Why Do We Suffer?

Psalms 13:1-3
13 How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy
be exalted over me?
3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Why do we suffer?
Theres plenty of suffering around us. Of course we all know about the suffering across the world. Watch
any news and you cant miss the hunger and the wars that go on everyday somewhere. But theres also
suffering a lot closer to home.
In America, among the Baby Boom generation, suicide now kills more people than auto accidents. In our
culture its common to feel isolated and alone. Theres very little social connection or sense of purpose
anymore. We suffer emotionally.
Look around and its also impossible to miss all the people who are struggling to make ends meet. As a
nation we are suffering economically. Do you realize in 1950 the average family was supported by one
man working just over 40 hours a week? That average family had a house to live in. They had a car to
drive. They had leisure time. And they had a mother in the home.
Today, weve gained a lot of productivity but the average family doesnt have a mother in the home.
Shes out working. She needs to, so the family can have the same things it used to have in 1950 when
she didnt work. Our entire nation well at least the average people in our nation are suffering. Its
almost impossible to follow the Apostle Pauls direction that women should bear children and keep the
home. People have a hard enough time just affording children, let alone a stay at home mother. How
many people do you know who have had a hard time finding enough work? Or who cant find a job that
pays enough? Or who live in constant fear their job wont last? Many of us endure economic suffering.
And of course there is the suffering that comes with disease: diabetes, cancer. We all know people that
have had to deal with pain and disease. Health is a great blessing. Someone who has to deal with failing
health truly knows what suffering is.
There is a lot of suffering in the world. It happens all around us. So why do we suffer? Why does God
allow us to suffer? Does He protect Christians from suffering? What is the purpose of suffering?
There are three causes of suffering. Turn to Deuteronomy 28. The first cause of suffering that comes to
mind is our own actions. Deuteronomy 28:1-3:
28 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to
observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set
thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of
the Lord thy God.
3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
And it goes on with the blessings that we will receive if we obey God. But drop down to verse 15:
15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do
all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come
upon thee, and overtake thee:
16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.
18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks
of thy sheep.
19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
20 The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto
for to do
And it goes on for the rest of the chapter with all the curses that will come on us if we disobey God.
There is a definite link between our actions and blessing or suffering. Deuteronomy 30. Jump forward 2
chapters.
Deuteronomy 30:19
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death,
blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
God set His law before us to bless us. That also means disobedience brings suffering with it. Much of the
suffering we endure is caused by our own actions. An AIDS patient suffers in his disease, but his disease
was most likely brought on by his own actions. Someone addicted to drugs might not be able to hold
down a job and suffer from poverty. His suffering is a result of his own actions. So sometimes we suffer
because we did something to cause it.
John 9. Theres also another cause of suffering. We sometimes suffer because it serves the purpose of
God.
This suffering isnt due to anything weve done. It is simply the plan of God.
John 9:1-3:
9 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born
blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be
made manifest in him.
Heres a man who was born blind. He suffered blindness for decades, all his life, and it was all for Gods
purpose. He was born blind specifically so Jesus could miraculously heal him at the appointed hour. The
people even asked if his blindness was due to some sin on his part or even if it was due to some sin of
his parents, but Jesus said no. It wasnt anything he did, it wasnt even anything someone else did. It
was simply Gods plan.
Exodus 10. Another example of that is Egypt during the Exodus. The people of Egypt suffered greatly
from the plagues God rained down on their nation, but it wasnt their fault.
Exodus 10:1
1 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his
servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:
2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in
Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the Lord.
You might blame Pharaoh. I dont know if Pharaoh actually had much choice in the matter. God said it
was He Himself who hardened Pharaohs heart. But even if we place the blame on Pharaoh, the
individual people in Egypt suffered not because they did something to bring it on. They suffered because
it was in Gods plan for those events to happen. So sometimes our suffering may be part of the plan of
God.
