I’ve fumbled through my responsibilities in preparation for her funeral. Today, I determined to finish the next article in this series. When I opened the file, my first line said, “God allows suffering because this is the way that He takes us home.”
Death is inevitable. When someone is ill, my husband often says, “We are all terminal, but most of us don’t know when — so we need to prepare for it when we are alive.”
Most of us do not know how death will come either. Will it be an accident? Illness? Great suffering? Even “natural causes” involve some pain as the body ages and common illnesses or organ failures join hands with death to carry us from this world. Suffering and dying usually go together.
That said, some suffer more than others. We have two doctors living nearby. One told me a horror story of “the worst death I have ever seen” and another talked about patients who linger for months, even years, in pain. They want to die but cannot.
Some advocate euthanasia as the means to overcome the pain of dying. Others will not go that far but will ask for morphine or some medication to ease the pain. Even though many people seem to fear pain far more than dying, the Bible calls death the final enemy.
However, for God’s people, there are no guarantees of an easy death. Hebrews speaks of Old Testament saints who were stoned, sawed in two, and put to death by the sword. Jesus Himself died a horrible death. He suffered more than we can imagine.
Even so, the New Testament also says that Jesus endured the Cross “for the joy set before him” and that some of God’s people “were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might face a better resurrection.” That is our hope.
Hebrews 2 says that Jesus shared in our humanity so “by His death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil — and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”
Because of Jesus, we no longer need to be afraid of suffering or dying. Those who believe in Christ know that because He lives, we also will live.
Suffering does not always imply punishment. Suffering does not always lead to a greater good, at least in this life, but in the suffering of death, it can be the doorway to eternal life with Christ. That is the greatest good of all.
Ultimately, God takes responsibility for our suffering. He knows all about us. As a butterfly must not be helped out of its cocoon, or a chick aided through the shell of an egg, our Maker may have an unseen purpose in the struggle of some to move from the confinements of this life to the freedom of eternal life.
Yet for others, God has a different plan, perhaps just to show the gentleness of Jesus. My mother’s suffering was minimal. Because she knew Jesus and was not afraid of death, when her time came, she went without any resistance.
Friday, July 6, 2018
Why does God allow suffering? ............. Parables 764
September 4, 2002
Nancy* tearfully shared that her father was in the hospital with pancreatic cancer. The doctors said he would live only a few months at most. Nancy asked people to pray.
In two weeks, the doctors noticed her father was not showing the same symptoms as he had earlier. They decided to do more tests; first a MRI scan, then a second one. The cancer they had seen with their eyes in surgery had disappeared. They could not explain it, and within days they sent the man home with a clean bill of health.
Nancy and her parents suffered considerably for a few weeks. The father’s suffering was both mental and physical. For a while, he was on life support. The two women suffered emotionally as they tried to adjust to his condition. Everyone was glad the suffering came to a happy ending, but why did God allow it in the first place?
The answer is found in another story about another man. This one suffered all his life; he had been born blind. The theology of the day said he was being punished by God because he or his parents had sinned. (In other words, life would be perfect if everyone behaved themselves?)
When Jesus’ disciples saw this man, they reflected this current reasoning by asking Jesus who was guilty, this man or his parents. Jesus replied, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened that the works of God might be displayed in his life.”
At that, Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes and told him to go wash in a certain pool. When the man obeyed, he “went home seeing.” Those who knew him were amazed. They could not explain what happened. The religious folks accused him of being an imposter, then threw him out of the temple. They were not willing to admit that Jesus healed him, or that this healing was a miracle from God.
While this story has many implications for our faith, most important to the topic of why God allows suffering is Jesus’ answer to the disciples. This man suffered, not because of his sin, or because someone else had sinned, but that by healing him, God was going to be glorified.
What does a person do with this story? We could ask a logical question: How would we know that God conquers sickness if there were no sicknesses for Him to conquer? Would the man have ever discovered the power of Jesus Christ unless he had been blind?
