REGARDING SUFFERING, FROM ONE WHO SUFFERS

Recently I had the opportunity to speak to a couple of Sunday school classes about suffering. Here are some of my thoughts:

Job, the prince of suffering, declared to his somewhat less principled wife, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15). He also observed, “The Lord gives, the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). For Job, circumstances in life didn’t change who God is. He is still God and He still is good.

King David, also no stranger to trouble, has comforted millions of readers for thousands of years with the words, “The Lord is an ever-present help in the time of trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

Trouble happens. If it hasn’t yet, buckle your seat belt; it will happen. To you. And who will you be then, how will you react, what legacy will you leave? Will you follow Mrs. Job’s advice and curse God and die, or bless God?

Jesus carried on the theme, saying, “In the world, you have tribulation, but, be of good cheer! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). When trouble happens, God is there. When the apostle Paul was converted, Jesus said of him, “I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:16). With a life prophecy like that, certainly Paul learned some things about suffering. For instance:

…We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope (Romans 5:3-4).

Paul looked at the big picture of suffering and saw that good comes from it.

Some other thoughts from Paul:

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).

What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9).

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all (2 Corinthians 4:17).

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 (2 Corinthians 12:10).

I can do all this through Him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13).

Along with trouble comes a test in the form of a question, or maybe two: “Do we believe these things or not? Do we believe in everlasting life or not?”

Through over a decade of trials I have found that he is no fool who puts his complete trust in a trustworthy God. God does not cease to be a good God when bad things happen. He is still the same, good God. If anything, He is more appealing than ever. He is the God who will bring us back to the good times and/or carry us through the bad times. You learn things in trials you don’t learn in the good times. Your faith is strengthened. Through the tough times, you become someone you would not have become in the good times. I wouldn’t want to experience again all the difficulties I have had in life, but neither would I be willing to give up the good.they have done in me. I love what Pastor Charles Spurgeon said about the difficulties of life:

“I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.”