Luke 13. And theres a third cause of suffering as well. Sometimes its not anything we did. Sometimes
its not even for a greater purpose of God. This one can be hard to take. Sometimes its just bad luck.
Luke 13:1-5
13 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had
mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the
Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
The Galileans were being persecuted by Pilate and people assumed they had earned this suffering
through their sin. Jesus told them no. Jesus told them the Galileans werent any different than they
were. Verse 4, Jesus goes on:
4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were
sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Again, Jesus says these men werent any better or any worse than anyone else. They suffered because a
tower fell. Thats all. Matthew 5:45
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the
evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Rain falls on the just and the unjust alike. Bad things happen. When we get old our bodies begin to have
their pains and their little failings. We suffer just because we live a world where things go wrong.
So those are the three causes of suffering: sometimes we cause our own suffering. Sometimes it is part
of Gods plan. And sometimes its just bad luck.
Now a lot of people like to focus on the first cause and deny the other two. People like to lay blame.
Our culture is almost obsessed with the idea of causation, or fault. We like to think that all suffering has
a cause that comes from us.
Think about it: our society focuses on what it believes is the cause of almost everything. How often do
you hear eating this will cause that. Its hard to eat a meal anymore without worrying about all the
health problems you might be getting yourself into. Vaccinations cause autism. Corn syrup causes
diabetes. Sugar causes just about everything.
Im sure theres some truth to those connections, but its almost as if we believe we could live forever if
we just ate perfectly. We feel like we can avoid suffering altogether if we just act right, like nothing bad
happens unless we make it happen. If you have any disease we are led to believe we brought it on
ourselves somehow and we can fix it just by taking some vitamin or changing some habit.
We pursue this focus on a cause in everything. When anything goes wrong, what do we do? We look for
the cause so we can stop it. When theres a recession we start arguing about what new regulations we
need to stop it. When theres a shooting we argue about what we need to do to stop it from ever
happening again. When anything goes wrong, we think if we just did the right things we could have
avoided that suffering in the first place.
Its kind of ironic: Our culture has largely abandoned the whole concept of morality altogether, but at
the same time our culture believes very strongly in the idea that certain choices are the source of all
suffering and other choices can avoid all suffering. We dont call it morality, but our society has strong
ideas about what you should do and what you shouldnt do.
A lot of Christians also have the same fixation on people causing their own suffering. Have you ever
heard of the prosperity gospel? Its the idea that if you are a Christian you will prosper. Its fairly
common in Christian circles to think that Christians will be spared suffering. Thats where the rapture
doctrine really comes from. Christians like to think that because God loves them God will not allow them
to suffer.
Its popular in many Christian circles to think all you need is faith and God will answer every prayer.
Name it and claim it. Ive read books that claim every disease is the result of some unrepented sin. All
we need do is repent and all disease will be healed. They believe every Christian can be delivered from
every suffering. The implication is if you suffer its your own fault.
Remember John 9 where the disciples asked Jesus what sin caused the blind man to be blind? The idea
that all suffering is the result of our own actions has always been attractive to human nature. People like
to think that way because it gives us control. If we cause all our own suffering than we can also avoid all
our suffering. It gives us the power.
And it also gives us the credit. The person who has a good job likes to feel hes earned it. The person
who has good health likes to think he kept himself healthy. We like to think we earned our blessings and
when someone doesnt have what we have, when someone suffers, it is much easier for us if we can
think they deserve that as well.
Theres a problem with that attitude though. Yes, much of our suffering is caused by our own actions. If
a man is lazy he is likely to suffer poverty. Thats true. If he works hard he is likely to build wealth. If he
sins it will cause hardship. If he is righteous it leads to happiness. Thats all true. Gods law is designed to
bless those who keep it and curse those who ignore it. Doing the right thing is designed to lead to
blessing and sin is designed to lead to suffering.
But thats not the whole picture. More important than a cause, there is a purpose in suffering.
