Suffering

Why do some suffer going through life while others seem to ‘skate by’ without hardly suffering at all?  I haven’t all the answers for this, it is something you might want to ask God when it is all said and done and you stand before Him someday.  There are some things there seems to be no answer for at this time but it will be disclosed someday.  I know that some of the things that we suffer from are brought on by ourselves, by the choices we make.  God’s Word says that we will reap what we sow.  In John 9 it says this about one of the reasons some suffer and that is so that others can see the works of God manifested in some people’s lives.  

Read John 9:1-7, “As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.”

I believe that many people have come to know the Lord on a personal level through a bout of suffering and others have been humbled through sickness and suffering, for instance, King Nebuchadnezzar was humbled because of His pride.

Read Daniel 5:18-21, “O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will.”

And now read what happened to his son Belshazzar because of his pride.  Read verses 22-31 in that same chapter, “And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.

Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.”

One of the things that God hates is pride and He knows how to humble a person.

Sometimes suffering is an attack from the enemy of our souls who is trying to destroy us, and other times it is a test to see what we are made of, will we curse God and abandon the faith or will we be dedicated and serve God even in our suffering and sickness?  Take Job for instance, he was tested more than most and he didn’t do anything to deserve what he was suffering, but he never cursed God.  He had questions that went un-answered but the most important thing for Job was to know God, even if He didn’t have all the answers explained. 

The best example of suffering was Jesus.  He was spat upon, beaten, whipped, scorned and mocked, then crucified, died and was buried for us, a man who had done nothing wrong, all He did was love people and He suffered so much for it.  I am glad I was reminded of this today because I have a tendency to feel sorry for myself when I suffer and it helps to know that I am never alone in my sufferings.  Jesus didn’t just die, but He rose from the dead and He knows what it feels like when you and I suffer for whatever reason.  Jesus overcame and through Him we can overcome also, praise the Lord!!

Something to think about!  I hope this has been an encouragement to you.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super, super day!!  PS don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord for He is worthy!!