Bring it closer to home. In the above situation, Nancy, her family, and her friends prayed knowing the story about the blind man. We also know that Jesus is “the same yesterday, today and forever.” We know He can do the impossible all over again. He once fixed what medical science was unable to fix, and He hasn’t changed. While we cannot assume to know the mind of God and presume He will heal, we do know He can do it.
Nancy’s father was healed, not by prayer but by God. Even those who believe in God and believe that He hears and answers prayer shake their heads in awe when He does it. We must give Him glory for He is powerful and good.
Sometimes people do suffer as a result of their own foolishness. Sometimes suffering is a punishment for sin. Sometimes suffering is the result of someone else’s sin. But sometimes God allows suffering so He can do a miracle in response to our prayers. The only way to find out is to pray, knowing He has the power to do the impossible, and see what happens.
(* The name is changed, but the situation happened this summer!)
Nancy* tearfully shared that her father was in the hospital with pancreatic cancer. The doctors said he would live only a few months at most. Nancy asked people to pray.
In two weeks, the doctors noticed her father was not showing the same symptoms as he had earlier. They decided to do more tests; first a MRI scan, then a second one. The cancer they had seen with their eyes in surgery had disappeared. They could not explain it, and within days they sent the man home with a clean bill of health.
Nancy and her parents suffered considerably for a few weeks. The father’s suffering was both mental and physical. For a while, he was on life support. The two women suffered emotionally as they tried to adjust to his condition. Everyone was glad the suffering came to a happy ending, but why did God allow it in the first place?
The answer is found in another story about another man. This one suffered all his life; he had been born blind. The theology of the day said he was being punished by God because he or his parents had sinned. (In other words, life would be perfect if everyone behaved themselves?)
When Jesus’ disciples saw this man, they reflected this current reasoning by asking Jesus who was guilty, this man or his parents. Jesus replied, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened that the works of God might be displayed in his life.”
At that, Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes and told him to go wash in a certain pool. When the man obeyed, he “went home seeing.” Those who knew him were amazed. They could not explain what happened. The religious folks accused him of being an imposter, then threw him out of the temple. They were not willing to admit that Jesus healed him, or that this healing was a miracle from God.
While this story has many implications for our faith, most important to the topic of why God allows suffering is Jesus’ answer to the disciples. This man suffered, not because of his sin, or because someone else had sinned, but that by healing him, God was going to be glorified.
What does a person do with this story? We could ask a logical question: How would we know that God conquers sickness if there were no sicknesses for Him to conquer? Would the man have ever discovered the power of Jesus Christ unless he had been blind?
Bring it closer to home. In the above situation, Nancy, her family, and her friends prayed knowing the story about the blind man. We also know that Jesus is “the same yesterday, today and forever.” We know He can do the impossible all over again. He once fixed what medical science was unable to fix, and He hasn’t changed. While we cannot assume to know the mind of God and presume He will heal, we do know He can do it.
Nancy’s father was healed, not by prayer but by God. Even those who believe in God and believe that He hears and answers prayer shake their heads in awe when He does it. We must give Him glory for He is powerful and good.
Sometimes people do suffer as a result of their own foolishness. Sometimes suffering is a punishment for sin. Sometimes suffering is the result of someone else’s sin. But sometimes God allows suffering so He can do a miracle in response to our prayers. The only way to find out is to pray, knowing He has the power to do the impossible, and see what happens.
(* The name is changed, but the situation happened this summer!)
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Why persecution? ............. Parables 763
September 18, 2002
Imagine hearing shots as gunmen entered the place where you work. What would you do? What questions would you ask God after seeing your co-workers die?
My friend, Anita, is a school administrator in Muree, Pakistan. A few weeks ago, seven people died as they stood in the way of terrorists determined to kill the “foreigners” inside the school.
Anita’s email emphasizes that she felt amazingly calm when calm was needed, but in the days following, she tells of the aftershock. She, other workers, parents and students (children of missionaries) experienced things they will never forget.