A lot of people think Christians arent supposed to suffer. That idea can lead to pride and conceit for
someone who doesnt have many problems in their life. People can easily fall into the idea: look at me.
Im blessed. That means Ive done it all right. And for someone whose prayers remain unanswered that
idea that Christians dont suffer can lead to despair and doubt. They are left with either they lack the
faith of a true Christian or they are sinning in some way.
While it is very important to consider and repent of any sin in our lives, Christians should also remember
there is a purpose for suffering beyond just the consequence of our own sins. Sometimes we endure
suffering for other reasons.
God designed the world as our training ground. He designed the world to try us and test us. He designed
the world to refine us, and that takes suffering. John 16. Christians need to understand God intended us
all to face suffering because suffering has a purpose.
John 16:33
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
In the world ye shall have tribulation. Matthew 10. Gods Word tells us that in Him there is peace, but
He also tells us in this world Christians will face tribulation. Is that true? For one thing it tells us the
world will hate us. Matthew 10:22 says:
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
He that endureth to the end is saying Christians will suffer hatred while they are here. Go to
Hebrews 5. That hatred from the world around us will not stop until the end.
Hebrews 12:5-8
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not
thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father
chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
God specifically subjects His children to chastisement. Psalms 73. There are people who like to believe
Christianity leads to earthly blessing and its only unbelievers that suffer. But thats not the case. God
subjects the faithful to suffering. It says we will all partake of that chastisement. It is only the unbeliever
who may actually be spared suffering in this world.
Psalms 73
73 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Remember this is talking about the wicked. Verse 6:
6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
So Gods Word tells us the ungodly frequently prosper. And when the righteous see it its hard not to
wonder at the apparent unfairness of it. Verse 13:
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
Its the righteous that are frequently plagued. That seems unfair. Why be a Christian in the first place?
But drop to verse 16:
16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
As a Christian we know this life is not the end. In this life the wicked may prosper. In this life the
Christian tends to suffer, but not in the life to come. And thats key. This life is not the important part.
Thats one thing Christians need to keep in mind. When we suffer, people tend to focus on this world.
We see what we need here and now. Turn to Matthew 16. We focus on the things we need to make our
life good here. We think of those things as whats important. We might think the thing we lack is the
most important thing that could be. When were not making enough money we might think God has to
help us. It just has to be that we get a better job. If someone is dying of a disease we might think God
has to heal them. What could be more important than that? What is the point of believing in God if it
doesnt lead to a better life right here and now? But God has a much longer perspective than just this
life. We need to have the same perspective.
Matthew 16:26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man
give in exchange for his soul?
Money, friends, even our physical health here dont matter much. Those things mean nothing really.
What matters is the life to come. And suffering becomes bearable when we realize it is suffering that
God uses to accomplish His purpose in our lives.
Matthew 27. Have you ever asked yourself why Jesus had to suffer?
Matthew 27:46
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say,
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Jesus suffered. Go to Hebrews 2. Jesus endured the greatest suffering any man ever has. He was reviled
by people. He was scourged. He was crucified. He was even forsaken by God. God turned His back on
Jesus. Utterly forsaken, denied by exactly those people He came to save, abused and nailed to a tree,
Jesus suffered.
Hebrews 2:9
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with
glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto
glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Why do we suffer? Why did Jesus suffer? It says the captain of our salvation was made perfect through
sufferings. There was purpose in His suffering. Our salvation was perfected through His suffering.
Why didnt Jesus just sacrifice Himself for us without dying? You know, why didnt Jesus just say I
sacrifice myself for you? Well, that wouldnt have been an actual sacrifice, would it? Why didnt He just
pay our debt without going through the crucifixion? The crucifixion, His suffering, was the payment.
Wouldnt it have been good enough just to know He was willing to do it? No, it wouldnt.
