Have you ever had moments in your Christian walk when you were wondering why something was happening to you and perhaps you almost felt like you were being hammered on, like an anvil? I think that our own experiences can often make us wonder why such things happen to us. Why do bad things happen to Christians?[1]
I think that there is a large, but often unseen difference between what we might see as “bad,” or even “evil,” and suffering. Sometimes, not everything we might see as bad, is actually bad or evil. For instance, going to the dentist, or having lifesaving surgery. We go through those things because they bring about a greater good. If they were bad or evil, then how could good come from them. Don’t get me wrong… I’m not saying that God cannot use evil for good…
In Genesis 50:20, we find the reasoning of Joseph: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” The question is, was what happened to Joseph actually bad? It was definitely suffering on multiple levels, but is suffering bad or evil? I do not think that it is always the case that suffering is bad or evil.
The question is, why do these things happen? Why do we as Christians suffer? I find that the things we go through that are hard in life cause us to have compassion on those who are experiencing something similar. I think we can all recognize the value of compassion. Compassion comes from the Latin, “compassio,” which means to “suffer with.” It seems that we get this valuable component of humanity by suffering ourselves. In our affliction, in our PTSD, in our brokenness, the fragility of our human nature is used to bring about the power of God.
I think of the time about a year and a half ago, I almost died when I came home from India.[2] People said to me, “no good deed goes unpunished.” Sure, I have heard that before, but how loudly that bell of truth rung in my ear. I could not understand why I was going through such a time. There were other times in my life where I wondered why there was such pain, but nothing compared to that… Other times, I went through emotional pain and suffering which was comparable to the physical pain. Emotional pain which seems to mostly come from relationships, hurts so deeply. Why must suffering exist?!
1. For the Glory of God. In 2 Corinthians 4:7-12, Paul talks about the treasure that we have in jars of clay…
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
This treasure is not the jars of clay themselves, but it is in them. The jars themselves (that is, us), are weak and powerless. Yet, we hold in these earthen vessels that we call our bodies, this treasure, “the treasure of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”[3] The knowledge of the glory of God, that is, Jesus. These clay, fragile, brittle vessels, are easily cracked and broken, but this is because the strength of God is revealed not in the vessels themselves, but in Him. This is what brings Him glory. We are continually afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down, yet somehow, we get back on our feet.
Suffering not only exists for the glory of God, but it is also evidence for Him. When you got through painful experiences, when you could actually have these experiences behind you, what did you think about God? How did getting through such an experience solidify your faith?! Now that I can look back from that painful experience I had after traveling to India, I can look back and be so thankful to God for bringing me through it all. I remember being in the hospital room praying and asking Him why this was happening, and that night, I got this peace-filled sense that Jesus was in the room with me, and I felt communication from Him saying that this must take place. After that, I had peace in my suffering. I knew that Jesus knew about it. It still was extremely painful, but I had peace that passed understanding.[4] To this day, thinking about Jesus in my hospital room brings tears to my eyes.
All this to say that sometimes we see these bad things happening and we think that it is evil, but it is actually God’s plans for a later event working itself out. Do you pray that God uses you for His honor and glory? Sometimes this might require suffering, much like the honor and glory of your teeth require dental drills and screws and crowns and needles in your mouth. How many times have your past experiences enabled you to sit in the driver’s seat of someone who is suffering? How did your empathy empower them, encourage them, and edify them?
2. Because We Are Being Disciplined, Rebuked, or Chastised. This seems hard to hear for some, but this is what the Bible teaches. In Hebrews 12:4-12, the author of Hebrews explains that children of God are disciplined. I think that as Christians, because we are new creations in Christ,[5] we attribute the things that happen to us differently than we would before we were new Creations in Christ.
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
The reasoning behind this if you didn’t catch it is that if you are being disciplined, that means that this should confirm your status as a child of God. What does it do to you knowing that you are a child of God? Not just a child, but an heir?
Second, the author says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Discipline itself is not evil, even though it can be painful. After some time passes, we often see the results in ourselves that the discipline produces, which is righteousness and peace for those who have gone through a period of discipline.
I find that what is unfortunate about this, is that that too often, this is the last thing that people think about… “It couldn’t possibly be something I deserve.” On the contrary, anyone who has read Romans 3:10-18 knows that the only thing we actually deserve is punishment. This is one reason why we are (and should be) so grateful for His mercy and grace. It seems appropriate to ask God and also to think introspectively, “Is there something wrong that I have done?”
