Why We Suffer

The Question I constantly wrestle with is, why do Christians suffer?

The answer is that we live in a fallen world and the sin we inherited from the fall of man 

has severe consequences if it is not dealt with. God also allows suffering for a greater purpose.

As we read below we will see what that greater purpose is.

As followers of Jesus there is one thing that we can count on as a guarantee in this life:

• We will face suffering. 

We all face suffering in one way or another. 

The Question is: 

Does God allow suffering in the Christian life for some greater purpose?

The Bible speaks about suffering in this way:

John 16:33 NIV
In this world you will have trouble.

2 Timothy 3:12 NIV

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV

 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

The Good News is that there are other guarantees as well for those suffering children of God. These

guarantees remind us of God’s sovereignty and ultimate control over His creation.

Here are some guarantees for those who are followers of Jesus:

• Because of God's love for us, Jesus paid the price for our sin.  Those who believe this will have eternal life.

John 3:16 NIV
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

• We will be glorified (Receive Our Resurrection Bodies) - Our salvation will be complete.

 Romans 8:30 NIV  

And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

 The Holy Spirit in us is our guarantee of our salvation:

• The Holy Spirit in us is the believers proof of God's promise of salvation

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NLT

It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.

This is our guarantee about God’s love:

• Nothing can separate us from God’s love

Romans 8:38-39 NIV

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So God is now working to accomplish His plan which is the completion our salvation. During this time those who are Children of God are also guaranteed that they will never be separated from God’s love. Difficulties and suffering may cause us to doubt God’s promises,  but that doubt does not discount the promises of God. God will always keeps His promises. Throughout the Bible we can read about the many promises God has already kept. (Read Genesis and God's promises to Abraham ) It is important to also look forward to the future promises God is going to fulfill.

Promises from God are awesome but what about the ones about suffering and persecution. Is this something a Christian is really looking forward to? The answer is yes if we have the perspective that God will allow this suffering to take place for a purpose. That purpose is so we become more like Jesus.  This is God’s plan for our lives. But even though we will suffer we have hope because of the assurance of our salvation and God’s love.

Right now, for followers of Jesus, God is working in us, transforming our hearts and minds to be like Jesus:

Romans 8:29 NIV

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son,

The more we become like Jesus the more we are going to enjoy our fellowship and personal relationship with God. If our sin separates us from God then our Christ like character will bring us closer to Him. Remember God commands us to be Holy like Him. So whether it feels good or bad, whether we experience pain, or joy, God will use the experiences in our lives to transform us into the likeness of Christ.

God is sovereign and in control of His creation. There is nothing outside the scope of His rule. Because God is guiding the events in our lives, we can be encouraged that what He is doing is for our own good. Even death will only consummate God’s perfect plan for believers.  The truth for us is this: The best thing God can do for us is to make us more like Jesus. Now substitute the word “us” for the word “me”. The best thing God can do for me is to make me more like Jesus in character and in the depth and scope of His love .

Many people right now are spiritually dead. They believe that personal suffering has no benefit. But God's people have a different perspective. Followers of Jesus base their perspective on this reality:

We all are born spiritually dead and separated from God. Only God can make us spiritually alive so He invites us (calls us), predetermines spiritually dead people to become spiritually alive. Through the power of the Holy Spirit He gives people the power to respond to this call. Through belief in Jesus' work on the Cross as the main component for salvation, those who believe are no longer an enemies of God, they are saved from spiritual death. 

Also, the future for God's people looks like this: The Glorification, The receiving of our Imperishable bodies, is the final step in God’s plan. Those God has chosen to be saved will go through a process called sanctification where throughout their lives these children of God will become more like Jesus. One day they will be given an immortal, imperishable body. This Glorification will take place when Jesus returns. Interestingly enough in Romans 8:30 Paul speaks so confidently in God’s guarantee of Glorification that he uses the past tense “glorified” (“he also glorified”) as if this Glorification has already taken place. The truth is this: Like the Apostle Paul, we can be confident that God will keep His promises. It is a good thing that our eternal security depends on God’s work and His character and not our own. (For more on the receiving of an imperishable body read 1 Corinthians 15:35-56.

Here are some good questions to ask ourselves:

Am I waiting eagerly for Jesus' return and my new (Glorified) body?

Am I living life with joy and an eternal perspective while I wait for the completion 

of God's plan?

How does the assurance that I can never be separated from God’s love, help me with living for Him right now?

 Do I realize that my suffering is part of God’s plan and is the process by which God transforms

me to be more like Jesus?

Will I allow this transformation process to take place on God's terms or will I continue to

wrestle with God on my own terms?

Will I surrender to God?

Will I allow Jesus to be Lord over my life?

We are all struggling in this life one way or another. The Christian life is difficult because it requires us to repent and turn away from our sin. Sin is a part of our nature so we need God’s help to transform our lives to be more like Christ. Most of us look first to our own strength and wisdom to deal with the problems and suffering we face. When we turn to God however, He offers us the strength and wisdom and peace to live life more abundantly. Personally I have found that the more Christ-like I become, the more abundant my life is. The more Christ-like I become, the greater the depth of intimacy with God I get to experience. The more Christ-like I become, the greater the suffering I face because it requires me to wrestle with the sin nature that is a part of who I am.  There is a purpose for suffering in the Christian life. Personally I don’t particularly enjoy the suffering part of the Christian life, but it benefits me greatly when it comes to my relationship with God. My transformation into the new self has helped my marriage, parenting, ministry, and my life in general. The sanctification process I continue to go through has been worth it because suffering has a greater purpose.

Romans 5:1-5 New International Version 1984  

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

These verses below always speak to my heart about God’s wisdom and peace for those who are followers of Jesus. It also reminds me that when I am suffering, God’s rest and peace are always available to me.

Matthew 11:29-30 NIV

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

John 14:27 NIV
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

The first verse in this message was:

John 16:33 NIV 
In this world you will have trouble.

I did not give you the whole verse.

This is the entire verse:

John 16:33 NIV

 “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.”

The best news we have as followers of Jesus is that Jesus' work on the Cross has delivered us real hope and real salvation. Even though we will suffer at times in this life, the victory over sin and death has already been won..


Just Sayin...................Dave