We have been considering reasons why Christians suffer. Often one hears that as a Christian, we should be exempt from suffering. Doesn't God really care?
Why me? The last two weeks we have had as reason for suffering simply because we live in this world of sin. A second reason is that all sin has its consequences, and just because one is a Christian, does not mean the consequences of sin committed do not have to be paid. As a Christian who is suffering, we have something an unbeliever does not have. We have our Lord, staying with us, going through whatever we go through, and giving us strength and comfort.
Reason #3 for why a Christian suffers is that God has allowed the suffering to glorify Him. In John 11:4 we read of an example of this. Jesus was told that His good friend Lazarus was sick. Everyone thought Jesus would immediately go to him, but He tarried and He told his disciples it was to honor God, to promote His glory, that the Son of God may be glorified. He waited another couple of days, and when He went to Bethany, Lazarus had been dead 4 days. Again in verse 40 He said to Mary, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" And then, after thanking the Father for hearing Him, He called Lazarus forth from the grave.
In II Corinthians 11:9 we have the story of Paul with what he called 'a thorn' in the flesh. Whether this was a physical, mental or spiritual 'thorn' we are not told. We only know that Paul prayed, even begged the Lord to have it removed. The Lord's answer to Paul was that His Grace was sufficient. Down through the centuries, this reply to Paul has helped many Christians accept their suffering as unto the Lord, and lean on Him, finding His Grace sufficient. I have a dear friend who is wheelchair bound from M.S. She also suffers from other maladies, and is in constant pain. Yet she is always cheerful. When asked how she is, she says "I am blessed". Whenever she is in a doctors office, or rushed to emergency for some reason, whatever is going on, she is praising the Lord and witnessing for Him. I think that when she gets to heaven she will be greeted by a crowd of folks who would not have been there except for her praising the Lord in word and song and smile as she does even through her suffering.
Another example from the Bible is found in John 9, with the healing of the blind man. Jesus disciples asked who had sinned, the man or his parents. Jesus reply was: "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."
In II Corinthians 1 we read that God is our God of all comfort. Verse 4 states "...who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." Here we see that God teaches us how to comfort others, by allowing us to suffer afflictions whereby we experience His great comfort.
In Psalm 34:19 we are told that we are delivered 'out' of our afflictions, not 'from' them, and our Lord is with us all the way, to give strength, peace and comfort. We may wish we could fly away from all, but then we would miss the special blessings He gives us, the peace that passes all understanding. So dear Christian, instead of our asking "why me, Lord?", instead we should say "Lord, why NOT me?"
Next week will be the fourth reason, which I believe is that of discipline. What loving parent does not discipline their children in order to give them maturity and iron in their soul? Discipline is necessary to help us grow.
1. From God's Holy Word
2. From the heart of CC
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