Tag Archive | suffering

Suffering and Patience

Nov30

James 5:10-11 – As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. (ESV)

Why do bad things happen to good people? Though the ages people have been asking that question. Multiple books have been written on that question. Counselors have spent countless hours trying to answer that question. We can understand why a heavy smoker gets lung cancer or a sexually promiscuous person gets an STD, but why does a person who seems to do everything right get a deadly disease? I have a friend who is having serious health issues. Every test brings more questions than answers. Every medication brings more side effects than were ever advertised. Every day brings new challenges and new obstacles. Why is this happening to her? Sometimes bad things happened to us because we are in the place where bad things are happening — Elijah endured years of drought right along with everyone else. Sometimes bad things happen to us because of someone else’s actions – Joseph spent a large part of his life in slavery because his brothers acted in anger. Sometimes bad things happen and we assume a reason – they must have done something to deserve it. Then a bad thing happens to us, and we aren’t satisfied that maybe its because of our location or maybe its because of someone else’s actions. We know we don’t like it and we want God to provide an explanation as to why He is allowing this, but Proverbs 20:24 asks why we are trying to understand God’s way of doing things. In John 9:2-3 Jesus and His disciples encounter a blind man. The disciples see the man’s blindness as a result of sin and ask whose sin caused it to happen. Jesus answers that it happened so that God’s works might be displayed in him. I can imagine that Joseph had many hours of loneliness and confusion, but God was faithful to him from the pit to Potiphar to prison to power. It is 42 chapters into the book of Job before the man Job understands the situation. James 5:10-11 assures us that we are blessed when we remain steadfast, that God has a purpose, and that He is compassionate and merciful. We don’t always have a clear understanding or know why this thing is happening, but we have a clear understanding of the One who knows all. He will not leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31). He has plans for us to prosper (Jeremiah 29). He is always with us (Matthew 28). We were created to glorify Him (Isaiah 43:7) and we glorify Him by trusting Him when we don’t understand, by obeying Him when we don’t see the reason, by acknowledging that He is God and His ways are higher and wiser than mine could ever be (Isaiah 55:9).

Difficult Situations

Mar21

Psalm 25:17 – My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all! (NLT)

Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him. (NIV)

 

Difficult situations can test our endurance. Sometimes difficult situations make it difficult to trust God. We trust Him in the first few days, but then those days turn into months. We thought it would be over by now. We thought we had come through the battle, but now we are getting attacked again. It’s hard to endure and trust when we can’t see that things are getting better, when we not only can’t see the finish line but also begin to doubt that one even exists. Anne F. Beiler said, “My philosophy is: Life is hard, but God is good. Try not to confuse the two.” The Bible encourages us to put our trust in God even through hardship – especially through hardship! God is worthy to be trusted because He is good! When our grandson was a toddler, he was being punished for something he had done. I asked him why he had done it, and his reply was “I made a bad, bad choice”. Sometimes our suffering in life is the consequence of our own bad, bad choice. Sometimes our suffering comes from the unjust hands of others. Sometimes even believers ask, “Why is God allowing this to happen?” I don’t know why God allows suffering. I think that there are times that God allows us to suffer so that we can learn that He is sufficient in all situations. Oswald Chambers said, “Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God, whose ways you may not understand at the time.” Lord, we know that You can be trusted because You are good, but sometimes trusting You is hard when we are going through difficult times! We need to confess our difficulty, even quoting the father in Mark 9:24 — “I believe. Help me with my unbelief”. We may feel that the anguish is more than we can handle and ask You to show us where You are working, but even if You choose not to give us that knowledge, please help us to stay focused on the truth that You are in charge and that You have a greater plan and purpose. Charles Hodge said, “The ultimate ground of faith and knowledge is confidence in God.” We can have confidence in You, Lord because we know from experience that You are loving and wise and sovereign. Even in difficult situations – especially in difficult situations – help us to have deliberate confidence in You.