Is it good enough if you go into a store, pick up an item, and intend to pay for it but dont actually pay
for it? Of course not. You have to pay for it. Intention is fine, but actually handing over the money is the
substance of your intention. It takes the actual act to make the intent real. Actual payment is necessary.
Jesus suffering was necessary. There was something in the suffering. The suffering was the substance of
His sacrifice. His suffering held purpose. Jesus asked in Matthew 26, O my Father, if it be possible, let
this cup pass from me. But it couldnt. His suffering was necessary.
The suffering itself accomplishes something. In Jesus it paid our debt, but in us it accomplishes
something as well. Romans 5. Why do we suffer?
Romans 5:1
5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
It is faith that is our justification. Verse 2:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the
glory of God.
We are saved by the grace of God. We cannot save ourselves. It is His grace alone which saves us. But it
is faith that grants us access to Gods grace. God saves those who have faith in Him. It is through faith
that we enjoy the hope of salvation and reward. And verse 3:
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
Hope. Verse 2 talked about the hope of the glory of God. In verse 4 there is our hope again: the hope of
salvation. Where does our hope stem from? It says hope stems from experience. What experience?
What are we experiencing? Where does this experience come from? It says that experience comes from
the patience we have learned. And where do we learn our patience? The answer to that is tribulation
suffering.
So verse 2 tells us faith grants us access to our hope of salvation and verse 3 and 4 shows us in detail
where that faith comes from. Hebrews 11. Tribulation builds faith in us. What is faith?
Hebrews 11:6:
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and
that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The man who has faith believes God is, and more than that, He believes God is a rewarder of those that
diligently seek Him. Thats what Christian faith is. Faith comes from our experience with God. But faith
doesnt come from just any experience. Faith comes from experience borne out of patient tribulation,
patient suffering.
Matthew 21. You know theres a common misunderstanding about what faith is. A lot of people think
faith is all about believing in our reward.
Matthew 21:21-22
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not
only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed,
and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
A lot of Christians read these verses and get the idea if we really truly believe we will receive what we
ask for in prayer, then we will. They misunderstand the object of the faith Jesus is talking about. Jesus
isnt saying if you really believe you can move a mountain then you can. Jesus is saying if you really
believe in God then you can move the mountain. Theres a difference there. It might be subtle, but its
important.
Imagine a man who believes with all his being that he can move the mountain, but hes an atheist. He
doesnt trust or even believe in God. Is Jesus saying that man can move the mountain? He totally
believes he can, but of course he couldnt. Its not a belief in receiving answers to our prayers that
constitutes faith. We only have faith if we believe in God and believe that He is a rewarder of those that
diligently seek Him.
Why is that important in understanding why we suffer? A lot of Christians think the important part of
suffering is when God saves us from it. They think our faith is built when we see prayers answered.
When we see healing, they think that is the point when we build our trust in God. They think its when
we get the new job that we start to trust God more. But theyre wrong.
Our faith is built during the suffering, not when our prayers are answered. The suffering is necessary. In
fact, suffering is THE necessary part. Answers to our prayers actually arent even necessary to build true
faith. We use our faith during the suffering, not when the suffering ends. Enduring suffering exercises
our faith.
The suffering is like lifting weights. The work is done when you actually lift the weights, not when you
finish and put them down. The idea a Christian can build his faith while having every prayer answered
without actually ever enduring any suffering is like believing a bodybuilder can build muscle by always
jumping to the end of his exercise routine and never actually lifting any weights.
Hebrews 11. Let me walk through a couple of examples of suffering to explain this better. Hebrews 11 is
commonly called the faith chapter because it chronicles the great men of faith.
Hebrews 11:8
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an
inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac
and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
You know, we dont often think of Abraham in terms of suffering. Abraham was a very wealthy man.
Hes never mentioned in terms of any great health problems in his life. He never faces down any tyrant
that demands he worship idols. Most people dont think of Abraham in terms of suffering, but he did
suffer. Lets read just a little more, verse 11.