Why did this happen to them? Why should the families of those who died suffer because of human suspicion and hate? Why are God’s people targets simply because they obey Christ’s command to “go into all the world and preach the gospel”?
Obviously, the Gospel and its messengers offend people. Occasionally, our walk does not match our talk, but even if it does, godliness is almost a crime or an ugly thing to those outside of faith. Christian standards are unacceptable to anyone unwilling to admit their sinfulness and yield their lives to God.
Persecution is not new, nor limited to Christians. The Jews were persecuted during WW II, along with other races and nationalities. Early Christians were martyred by the thousands. Finding accurate statistics is a challenge, however one Web site says that at least 400 Christians die for their faith every day. Obeying God comes at a price.
Believers are despised for our message: we claim Christ is the only way to God. The fact is, Christ was crucified for saying the same thing: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.”
The Apostle Paul’s life was under a constant threat. He knew his persecutors did not like his message, but he also said, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” This affirms that sometimes suffering is not punishment from God but an affirmation that we are living the way we should.
Suffering sometimes leads to a greater good. In this situation, time will tell if the blood of those who died will sow an effective “seed” and bring renewal and growth to the Christian faith. Meanwhile, officials decided to close Muree Christian school, at least for a year. Children should not be made targets for those who hate their parents.
Perhaps Anita and the others are thinking about Jesus’ promise: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Surely God can protect us, yet He warns that people hate godliness; He Himself suffered and died because of that hatred. Jesus said we must be willing to take up our cross also. Following Him means more than bearing a symbolic article of jewelry, or putting up with an annoyance in our life. The Cross was, and continues to be, a place of death.
Imagine hearing shots as gunmen entered the place where you work. What would you do? What questions would you ask God after seeing your co-workers die?
My friend, Anita, is a school administrator in Muree, Pakistan. A few weeks ago, seven people died as they stood in the way of terrorists determined to kill the “foreigners” inside the school.
Anita’s email emphasizes that she felt amazingly calm when calm was needed, but in the days following, she tells of the aftershock. She, other workers, parents and students (children of missionaries) experienced things they will never forget.
Why did this happen to them? Why should the families of those who died suffer because of human suspicion and hate? Why are God’s people targets simply because they obey Christ’s command to “go into all the world and preach the gospel”?
Obviously, the Gospel and its messengers offend people. Occasionally, our walk does not match our talk, but even if it does, godliness is almost a crime or an ugly thing to those outside of faith. Christian standards are unacceptable to anyone unwilling to admit their sinfulness and yield their lives to God.
Persecution is not new, nor limited to Christians. The Jews were persecuted during WW II, along with other races and nationalities. Early Christians were martyred by the thousands. Finding accurate statistics is a challenge, however one Web site says that at least 400 Christians die for their faith every day. Obeying God comes at a price.
Believers are despised for our message: we claim Christ is the only way to God. The fact is, Christ was crucified for saying the same thing: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.”
The Apostle Paul’s life was under a constant threat. He knew his persecutors did not like his message, but he also said, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” This affirms that sometimes suffering is not punishment from God but an affirmation that we are living the way we should.
Suffering sometimes leads to a greater good. In this situation, time will tell if the blood of those who died will sow an effective “seed” and bring renewal and growth to the Christian faith. Meanwhile, officials decided to close Muree Christian school, at least for a year. Children should not be made targets for those who hate their parents.
Perhaps Anita and the others are thinking about Jesus’ promise: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Surely God can protect us, yet He warns that people hate godliness; He Himself suffered and died because of that hatred. Jesus said we must be willing to take up our cross also. Following Him means more than bearing a symbolic article of jewelry, or putting up with an annoyance in our life. The Cross was, and continues to be, a place of death.
Monday, July 2, 2018
Will faith take away any consequences of sin? ............. Parables 762
August 21, 2002
Ann (not her real name) was eighteen when she met and married Brad. He was charming and handsome. The problem was that Ann believed in Jesus and Brad did not.
