Paul was doing God’s will, yet he found himself in a Roman prison. Suffering teaches us to keep moving forward. He was: - crucified on a cross for sins he didn’t commit. Why does God make us suffer? (Mark 15:34). Suffering can make us bitter…or it can make us better. Our sin caused our separation from God and made Christ's suffering necessary. If you've never received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, then God wants you to see your need to do so. It allows us to see people differently. Again, the suffering of one bringing blessing to many. He has loved you from the beginning and he will continue to love you through every difficult challenge in life. If you are suffering, as difficult as it may be, when compared to eternity, your current suffering is only for a little while. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. 10 Marriage Goals Every Couple Should Have for 2021, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright © 2021, Crosswalk.com. Jesus has suffered in ways that go beyond anything we can imagine. Each of us knows firsthand what it means to suffer as a result of … Help me to never lose sight of your great love for me even as I walk through some of life’s most difficult challenges. Tiffany Fletcher, author of "Mother Had a Secret: Learning to Love my Mother and her Multiple Personalities" http://motherhadasecret.blogspot.com/. Can you imagine the pain and suffering Joseph went through during this 13-year period of his life? However, it will draw us closer as we place our faith in His ability to strengthen and deliver us. The Lord frequently allows some painful situations to continue so He can teach us lessons we would otherwise never learn. Very few things motivate us to give Him our undivided attention like being faced with the cost of our wrong choices. Suffering can bring us closer to God when we confess our sin in repentance and cling to Jesus by faith. What if your trial was the one thing that God used in your life to win one lost soul to him? Sometimes when we are allowed to suffer, it is because we need a better relationship with our Father. – 2 Corinthians 1:4-5. Pain and suffering are often peoples' biggest obstacle to faith. He is helping us remember we don’t have to … Satan will tempt you to sin in order to make you fall; God tests us to make us stand firmer and reveal our faith. I have always believed that the suffering you may experience in this life, that God allows, is not for you. If you are in Christ, then the moment this life ends, so does any suffering you may be experiencing. But, believing in the sovereignty of God, there is no other option than suffering being something God allows and/or causes. Then, as we endure, we learn what we are capable of. This question has no easy answer. Suffering allows us to pass that test. If you remember the story of Joseph in Genesis, look at some of the conditions of his story. As believers, how can you identify and understand someone else’s pain if you have never experienced it? No one can explain why God’s people suffer more than others we just have to trust his magnificent plan and his plan is great and without mistakes. For, Jesus is the greatest of all and suffering brings us closer to Him. What seems unfair to us is not unfair by God’s standard. But the Bible reveals that God is good and that He allows suffering. Suffering allows us to exercise our faith, believe in God's miracles and testify or bear witness of God's hand in all things. We are all under the curse of Adam’s sin, which means you will experience pain, hardship, and tears in this life—and one day you will experience death. It is so important to remember that we will face hardships in this life, but it’s more important to remember those hardships won’t last forever. Here is how it looks in Jesus’ life. The reason may surprise you and the answer can be found within the definition of the word suffer itself. From time to time you will also receive special offers from our partners that help us make this content free for you. And, most importantly, it allows us to see ourselves and our relationship with God differently. He has spent more than 30 years serving the body of Christ in various capacities and has just released his first book, The Pursuit of Purpose. When we refuse to acknowledge God’s truth—that no one is good, no not one (Romans 3:10)—we turn and blame God… Most people don't pray for miracles when their days are sunny or when their lives are perfect. God allows the suffering, then comforts you and brings you through it, so then you can in turn comfort someone else. Once you clear that hurdle, we can now look more intently at the question: does the bible explain why God allows suffering? Making us believe that God, who loved us enough to die for us while we still hated Him, would then turn around and cause us to suffer after we came to love Him is one of Satan’s most effective strategies for hiding the fact that it was he who brought pain and suffering into the creation, not God. Trustworthy relationship and parenting advice exactly when you need it. Because to get a handle on suffering you must learn to look at it in its proper perspective. These synonyms teach us exactly what suffering can do for us. This allows us to once again feel the quiet inspiration of God and align ourselves with our Father. The fact that God allows suffering and agony today proves that He will allow it in eternity as well. Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, author and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. On the other hand, eternal suffering is the worst of both worlds. Yet within that sin and evil God has the ability to turn the most difficult pain and suffering into something that becomes good and blesses many people. I know we don’t often think of it in this light but I think it’s an important question for you to ask. I have called you by name; you are mine. We will never have to suffer the eternal punishment for our sin, because Jesus suffered in our place. If there were two words or ideas that don’t belong in the same sentence these would qualify. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. I want to share these two: Romans 8:18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us, Revelation 21:3-4And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! As we are driven to our knees, we learn to recognize God's hand in our lives and no longer take His blessings and miracles for granted. Now that I have thoroughly depressed you, let me explain why you don’t have to be. "If there is a God, why does he let us suffer?" There is goodness in suffering because it gives us blessings we can receive no other way. Suffering is a fact of life no one can escape. Bible Study Resources - Tips, Online Bible Search, Devotions, Amazing Children's Choir Sings 'I Can Only Imagine', 20 Prayers to Keep God First in the New Year, 10 Ways Wives Disrespect Their Husbands (without Even Realizing It), 10 Bible Reading Plans to Start This January, Get the Power to Go after Your Goals - New Year Devotional - December 29, iBelieve's Top 10 Messages of Hope in the Crisis of 2020, Grace for Families in the New Year - Crosswalk the Devotional - December 30, 5 Things a Wife Really Needs (But Doesn’t Know How to Ask For), 10 Things the Bible Says about the Mark of the Beast, Top News Articles of 2020 Christians Should Know About. A small child is diagnosed with leukemia and undergoes extensive medical treatment only to die in his mother’s arms. He does no wrong. This doesn’t remove the temporary suffering in this life, but it gives us the hope of freedom from suffering in our eternal life. He is helping us remember we don't have to walk this life alone because He is our Father. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”. If you have ever struggled trying to find God’s will, this book will help you discover the different ways God leads you into his perfect will. Suffering reveals to us our weaknesses and shows us the need for a Savior in our lives. He was innocent. When we suffer, we learn, with God's help, to sustain not only ourselves but also those around us. As challenging as this life can be, there is one experience of suffering you and I will never have to experience. With the most amount of care, grace, and compassion, I want to attempt to address this very delicate issue. Because we know suffering does exist, it causes people to look for answers. By the very definition, when God makes us suffer, He is simply asking us to submit to Him, to come to Him and to stop fighting Him. The moment we accept the fact that our ordeal has been permitted, even intended by God, our perspective will change. Even Jesus felt that way on the Cross: "My God, my God, Why have you forsaken me?" – Romans 5:18-19. Here are some of those reasons: (1) Sometimes God’s people suffer because the devil wants to test them. He was bruised and broken; yet, He suffered it. There are great Christian apologists and scholars who tackle this question. By the very definition, when God makes us suffer, He is simply asking us to submit to Him, to come to Him and to stop fighting Him. God doesn't ENJOY seeing anyone suffer, but He does ALLOW people to suffer for various reasons. I am sure all those thoughts entered his mind at some point. God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. It wasn’t fair. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com. Often we harden our hearts to the spiritual side of life because we get so caught up in the chaos of everyday living. How can we understand how to console a friend in mourning if we've never lost a loved one ourselves? Tiffany Fletcher, FamilyShare Tuesday Jun 7, 2016 at 12:01 AM Jun 7, 2016 at 10:53 PM. Are you angry with God for allowing you to suffer… As we suffer and submit to God's will, we are, in turn, showing our love for Him. All suffering is the result of sin in the world (not necessarily personal sin, but the fact that sin is … We develop our character, strengthen our faith and learn how to see the good in every situation. This framework is important. This I believe is one of them. Suffering allows us to see life differently. Joseph was elevated to the second-highest leadership position in Egypt and because of his interpretation of a dream, that entire region was saved from famine. For example, suffering caused by sin can lead us in quiet desperation to seek God's forgiveness. How can we know joy if we've never felt pain? When suffering comes, we are driven to our knees because we have nowhere else to go. This may not be the case. (4) We may suffer persecution because of our faith—especially when we take a stand on biblical issues, i.e., suffering for righteousness sake (2 Tim. Eternal suffering is the result of rejecting God’s love and mercy while in this life, coupled with paying the ultimate price for it throughout eternity. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. Jesus was our greatest example. Why would it be a test, you might ask? Of course, this does not seem to be a very good option because if God was intending to stop further suffering, why would He use suffering to stop it? Even Jesus, the most perfect person to ever live, suffered greatly while He sojourned here. What is important to remember, is that suffering in this life does not negate or cancel out God’s love and concern for humanity. Why does God not just make it all better, why does he let us suffer? “But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. —1 John 4:8. Yes, he works all of our sufferings for his glory and our good. It has been said that this life is a test. – Romans 5:12 (NLT). He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. The Scriptures tell us that suffering came into the world as a consequence of the fall of man and of creation; that is to say, it is because of sin that God has visited judgment upon this planet. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might – 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9. 4. However, just understand there are things that will happen in this life that you won’t be able to explain, and to which you will never get an explanation. If your spirit is separated from God for eternity, it will be lost forever. And we have Scripture to prove why it is better to suffer now, than for eternity. Who Is the Author of the Book of Proverbs? By the very definition, when God makes us suffer, He is simply asking us to submit to Him, to come to Him and to stop fighting Him. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. Jesus suffered everything we all will ever experience. Most miracles come in the middle of a great trial. When the Bible speaks of suffering, if you sum them all up, there are really two types that matter most: temporary suffering and eternal suffering. That is what heaven is. What Does Jesus Really Mean by 'the Ends of the Earth' in Acts 1? Eternal suffering is the result of rejecting God’s love and mercy while in this life, coupled with paying the ultimate price for it throughout eternity. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. First we must point out the fact that life is in some cases a test. If there was no sin in the world there would be no suffering. God lets us suffer to correct us as a result of our sins. Lord help me in my place of suffering. The human spirit is always looking for an excuse. Am I in the place of God? Why does God make us suffer? Every trial we face, difficult as it may be, comes from the hand of God, who loves us and wants us to grow. Sickness can be a means of God’s loving discipline. We begin to have a rich and loving relationship with our Father and we learn to trust Him. Tiffany Fletcher, FamilyShare Tuesday Jun 7, 2016 at 12:01 AM Jun 7, 2016 at 10:53 PM. God Used This Testing to Teach Job and His Friends. One of the questions that lie beneath the surface for many people is...does the bible explain why God allows suffering? We will be united with our suffering Lord and … Sometimes we are allowed to suffer so we not only know God but also know His plan for us. Amen. We recognize the needs of others because we have experienced the needs ourselves. The clearest example of this in … Temporary suffering is the result of the fallen sinful world we live in; but is limited to this life. There is goodness in suffering because it … It helps us to better learn how to see through the eyes of love. A faithful missionary family is attacked and killed by the very people they were ministering to. It reminds us all things are possible only when we combine our strength with God's strength. He suffered pains so unspeakably agonizing that we will never truly understand his suffering. My ‘I don’t know’ answer to the question of why God allows suffering may not feel very theological. 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