What is interesting again is that this speaks of evidence of one’s faith. The fact that you are being disciplined means that you have God as your Father. If you went along undisciplined, then you would be Fatherless. But you, because you have been disciplined as a child of God, are an heir to the Kingdom of kingdoms.[6]
3. Because We Misjudge Ourselves. What? Hear me out… in 1 Corinthians 11:27-32, Paul says,
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
Paul believes the Corinthians actions did not proclaim the Lord’s death because if they did, then they would have loved one another in this holy tradition. The fact that they did not love one another by waiting for, and by providing for all, tells Paul that they are not taking the Lord’s Supper. The Corinthians made it something that it was never meant to be, which meant that they were not taking the Lord’s Supper but doing something else entirely. Taking the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner is eating the bread and drinking the cup without consideration of one’s brothers and sisters in Christ. In other words, if there is something unloving that is severing a relationship in your life with a brother and sister, then do something about it. Thentake the elements after you have made things right with your brother or sister in Christ. The whole thing about this is that if we take the bread and cup without loving one another, then we are guilty as the same thing that Paul has against the Corinthians. Taking communion is literally all about love. “Do this is remembrance of me” means to remember the work of Jesus on the cross… He died for us because of His love for us! Paul is saying that a person should examine himself, not to find reasons that he is unworthy, but to find evidence that he is growing spiritually. He doesn’t say unworthy person, he says unworthy manner. The unworthy manner is in an unloving manner. We should examine ourselves to see if there is any person whom we are being unloving toward. We should especially examine ourselves to see if we are being unloving toward Christ Himself. “How is my relationship with Jesus, currently?” We might ask ourselves.
The way we misjudge ourselves is by judging ourselves as being loving when we are not. We lie to ourselves, so we don’t feel bad about how we treat others. We find scapegoats in people in order to dismiss the health of our relationship with them. This is not living counterculturally, but it is living the way the world lives. Through an appearance of love. Perhaps we should examine ourselves. Again, it seems of interest that these are the last things that people think about when something is going wrong in their lives.
To echo again the words of Paul, “But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.” God is setting us back on track in Him, so to speak. This yet again, gives us further evidence that God not only exists, but that we have a living and an active relationship with Him, with our Creator.[7] All these components together can only strengthen our faith.
In any event, three reasons why we suffer is because suffering brings glory to God: it helps us help others. It points those who are suffering to God. We help others through their suffering whether that is physical, emotional, etc., though our own experiences of suffering. Second, we sometimes suffer because we are being disciplined. This not only causes us to learn from our mistakes, from our missing the mark, but receiving discipline is evidence that God loves us as a Father, confirming our relationship with Him, strengthening our faith. Finally, We misjudge ourselves, and because of such, our judgment of ourselves needs to be corrected. This sometimes causes suffering. Think about this… When someone brags about himself (and in your mind you are rolling your eyes) and then he gets corrected (to your surprise), this is the same thing that is going on here in a sense. God reminds us of who we are, and of who He is. Because He is loving and knows what is best for us. We suffer because God loves us and knows the whole plan for our lives. Remember this when you are going through trials of various kinds. Jesus wants us to become like Him, because He is good.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,[8] because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”[9]
[1] This is not an exhaustive list.
[2] I contracted a very rare tropical bacterial disease called, plesiomonas shigelloides, which opened the flood gates for two different (also tropical) strains of E. Coli. I was bed-ridden for 1.5 months. It was the worst time of my life, on multiple levels, and the worst pain I have ever felt.
[3] See 2 Corinthians 4:6.
[4] See Philippians 4:6.
[5] See 2 Corinthians 5:17.
[6] See Romans 8:16-17.
[7] I am not arguing for presuppositional apologetics in this article, because I believe it is a misplaced method. But I do believe that there is absolutely high value for some of the ideas presented in presuppositional apologetics, which, does not end up being a method of apologetics, but instead is edification, encouragement, and empowerment of believers. Consider the following verses: “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:12-13). According to this verse, there is something that cannot be known by any form of epistemological theory. But this is not to say that this is how we should do apologetics. Just the opposite actually. This is how we should not do apologetics. How convincing is it to tell someone that they cannot see the truth because they are blind to it? Perhaps Classical apologetics reveals a more gentle and respectful way…
Also, Paul says, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them” (Romans 1:18-19). We know that people suppress the truth by their wickedness, which is what legitimately blinds them from seeing truth, but again, telling a person that he is blind is not gentle and respectful. Just because the gospel is offensive in telling people that they need to be saved from their sin does not mean that we the messengers have to be offensive. I believe the Bible teaches that we are instead to be gentle and respectful (1 Peter 3:15), and that we are to correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction (2 Timothy 2:4). Even when we destroy arguments (2 Corinthians 10:5), and contend for the faith (Jude 3), we still must be gentle and respectful.
[8] Again, this is not an exhaustive list.
[9] James 1:2-4.
Comments
Post a Comment