Further, Brad drank too much and flirted with other women. Ann’s parents and Christian friends saw the danger signs and warned her. Deep in her heart, Ann knew they were right, but she married him anyway.
The marriage fell apart two and a half years later. Brad’s roving eye led him away from Ann. His drinking increased and, when he drank, he was verbally abusive. After he slapped her a few times, she decided to leave him.
Ann still asks God, “Why did this happen? You could have made our marriage happy. Why didn’t you change Brad?”
Her questions seem naive to those outside her situation, even those outside the Christian faith. Perhaps believers struggle with this issue more than those who are not. We know that Jesus paid our penalty for sin. God’s wrath was poured out on Him and we are forgiven, no longer condemned. However, sin has a consequence that seems like punishment? This makes our salvation seem not quite what we believed it to be.
The problem comes when we forget that sin’s punishment is about eternity. People who do not repent and turn to God will face eternity separated from Him. The Bible calls it the “second death” and its location is “hell.”
On the other hand, suffering as a consequence of a sin is different. If a Christian sins and gets into trouble like Ann did, the consequence only happens in this life. In eternity, Ann will be with Christ forever, He will “wipe away all tears,” and she will enter eternal joy.
So why should Christians suffer the consequences of sin, even though their sin is forgiven? Ecclesiastes offers a clue by saying, “When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.”
Any person finds it harder to stop doing wrong if no pain is involved. God chastens His people through consequences so we will learn to hate sin and to stop sinning. His goal is that we are transformed people who are like Him. We cannot continue in sin and reach that goal.
Even when we sin, God is gracious. Consider Old Testament King David. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and had a son. That illegitimately conceived child died, but the next son born to him and Bathsheba (by then his wife) was Solomon. From that line, the Messiah was born, an honor to David and a blessing to the world.
David also lived as a warrior. When he wanted to build a temple for God, God would not allow it because of the “blood” in his life. This was a sad and serious consequence; however, God allowed David to write the Psalms — which have endured far longer than any temple ever could.
Remember that suffering does not always imply punishment or lead to a hidden and greater good. Sometimes, it is simply the consequence of sin. Also remember that God takes responsibility for everything that happens. Job said, “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?”
The Bible says God “disciplines those He loves” and explains that consequences are for those who are “accepted” as His children. If someone is not disciplined by God, then they are not a child of God. Far better to bear that label and suffer the consequences of sin for a little while, then to reject God as Father, Lord and Savior, and then bear sin’s consequences forever!
Ann (not her real name) was eighteen when she met and married Brad. He was charming and handsome. The problem was that Ann believed in Jesus and Brad did not.
Further, Brad drank too much and flirted with other women. Ann’s parents and Christian friends saw the danger signs and warned her. Deep in her heart, Ann knew they were right, but she married him anyway.
The marriage fell apart two and a half years later. Brad’s roving eye led him away from Ann. His drinking increased and, when he drank, he was verbally abusive. After he slapped her a few times, she decided to leave him.
Ann still asks God, “Why did this happen? You could have made our marriage happy. Why didn’t you change Brad?”
Her questions seem naive to those outside her situation, even those outside the Christian faith. Perhaps believers struggle with this issue more than those who are not. We know that Jesus paid our penalty for sin. God’s wrath was poured out on Him and we are forgiven, no longer condemned. However, sin has a consequence that seems like punishment? This makes our salvation seem not quite what we believed it to be.
The problem comes when we forget that sin’s punishment is about eternity. People who do not repent and turn to God will face eternity separated from Him. The Bible calls it the “second death” and its location is “hell.”
On the other hand, suffering as a consequence of a sin is different. If a Christian sins and gets into trouble like Ann did, the consequence only happens in this life. In eternity, Ann will be with Christ forever, He will “wipe away all tears,” and she will enter eternal joy.
