Christians talk a lot about their trials, their sufferings, but rarely seem to examine the Scriptures regarding suffering. Like a lot of subjects, Christians often quote verses from the Bible regarding suffering thinking that all suffering is essentially the same. I have heard Christians say that when someone in their family got some chronic disease and made them a burden to care for that they were suffering for the Lord's sake. This is an error. Sickness and disease are in this world because of the Fall. To suffer sickness is not to suffer for the Lord's sake.
It is important that we distinguish between different kinds of suffering and know what our attitude should be to them. The best way to do this is to study First Peter whose subject is suffering. We will add some other Scriptures as well.
One of the first things we can note is that Peter says that there are "... those who suffer according to God's will ..." (1 Peter 4:19) This tells us two things. First, that there is suffering that is according to God's will. But it implies something else, too. There is suffering that is not according to His will. And if there is suffering that is not according to His will, we should seek to avoid it or get out of it.
PERSECUTION:
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you ... if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. 1 Peter 4:12-16
Sometimes we do not acknowledge that "being reviled" is real persecution. After all, many believers around the world suffer far more for their faith than we do in America. Some are beaten, imprisoned or even killed for Christ. But in the NT, the term 'persecution is used very broadly. It refers to any suffering for simply being a Christian or acting and speaking as a Christian. Suffering persecution is to share in His sufferings.
We should also note that we should rejoice even when persecuted and that we are blessed because of it. This is one form of suffering that God honors the most. This does not mean that we should seek it, nor does it mean that we should not pray to be delivered from it. The church prayed for Peter when he was in prison and going to be executed, and God sent angels to deliver him.
SUFFERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE
For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously. 1 Peter 2:19-23
Sometimes suffering is caused by someone who does not allow us to follow our conscience. There is a lot of this happening today, but I do not want to rehash it all here. God honors the suffering we might experience because we are avoiding violating our own conscience.
Furthermore, Peter says that Christ was our example in this kind of suffering. He did nothing wrong yet He suffered. He did not retaliate against those who caused him to suffer. He entrusted Himself to God.
Of course, suffering for righteousness' sake really includes, more broadly, persecution as we talked about above, but it is worth mentioning suffering simply for the sake of doing right and following one's conscience.
SUFFERING BECAUSE OF YOUR SINS
Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler. 1 Peter 4:15
This seems rather obvious, but Peter brings it up anyway. What he is really saying in the context of his writing is that we must distinguish between the kind of suffering that honors God and that which does not. One thing I find interesting in this verse is that Peter mentions murder as something that a Christian might commit. Many of us would deny that a true Christian could commit murder, yet Peter seems to think that they could. He also mentions those who suffer because they stick their nose in the business of others. Interesting.
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness 1 Peter 2:24a
Christ died for our sins so that we would not longer live in them. It was His suffering in substitution that frees us. God does not want us to suffer because of sins.
SUFFERING BECAUSE OF MINISTRY TO WHICH GOD HAS CALLED US
Sometimes we think that being called into ministry is a great blessing and privilege - and it is. But there is often suffering that goes along with the fulfillment of that calling.
Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I
more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten
times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received
from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I
was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was
shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on
frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers
from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in
the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers
among false brethren; I have been in labor and
hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst,
often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart
from such external things, there is the daily pressure on
me of concern for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28
Paul, here, is explaining to the church at Corinth that there can be suffering that goes with the ministry. He had a great ministry, but he had great suffering as well. In fact, in the next chapter, he calls these things his "thorn in the flesh".
God honors those who suffer because of the ministry to which He has called them. We often think that big ministries "have it made", but we have no idea how difficult it can be. Not all suffering is as public as Paul's was. Everybody could see and understand what happened to him. But there is a lot we do not know about.
SUFFERING SICKNESS, PAIN AND INFIRMITY
Now we are entering into controversial territory. People have very strong ideas about this subject especially if they, or a loved one, has suffered intensely or for a protracted period of time. There are times when we don't understand why things happen to us and we question why God does or allows such things to happen. We cannot answer all questions here, but we do need to examine the Scriptures to find some answers anyway.
Let's go back to where we started. Is experiencing sickness or pain suffering according to God's will or not? We must ask this simple question in search of a straightforward answer. Fortunately, the Bible does answer it.
Jesus, in His ministry, was the will of God revealed to us. "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." (John 14:9) Many times in the gospels it is said, "He healed them all", "all" being those who came to Him for healing. Jesus' ministry shows us God's attitude towards sickness and infirmity.
You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38
This clearly says that everyone who He healed was "oppressed by the devil" and since He "healed all" then we know that all who are sick are oppressed by Satan.
In the OT, all sickness and infirmity was under the "curse of the [broken] Law". (Deuteronomy 28:61) "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law" (Galatians 3:13) That means we are redeemed from sickness just like we are redeemed from sin.
Peter confirms this twofold redemption. "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; by Whose wounds you were healed." (1 Peter 2:24) Healing for our sickness and diseases is in the Atonement.
So, it is evident from both the New and Old Testaments that sickness is not God's will since it was part of the punishment for breaking the Law of Moses, and since Jesus healed all who came to Him. Sickness is part of our fallen world because there is a devil loose in it and he wants to put everyone in bondage.
Sickness is not suffering "according to the will of God", it is of the devil. We should do everything in our power to resist it. This is especially important to know in a time of a pandemic. This pandemic is not the will of God. Satan concocted it to "steal, kill and destroy" us. Jesus came to "give us life and give it abundantly." (John10:10)
OTHER KINDS OF SUFFERING
We have not exhausted the subject of suffering in the Bible. But I hope that we have established the fact that there is suffering according to the will of God and there is suffering that is outside of His will and, therefore, should not be accepted as being from Him - it should be resisted.
We live in a world with a lot of suffering, and we know that the devil is behind it all - from persecution and harm caused by human sin and sickness and death.
God is good - all the time.
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