The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his086/suffer.lzh/SUFFER.TXT

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DEV:Suffering  by Tony Capoccia

   We live in an age where man's greatest pursuit seems to be that of
pleasure and comfort. Drugs, alcohol, and sexual freedom are pursued to
gain release from the many pressures of life. No one wants to suffer
any distress or pain; in fact, a popular TV commercial says it all for
our society, "I haven't got time for the pain . . . ."

   Man may try to ignore or buffer the discomfort of life but the fact
remains that it is still there. Eventually the drugs and alcohol will
wear off and we are still faced with life's pain. Most people in our
society never know the origin of suffering or how to cope with it. They
try to "grin and bear it" while in their hearts they keep asking, "Why
me?" The Bible has much to say about suffering to include the origin of
suffering, the types of suffering, the purpose of suffering, and the
proper response to suffering.

   I. ORIGIN OF SUFFERING

   There was a time in man's history when suffering did not exist. It
was a time of perfect peace, joy, and comfort; There was no sickness,
pain, or death. We find that period of bliss in the first few chapters
of the Book of Genesis. Adam and his wife Eve were in the lush and
beautiful Garden of Eden. They were blessed by God and given total
dominion over the earth and all of its creatures. They had no fear of
death or accident. They were in daily communion with their God and
enjoyed the pleasure of a loving marriage relationship. They had only
one command from God to obey which was, ". . . you must not eat from
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you
will surely die" (Genesis 2:17).

   Scripture records that man and woman did in fact eat the forbidden
fruit for it says, "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was
good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining
wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband,
who was with her, and he ate it" (Genesis 3:6). At that moment pain and
suffering entered the world for the following verses say that they,
"realized they were naked . . . and they hid from the Lord God"
(Genesis 3:7-8). The first pain of man was that of guilt and shame for
their sin.

   God confronted them and proceeded to announce the consequences of
their sins: the curse of pain and suffering for the entire human race
(Genesis 3:16-24):

   A. Pain in Childbirth

   "To the woman He said, I will greatly increase your pains in
childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children"

   B. Cursed Marriage Relationship

   1. Woman's Burden

   a. "Your desire will be for your husband . . . ." This is not a
sexual or loving desire, for that was the situation before sin. This is
a curse and means that the woman will desire to rule over and dominate
her husband.

   b. " . . . and he will rule over you." This is not the loving,
gentle, considerate leadership that existed in the bliss of the garden;
rather, this is the painful, domineering, inconsiderate rule of a man
taking advantage of a woman.

   2. Man's Burden

   "and he will rule over you." Man now has a struggle to face between
the sexes for leadership with man in dominance with his depraved,
sinful nature.

   C. Cursed Environment

   "Cursed is the ground because of you . . . It will produce thorns
and thistles . . . ."

   D. Painful Labor of Life

   ". . . through painful toil you will eat of it [the ground] all the
days of your life . . . By the sweat of your brow you will eat of your
food."

   E. Death

   ". . . for dust you are and to dust you will return."

   F. Banishment From God and His Paradise

   "The Lord God banished him [the one flesh of Adam and Eve] from the
Garden of Eden . . . ."

   As the Scriptures unfold from these initial curses on the human race
for sin, we find many examples of pain and suffering.

   II. TYPES OF SUFFERING

   A. Physical Pain

   1. Assault and Murder

   ". . . Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him" (Genesis 4:8).

   2. War Losses

   ". . . Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered
heavy losses." (1 Samuel 4:17).

   3. Famine

   "Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great
suffering" (Acts 7:11).

   4. Illness

   a. Death

   "Elisha was suffering from the illness from which he died" (2 Kings
13:14).

   b. Physical Ailments

   ". . . ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the
demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed . . . ."
(Matthew 4:24).

   B. Financial Loss

   1. Foolish Investments

   "He who puts up security for another will surely suffer, but whoever
refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe" (Proverbs 11:15).

   2. Learning Experiences

   One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking
wine at the oldest brother's house, a messenger came to Job and said,
"The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the
Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the
sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was
still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell
from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the
only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking,
another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding
parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put
the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to
tell you!" While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and
said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the
oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the
desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them
and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell
to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may
the name of the LORD be praised." In all this, Job did not sin by
charging God with wrongdoing.

   C. Spiritual Chastisement

   1. For the Sins of Others

   The Lord said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt.
I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am
concerned about their suffering" (Exodus 3:7)

   "Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for
your unfaithfulness . . . ." (Numbers 14:33).

   2. For Our Own Sins

   ". . . you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to
have me against you" (Numbers 14:34).

   a. Immorality

   "You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness . . . ." (Ezekiel
23:49).

   ". . . Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves
up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of
those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire" (Jude 1:7).

   b. Idolatry

   "You will . . . bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry"
(Ezekiel 23:49).

   c. Disobedience

   "A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and
drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing
the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why
many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen
asleep" (1 Corinthians 11:28-30).

   d. Rebellion

   "Some become fools through their rebellious ways and suffered
affliction because of their iniquities" (Psalm 107:17).

   D. Persecution

   1. Beatings

   "So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me
His prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the
power of God" (2 Timothy 1:8)

   2. Imprisonments

   "I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom
and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of
Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus"
(Revelation 1:9).

   3. Slanders

   "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely
say all kinds of evil against you because of me" (Matthew 5:11).

   III. SPECIFIC REASONS FOR SUFFERING

   A. Equip Us With Needed Qualities

   As Christians we are continually being molded and transformed into
the likeness of our dear Savior Jesus Christ. God will use various
methods to equip us with the needed virtues. Primarily it is the Word
of God that transforms us, but often the Biblical truths will be more
readily learned through real life illustrations.

   An illustration of this can be seen in the life of the Apostle Paul,
who after receiving being allowed to view the Throne Room of God in
Heaven, was then given a "thorn in the flesh" to keep him from becoming
conceited. The physical suffering that Paul experienced was to teach
him humility. (also James 1:2+)

   B. Help Us to Have Compassion for the Afflicted

   It is always hard to have compassion on someone who is experiencing
a pain or agony that we have never experienced. If we have "walked in
their shoes" then we can be of more help when we try to minister to
them. Think of a Christian woman whose former husband is an unbeliever
who divorced her because of her faith and love for Christ. We know that
God has the ability to have sovereignly saved her husband and
subsequently her marriage, yet He chose not to. God doesn't cause
divorce, but He can allow it to happen and can use the results to bring
Him glory. God can use the Christian woman whose husband divorced her
because she is well equipped to help others who will experience the
trauma of divorce.

   C. Draw us Nearer to the Father

   It is a fact of the Christian walk that the rougher the life is the
closer we draw to God. When everything in our lives is normal and
relatively painless we find it very easy to forget to pray or to have a
quiet time with Our Father in Heaven. However, let difficulty or a
tragedy fall on us and we are quick to cry out for help from God. When
we remember that it is God's desire to have us near to Him at all
times, is it any wonder why, when we won't come on our own, that He may
have to encourage us through sufferings? The Psalmist writes, "Before I
was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word . . . It was good
for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees" (Psalm
119:67, 71).

   I recall a true story of a man who came to a Baptist Church service
and sang with a deep sincerity of spirit that displayed a great love of
the Savior. He was in a wheel chair due to the loss of both legs. The
Pastor was moved by the man's enthusiasm and devotion and after the
service went to him to thank him for his joy in the Lord. The Pastor
said, "I am so pleased to have you here to share your joy, by the way
what happened that you lost both legs?" The man replied that an
accident had crippled him, to which the pastor replied, "Oh, I am
sorry." The man replied, "Oh, don't be sorry about that. You see, it is
because I lost my legs that I found Jesus Christ. If I had the use of
my legs I would still be running away from God!"

   D. Part of the Process of Taking Us Home

   Some suffering has the express purpose of beginning the process of
"taking us home." All Christians, with the exceptions of those alive at
the rapture, will die someday. God promises a general protection for
his children during this life, but at some point the process of death
must begin.

   E. Discipline for Unrepented sin.

   In 1 Corinthians we see God disciplining some Christians for their
public sin of coming to the Lord's Table in an unworthy manner. The
Scriptures say, ". . . anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing
the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why
many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen
asleep [died]" (1 Corinthians 11:29-30).

   F. So that God May Receive Glory

   At times God causes suffering so that He might display His Glory
through the earthly healing of the problem. Jesus and His disciples
came upon a man who had been born blind from birth and the question was
asked, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born
blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, " said Jesus, "but
this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life"
(John 9:1-3). Then Jesus healed the man of his suffering (blindness)
and God received the glory.

   G. To Test Our Faith

   It is a fact that often we are not aware of the extent of our faith.
God allows trials and sufferings to show us and those around us the
amount of faith we have in Him. Our friends, neighbors, relatives, and
co-workers are constantly watching us to see how we react in crisis.
God puts our faith on display through suffering and trials. Tests also
increase our spiritual strength and faith, for God says, "Consider it
pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because
you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance" (James
1:2-3).

   H. Persecution Because We Represent Christ

   "It has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe
on Him, but also to suffer for Him" (Phillipians 1:29).

   IV. GOD'S RESPONSE TO OUR SUFFERING

   We serve a God who not only is our Creator but also is the Father of
all those who believe in the Son, Jesus Christ. As a Father, He deeply
cares for the needs of all his children. God is constantly aware of
every happening in a Christian's life. In fact, He can even tell us the
number of hairs on our head. Scriptures show us many wonderful
illustrations of the care and concern our Heavenly Father has regarding
our sufferings.