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when
she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in
multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
And drop down to verse 17
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises
offered up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received
him in a figure.
There are three major areas of suffering Abraham endured in his life. First, he was told to leave
everything he knew. He left the comfort and safety of his family and the land he was born in to go where
God called him to go.
Second, he was promised at age 75 that he would have a son and be the father of many nations. But
Sarah was barren. He went decades without this promise being answered. His whole lifes purpose was
summed up in the phrase father of many nations, yet he lived for decades where that purpose
seemed impossible.
And third, once God did give him Isaac, God asked him to take Isaac out and sacrifice him. He was told to
kill his son, the son he had been promised, the son he had waited so long for. He was told to slit his
throat.
Now ask yourself this: When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, if God immediately afterward told
him no, dont do that, would it have built Abrahams faith? I doubt it. It would have been an answer to
prayer, but it wouldnt have built faith.
When Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac what do you think was the first thing he did? My guess is he
prayed to God and asked God not to make him do this. He probably prayed very much like Jesus did and
asked to have this suffering taken from him. Thats what I would do. Isnt that what you would do? To
pray to God, please dont make me sacrifice my son?
So if God had answered Abrahams prayer immediately, would it have built any faith in Abraham? No it
wouldnt have. God asks something, then He immediately changes His mind. Does that build trust? No it
doesnt.
But when Abraham went through the whole process of taking his son up into the hills and tying him
down and pulling out the knife and raising it, what was he also doing at the same time? Abraham was
exercising his faith. He had to be or he never would have been willing to follow Gods instructions. When
he was tying Isaac down Abraham was trusting that God cares about him and he was trusting what God
directs him to do is for the best. After all that, when God told him to stop, that built faith. But it only
built faith because he had endured the suffering first. The suffering had to be real before the answer
could mean anything.
Back to Hebrews 11 and verse 21.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon
the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave
commandment concerning his bones.
Joseph. Theres a man who suffered. He had dreams about his brothers bowing down before him, and
because of those dreams those brothers hated him and sold him into slavery. He was taken away from
his family and everything he knew. His father thought he was dead. He was a slave in Egypt and even
falsely accused and thrown into prison for something he didnt do. He endured this suffering for years.
Then, eventually, the dream came true. His brothers bowed before him because he was placed in power
over Egypt and through that saved his family.
If Joseph had prayed the moment his brothers threw him into the pit and God had answered the prayer
immediately and lifted him out of that situation, would that have built faith in Joseph? Not much. If his
brothers had just walked over to the pit and said something changed their mind, the whole thing might
have built some resentment and fear in Joseph toward his brothers; but I doubt it would have done
much to build faith in God.
No, it was the years of suffering that gave Joseph a chance to exercise his faith. It was seeing all that
suffering work out for the good that built his faith. It was the suffering that built his faith. The suffering
was necessary.
Imagine the Christian who feels a little pain inside his body. He prays and the pain goes away the next
day. Does that build his faith? Not much if any at all. It certainly wouldnt have a great impact on me.
Pains come and pains go. Thats life.
Now imagine another Christian who feels the same pain and he prays, but the pain doesnt go away. He
finds out its cancer and he fights it for years and keeps praying. Finally he wins the battle and the cancer
goes away. That builds faith. Now God didnt just make a pain go away that may have been nothing in
the first place. Now God saved him from cancer. God saved him from a great fight he had been fighting
for years. That builds faith. But it takes suffering before an answered prayer really means much. The
greater the suffering, the greater the meaning of the answered prayer. The suffering is necessary.
And you know what? Suffering can build faith even if God doesnt save the man from cancer. Remember
the story of Job? How Satan argued to God that Job wasnt truly faithful. Satan said Job served God only
because God protected him from suffering and if God stopped protecting him from suffering Job would
stop serving God. There is some truth to that line of thinking. God acknowledged Satans argument. He
withdrew His protection and allowed Satan to subject Job to a lot of suffering.