So why should Christians suffer the consequences of sin, even though their sin is forgiven? Ecclesiastes offers a clue by saying, “When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.”
Any person finds it harder to stop doing wrong if no pain is involved. God chastens His people through consequences so we will learn to hate sin and to stop sinning. His goal is that we are transformed people who are like Him. We cannot continue in sin and reach that goal.
Even when we sin, God is gracious. Consider Old Testament King David. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and had a son. That illegitimately conceived child died, but the next son born to him and Bathsheba (by then his wife) was Solomon. From that line, the Messiah was born, an honor to David and a blessing to the world.
David also lived as a warrior. When he wanted to build a temple for God, God would not allow it because of the “blood” in his life. This was a sad and serious consequence; however, God allowed David to write the Psalms — which have endured far longer than any temple ever could.
Remember that suffering does not always imply punishment or lead to a hidden and greater good. Sometimes, it is simply the consequence of sin. Also remember that God takes responsibility for everything that happens. Job said, “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?”
The Bible says God “disciplines those He loves” and explains that consequences are for those who are “accepted” as His children. If someone is not disciplined by God, then they are not a child of God. Far better to bear that label and suffer the consequences of sin for a little while, then to reject God as Father, Lord and Savior, and then bear sin’s consequences forever!
Friday, June 29, 2018
Faith is a gift ............. Parables 761
August 14, 2002
Aunt Lilian once said to me, “I don’t know how you do it; you have been through so much.” I smiled, but for the life of me, I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.
Perhaps what seemed like “so much” to her didn’t seem like much to me. Life is not easy but I didn’t feel I’d had it harder than anyone else. Yet as she said it, my heart filled with gratitude. My faith in Christ was making a difference in how I perceived my struggles.
Faith itself is not powerful. The key is the object of faith. For example, I believe in electricity. When I flick a switch, the lights go on. Yet electricity sometimes fails, so my faith in it is not totally sure of its power.
I also believe in people. Sometimes my faith is rewarded — like when eastern Canadian farmers offered their hay to those in western Canada. Sometimes my faith in people takes a nose dive — as when extremists shot up a school in Pakistan where my friend works.
But these kinds of faith are not the same as trusting God. We cannot flick God on with a switch, nor are we supposed to trust Him only when things go well. This makes believing in Him difficult. How can we put our trust in Someone who may not deal life to us the way we like it?
The Bible says we need to believe in Him no matter what, and offers plenty of evidence why we should. It also repeats countless promises He makes, inviting us to trust Him. Perhaps the most startling revelation about faith is that we cannot believe in Christ on our own. Instead, faith is “a gift from God.”
Job had this gift. God also blessed him in material ways with wealth and a large family. Unknown to Job, that would change. His spiritual enemy, Satan, came to God with a challenge. He said that the faith Job had would fail if the man lost everything.
Had Job’s faith been rooted in his own desire about what God should be like, it would fail. Human faith generally believes in what works for us. If it stops working, we stop believing. As long as things go well, God is a good friend, but if life becomes rocky, they abandon their faith in Him, and try to smooth the lumps on their own.
Since Job’s faith was not his own but a gift, God knew Job could stand under a test. He allowed Satan to take away all that Job owned, his children, even his health. Job’s first response was, “The Lord gives, the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Soon Job’s friends challenged him by saying he must have done something wrong or this would not have happened. While Job was not sin-free, he knew in his heart that his suffering was not punishment for any sin. He held to that, despite their continual nagging at him, despite his own complaining, and despite his severe misery.
Eventually God spoke. Although Bible readers are told about the challenge, and although God plainly takes responsibility for Job’s situation, God did not explain to Job what was happening. Nevertheless, Job passed the test. Later, God restored his possessions, blessed him with more children, and returned him to health. His gift of faith did not fail.
This story reveals another reason why God sometimes allows suffering. Severe trials will expose true faith. When God’s people suffer, even though they may question God and falter for a while, the faith He gave them eventually comes through.