   A. God is Concerned

   "The Lord said, I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt.
I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am
concerned about their suffering" (Exodus 3:7).

   B. God Sees Our Afflictions

   "The Lord has seen how bitterly everyone in Israel . . . was
suffering; there was no one to help them" (2 Kings 14:26).

   C. God Hears Our Cry

   "You saw the suffering of our forefathers in Egypt; you heard their
cry at the Red Sea" (Nehemiah 9:9 and Psalm 18).

   "He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted
one; He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry
for help" (Psalm 22:24).

   D. God Understands Suffering

   "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar
with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was
despised, and we esteemed him not" (Isaiah 53:3).

   "Because He himself suffered when He was tempted, he is able to help
those who are being tempted" (Hebrews 2:18).

   E. God Prays for Us

   "The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought
to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that
words cannot express" (Romans 8:26).

   F. God Helps In the Midst of the Suffering

   "We had previously suffered and been insulted in Phillipi, as you
know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in
spite of strong opposition" (1 Thessalonians 2:2).

   "Those who suffer He delivers in their suffering; He speaks to them
in their affliction" (Job 36:15).

   1. He Gives Strength

   "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak"
(Isaiah 40:29).

   "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phillipians
4:13).

   "But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you
from the evil one" (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

   2. He Gives Wisdom

   "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously
to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).

   3. He Gives Protection (Buffers or Limits Trials)

   "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God
is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you
can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

   4. He Gives Peace

   "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned
it" (Ephesians 4:7).

   5. He Gives Comfort

   ". . . who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort
those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from
God" (2 Corinthians 1:4).

   "God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of
Titus" (2 Corinthians 7:6).

   "Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O
mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on
his afflicted ones" (Isaiah 49:13).

   6. He Gives Grace

   "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

   7. He Turns Everything to Good

   "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love
him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

   G. God Will Be With Us

   "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you
pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk
through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you
ablaze" (Isaiah 43:2).

   ". . . teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew
28:20).

   Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what
you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I
forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5)

   V. OUR PROPER RESPONSE TO SUFFERING

   A. Pray for Help from God

   "He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted
one; He has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry
for help" (Psalm 22:24).

   B. Study the Word of God

   "My comfort in my suffering is this: your promise preserves my life"
(Psalm 119:50).

   "I have suffered much; preserve my life, O Lord, according to your
word" (Psalm 119:107).

   "Look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten
your law" (Psalm 119:153).

   C. Yield to God's Plan

   "Do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines
those He loves, and He punishes everyone he accepts as a son" (Hebrews
12:5-6).

   "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in
Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

   D. Rejoice in Anticipation of God's Finished Work

   "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our
faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its
shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews
12:2).

   "We . . . rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering
produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love
into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us" (Romans 5:3-
5).

   "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many
kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops
perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be
mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4).

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

   "The Apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been
counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name" (Acts 5:41).

   "It has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe
on Him, but also to suffer for Him" (Philippians 1:29).

   "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" (Matthew 5:11-12).

   Yes, the Christian suffers, first, as a human being reaping the
consequences of original sin, and second, as a believer being shaped
and molded into the image of Christ. We can have real hope and
consolation in our sufferings in this life knowing that God is in
control as a loving Father and he will always shield us, protect us,
mold us and perfect us through all that we endure. Let us strive to
react to suffering as He would have us.

   Questions are often asked, "Why did God allow that baby to die?" or
"Why did God take her life, when she had little babies to raise?" or
"Why does God allow them to suffer so much?" The answer is that we are
asking the wrong questions! The real questions to ask are, "Why does
God allow anyone to live?" or "Why does God allow any of us to have
comfort and health?"

   In the Garden of Eden God made the rules for man, "You eat from the
tree then you will die." Man ate and all men since have been guilty of
that first sin plus millions more, and yet most live out their days.
God pronounced a curse on man and the earth and yet for most it is a
fairly easy and comfortable life. When God takes the life of a child or
the health of a Father, it is an example to all the rest of us that
this is what all of us truly deserve, but He gives grace and mercy.

   The consolation for the Christian is that God the Father loves us so
deeply that He gave to us His most valued treasure-- His Son, Jesus the
God of the Universe! Because of this we can never truly doubt His
actions in our lives. Our flesh will sometimes lead us to doubt the
Father's love and concern for us, but the Holy Spirit within us will
continue to remind us of the Greatness of God's Love for His children.
Someday in the future we will all stand in awe of the magnificent
wisdom of Our Holy and Precious God.

   Tony Capoccia Bible Bulletin Board