Jobs faith was real. But it was only real precisely because Jobs faith remained through the suffering,
even when there was no relief. Job says in chapter 13 and verse 15: Though he slay me, yet will I trust in
him:
Job was willing to trust God even if God killed him. His trust was in God, not in his reward. Daniel 3. The
same thing was true of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three Hebrews who faced death in the fiery
furnace.
Daniel 3:16
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not
careful to answer thee in this matter.
17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will
deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden
image which thou hast set up.
They didnt know whether God would deliver them or not. That wasnt what mattered to them. They
trusted in God, not in a good outcome. And that is exactly what real faith is all about. That is what real
faith is built on. You build real faith not when you get what you want, not when you are protected from
things. You dont need faith for that. You dont need faith when things are going good.
You build real faith when you arent protected. You build real faith when you suffer. Thats when you
have to learn to believe that God is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently serve Him. When
you are suffering that is when you need faith.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Thats Hebrews 11:1. Faith
is the substance of things hoped for not things we already have the evidence of things not seen not
all the blessings we already enjoy. John 20. It is when we dont have something that we need faith. It is
when we are suffering that we build faith, not when the suffering ends, not when we somehow avoid
the suffering. That doesnt build faith. It is the suffering that requires and builds our faith.
John 20
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I
shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my
hand into his side, I will not believe.
26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the
doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand,
and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that
have not seen, and yet have believed.
Answers to our prayers are nice. Its wonderful when God does answer our prayers. Its a great blessing
to us when God takes our suffering away. But the greater blessing is the faith we learn while we endure
the suffering. We are blessed even when we dont see the deliverance of God here in our earthly lives.
Thomas wanted to see the evidence here. He needed to see it here. Jesus tells us we dont need to see
the deliverance to believe. Jesus actually tells us the greater blessing is on those who can believe
without seeing.
Lets go back to Hebrews 11. Back to the faith chapter. This chapter is an account of so many people
who faced suffering. Some saw deliverance. Some didnt. But it was the suffering they endured that built
their faith. Thats why the whole chapter, the faith chapter, is all about the trials these men faced.
Hebrews 11:32
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson,
and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the
mouths of lions.
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong,
waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Women received their dead raised to life again:
Stop right there. Through faith God delivered so many of these men from their suffering. They escaped
the sword. They turned to flight armies of aliens. These men moved mountains. But go on. Back to verse
35:
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance;
that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they
wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and
caves of the earth.
I Peter 1. So, many other Christians did not receive deliverance. Many other Christians endured great
suffering that did not end until their time here on earth was ended. But thats ok.
1 Peter 1:6
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold
temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried
with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
We are to greatly rejoice in the trial of our faith because that trial is what refines our faith. It is what
builds that faith in us that is more precious than gold. Glory in your tribulation because your tribulation
builds patience and patience builds experience and experience builds our hope.
Right now I know two good friends who are fighting cancer. I know people who have to live with
diabetes. You all know Kelly has been suffering with Multiple Sclerosis for 27 years. I know several single
mothers who endure the struggles of parenting alone. I know men who are having a hard time earning
enough money to make ends meet.
As Christians we will face suffering in our lives. Gods Word tells us that. Whom He loveth, He
chasteneth. Every faithful man in history has faced suffering. Jacob had his troubles with Esau. Moses
dealt with Pharaoh and Korah. David had Absalom and Saul to contend with. The Apostles were
martyred. Faithful men will face suffering. In fact, if we dont face suffering, thats when we should really
worry. If ye be without chastisement then are ye bastards and not sons.
As Christians we will face suffering. Some of that suffering will be our own fault. Some suffering wont
be our fault. We have to be careful when we make that judgment. Human nature is notoriously self-
serving in making judgments like that.
