Our Present Sufferings

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

Why was I abused? Why was I almost killed? Why did my father beat my mother? Why am I tormented every day? Why did I get a divorce? Why did my spouse leave me? Why don't my children love me? Why can't I find a job? Why am I sick? Why don't I have enough money? Why am I alone? Why isn't my life going as planned? Does this sound like something you have said? Perhaps you know people who have asked this question or similar ones. Nearly everybody on the planet has uttered these questions and often times directed them towards God. It is heartbreaking to see people suffer regardless of the circumstances. Even worse is that people often suffer through no fault of their own. They are the victim of the choices that others have made that have directly impacted their lives. Too often, when people ask these questions there is a premise they have accepted that prevents them from understanding the suffering they experience. That premise is that they believe they are supposed to have a life free from suffering. It is why so many people live life in an attempt to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. When the pain in their lives is greater than the pleasure, God gets the blame! They will ask, "If I am so special, why am I suffering like this?" The simple answer as to why we suffer is because of sin. "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned ... (Romans 5:12)" We suffer because of the sinful and fallen world we live in. Even the world and all of creation suffer because of sin; "For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now (Romans 8:22)." But, when it comes directly to the individual suffering we experience, especially from others, it is because, "The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5)." The bottom line is that mankind is ultimately responsible for the suffering of this world. God said as much by declaring that every intention of our heart is continually evil. And what is the result of an evil heart? Abuse, killings, torment, divorce, abandonment, hatred and so on. All the things we suffer are not because God is causing them, but because we chose not to believe Him and sin entered the world.

As Christians, we should expect to suffer; not just from the trials of living in a fallen world, but also from sharing the message of the Gospel. However, there is a point to all of the suffering. Jesus Christ said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33).” Paul said, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)." Peter said, "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast (1 Peter 5:10)." And James wrote, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds 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 (James 1:2-4)." Do you see the common thread? God allows us to suffer because of what the suffering produces in us. It confirms the truth of what Jesus Christ said would happen to us. As God brings us through our suffering it gives us the ability to help others who are suffering and to testify about what our God did for us in the midst of our suffering. It teaches us to be strong, firm and steadfast in the faith. And it teaches us to stay the course despite difficulties or delays in achieving our goal. Nobody enjoys suffering. My prayer is that you can avoid as much of it as is humanly possible. However, the lack of suffering can easily lead to a person not developing the traits previously mentioned. It is said that diamonds are formed in the earth after being subjected to pressure as strong as 725,000 pounds per square inch.  Trees need wind to blow against them because it causes their root systems to grow deeper, which supports the tree as it grows taller. If something as precious as a diamond and as beautiful as a tree is formed after "suffering" through the extremes of nature, what can God create in you from the suffering you endure in this world?