Aunt Lilian once said to me, “I don’t know how you do it; you have been through so much.” I smiled, but for the life of me, I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.
Perhaps what seemed like “so much” to her didn’t seem like much to me. Life is not easy but I didn’t feel I’d had it harder than anyone else. Yet as she said it, my heart filled with gratitude. My faith in Christ was making a difference in how I perceived my struggles.
Faith itself is not powerful. The key is the object of faith. For example, I believe in electricity. When I flick a switch, the lights go on. Yet electricity sometimes fails, so my faith in it is not totally sure of its power.
I also believe in people. Sometimes my faith is rewarded — like when eastern Canadian farmers offered their hay to those in western Canada. Sometimes my faith in people takes a nose dive — as when extremists shot up a school in Pakistan where my friend works.
But these kinds of faith are not the same as trusting God. We cannot flick God on with a switch, nor are we supposed to trust Him only when things go well. This makes believing in Him difficult. How can we put our trust in Someone who may not deal life to us the way we like it?
The Bible says we need to believe in Him no matter what, and offers plenty of evidence why we should. It also repeats countless promises He makes, inviting us to trust Him. Perhaps the most startling revelation about faith is that we cannot believe in Christ on our own. Instead, faith is “a gift from God.”
Job had this gift. God also blessed him in material ways with wealth and a large family. Unknown to Job, that would change. His spiritual enemy, Satan, came to God with a challenge. He said that the faith Job had would fail if the man lost everything.
Had Job’s faith been rooted in his own desire about what God should be like, it would fail. Human faith generally believes in what works for us. If it stops working, we stop believing. As long as things go well, God is a good friend, but if life becomes rocky, they abandon their faith in Him, and try to smooth the lumps on their own.
Since Job’s faith was not his own but a gift, God knew Job could stand under a test. He allowed Satan to take away all that Job owned, his children, even his health. Job’s first response was, “The Lord gives, the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Soon Job’s friends challenged him by saying he must have done something wrong or this would not have happened. While Job was not sin-free, he knew in his heart that his suffering was not punishment for any sin. He held to that, despite their continual nagging at him, despite his own complaining, and despite his severe misery.
Eventually God spoke. Although Bible readers are told about the challenge, and although God plainly takes responsibility for Job’s situation, God did not explain to Job what was happening. Nevertheless, Job passed the test. Later, God restored his possessions, blessed him with more children, and returned him to health. His gift of faith did not fail.
This story reveals another reason why God sometimes allows suffering. Severe trials will expose true faith. When God’s people suffer, even though they may question God and falter for a while, the faith He gave them eventually comes through.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
God can use suffering for good ............. Parables 760
August 6, 2002
Joe was the runt of the litter, at least in the minds of his brothers. They hated his cocky self-assurance and that their father gave him the best of everything.
One day while they were at work, along came Joe. He said dad had sent him to see what they were up to. Their tempers flared. They began to plot how to get rid of him and came up with a scheme. Slave traders passed by on occasion. They would sell Joe to a slave trader but tell their father he had been killed in a horrible accident.
They got away with their scheme. Their father, Jacob suffered grief beyond imagine. The brothers felt guilty but stuck to their story.
In a few years, a drought hit their community. Soon Jacob had to send them in search of food. They found it, but they also found something they did not expect: Joe was the kingpin over all available grain. When they finally recognized who he was, they realized they were at his mercy. What would he do to them?
This story comes from Genesis, the first book of the Bible. Joseph wound up in Egypt. By living with integrity, he landed first in jail for something he didn’t do, and then in the Pharaoh’s court for something he did do — with the Lord’s help, he predicted a severe famine.
The Pharaoh saw his wisdom. He put Joseph in charge of everything, and by his prudent decisions, the Egyptians had food enough for themselves and other nations.
The brothers did not know how Joseph came to such power. All they knew was that they had wronged him, and he could now do whatever he wanted to them. They were terrified.