It always gets me when people approach someone about health problems. We tend to think we have
things all figured out. Just do this or change that and youll be cured. In other words, if youre sick its
your own fault. Be careful about making or implying judgments like that. People who are suffering,
especially when its not their fault, need compassion not judgment. Thoughts and advice are fine and
welcomed by most people, but someone who has cancer doesnt need his choice of whether or not he
uses the medical route or the health route judged by others.
Human nature can tend toward a smug judgment of others. Christians should be known by their love
one toward another.
We can also go the other way. When we are facing suffering ourselves or maybe someone we are close
to is facing suffering; sometimes we will ignore the fact we did bring the suffering on ourselves. Ive seen
men who are full of a rebellious attitude talk about how their boss is impossible to get along with. They
get fired and of course the next boss is just as impossible to get along with. Its never their fault. There is
nothing they will admit they are doing wrong.
We often do the same thing with social situations. Our society loves to hold up the single mother and
honor her for how tough she is to suffer through life without help. That situation is tough and I
understand that. And we should have compassion on that. But when you have an unwed pregnancy or
you have a willing divorce, single parenthood is the result. We give honor for suffering through
something that was brought on by choice. Thats judgment too. People say not to judge, but giving
honor is as much rendering judgment as condemnation is. Were saying you did nothing wrong.
Im not saying to condemn. We should have compassion when others suffer. But whatever the situation
is be careful to give some thought to the judgments we make. And especially be careful to judge our
own suffering honestly. When we endure suffering we need to examine ourselves. Is there something
weve done to bring chastisement? Is there a rebellious spirit in us? Do we lack self-control? Are we
causing our own ailment?
Those are all valid questions we should ask ourselves. If we are sinning in any way, if we are bringing on
our own tribulation we need to learn from that chastisement. Thats what the chastisement is for. We
need to repent of our sin. We need to correct our errors.
Of course we also may suffer when its not our fault. When we get old and our body doesnt work quite
right anymore thats not our fault. But its still suffering. When we believe the things we believe a lot of
our neighbors are going to have a problem with us. Thats suffering. And at least some of that
contention with the world around us is not our fault. Friendship with the world is enmity with God. And
friendship with God is also enmity with the world.
There are things we will suffer that will be our own doing and there are things we will suffer that are not
our doing. We need to be careful when we make that judgment.
Whatever we face, we need to keep perspective. Our goal is salvation. Remember that. If you struggling
financially remember riches are temporary. They dont matter in the long run. I know they make a lot of
difference here. I understand the struggle it is without money. But keep it in perspective.
If you are struggling with your health, keep it in perspective. Even our health is not everything. Some
people like to say health is everything, but it isnt. Our health is a wonderful thing here on this earth.
But were only here on this earth a short time. II Corinthians 12. Salvation is our goal, more than a good
life here. Lets close in II Corinthians 12:7
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given
to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for
Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Gods strength is made perfect in weakness. When we are weak, it is exactly at that time our faith is
made strong. Therefore take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in
distresses for Christs sake. Keep your suffering in perspective. That suffering is Gods refining furnace.
Have compassion on others who are suffering. Its not an easy thing. The suffering is real. It has to be to
accomplish what its supposed to accomplish. Have compassion on them. They are going through the
fire.
When youre going through your own tribulation, just remember what its for. If its pointing out
something you have to change, welcome the correction. We will all face some suffering because of the
sins in our life. None of us are perfect. We all have a little bit of envy or a little bit of pride or a little bit
of something. We all have something. Those things cause problems. They cause suffering. When the
suffering is your own fault, change what you need to and thank God for it.
If the suffering you have to endure is for Gods purpose or just a part of the trials we face in this corrupt
world, you can still be thankful. We all will also see this kind of suffering. We all grow old. We all live in
an imperfect world that hates Christ. When you deal with that kind of suffering let it build the faith in
you which it was designed to build.
I know the trials are hard. I know the suffering is real. But remember God is real too and He is a
rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. That reward is what matters, not this life. And that reward is
just on the other side of our suffering. God bless you all.