But Joseph wept as he heard them talking. He realized they did not know his character. Finally he told them his story, then said, “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”
He added, “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.” At that, Pharaoh told Joseph to invite his family to live in Egypt where he could take care of them.
After a time, their father died. The brothers thought Joseph would now retaliate, but they were wrong. He forgave them and said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
Throughout Scripture, this theme repeats itself. God’s people suffer, yet out of their suffering comes good. Job suffered yet God eventually blessed him (and us too, as we read his story). Jesus suffered, yet God raised Him from the dead to provide salvation for sinners.
The Bible says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Often, this verse is interpreted to mean that good things will happen to anyone who suffers, but the words are specific: this promise is for those who “love God” and obey His call on their lives.
More than that, the context is also specific. The next verse says that these called ones who love Him will be “conformed to the likeness of his Son.” In other words, God teaches His people the Christlike response to suffering, and this is the “good” that comes from trials.
Jesus, like Joseph, “did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
Jesus knew that the Father was just. Yes, He died on a cross for sins He did not commit, but God also raised Him from the dead to rule at His right hand and live forever.
God can work good from our troubles. Sometimes, those troubles are the only way good can happen. We may not become world-class leaders like Joseph, but nothing happens to us haphazardly. God will reveal His purpose in His time. He promises, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Suffering may be here for a little while, but His people must not give up hope. God is still in control.
Joe was the runt of the litter, at least in the minds of his brothers. They hated his cocky self-assurance and that their father gave him the best of everything.
One day while they were at work, along came Joe. He said dad had sent him to see what they were up to. Their tempers flared. They began to plot how to get rid of him and came up with a scheme. Slave traders passed by on occasion. They would sell Joe to a slave trader but tell their father he had been killed in a horrible accident.
They got away with their scheme. Their father, Jacob suffered grief beyond imagine. The brothers felt guilty but stuck to their story.
In a few years, a drought hit their community. Soon Jacob had to send them in search of food. They found it, but they also found something they did not expect: Joe was the kingpin over all available grain. When they finally recognized who he was, they realized they were at his mercy. What would he do to them?
This story comes from Genesis, the first book of the Bible. Joseph wound up in Egypt. By living with integrity, he landed first in jail for something he didn’t do, and then in the Pharaoh’s court for something he did do — with the Lord’s help, he predicted a severe famine.
The Pharaoh saw his wisdom. He put Joseph in charge of everything, and by his prudent decisions, the Egyptians had food enough for themselves and other nations.
The brothers did not know how Joseph came to such power. All they knew was that they had wronged him, and he could now do whatever he wanted to them. They were terrified.
But Joseph wept as he heard them talking. He realized they did not know his character. Finally he told them his story, then said, “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”
He added, “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.” At that, Pharaoh told Joseph to invite his family to live in Egypt where he could take care of them.
After a time, their father died. The brothers thought Joseph would now retaliate, but they were wrong. He forgave them and said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
Throughout Scripture, this theme repeats itself. God’s people suffer, yet out of their suffering comes good. Job suffered yet God eventually blessed him (and us too, as we read his story). Jesus suffered, yet God raised Him from the dead to provide salvation for sinners.
The Bible says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Often, this verse is interpreted to mean that good things will happen to anyone who suffers, but the words are specific: this promise is for those who “love God” and obey His call on their lives.
More than that, the context is also specific. The next verse says that these called ones who love Him will be “conformed to the likeness of his Son.” In other words, God teaches His people the Christlike response to suffering, and this is the “good” that comes from trials.
Jesus, like Joseph, “did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
Jesus knew that the Father was just. Yes, He died on a cross for sins He did not commit, but God also raised Him from the dead to rule at His right hand and live forever.
God can work good from our troubles. Sometimes, those troubles are the only way good can happen. We may not become world-class leaders like Joseph, but nothing happens to us haphazardly. God will reveal His purpose in His time. He promises, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Suffering may be here for a little while, but His people must not give up hope. God is still in control.
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