Lessons #443 and 444
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual delivery not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GW = God’s Word Translation, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New English Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+AMP = Amplified Bible, UBS = United Bible Society +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
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Treatment of parts of the body (1 Cor 12: 20-26)
20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Recall that we ended our last study with our consideration of the doctrine of suffering. We have embarked on this doctrine because we stated that understanding of suffering is important in answering the question of how a believer should suffer together with another believer or share in a fellow believer’s suffering. As we promised in our last study, we begin our study today with the effects of suffering.
Effects of suffering
Our concern with the effects of suffering for this study is not so much as how it affects a person in a physical sense, but the impact suffering has on a person in a spiritual sense. To this effect, there are two effects suffering would have in a person. Suffering may lead to the hardness of the heart in the sense that a person becomes stubborn and so unwilling to respond to anything spiritual. We mean that the person suffering ignores God and rejects anything that is spiritual. The individual impacted that way will not listen to any instruction or information that will cause the person to reflect as to the source of the individual’s suffering. This kind of hardness of heart was demonstrated severally by Pharaoh of Egypt in the time of exodus. After the plague of flies that caused suffering to the Egyptians, we are informed that such suffering did not cause Pharaoh to listen to the demand of the Lord through Moses to release Israel; instead, he hardened his heart, that is, he became more stubborn as we read in Exodus 8:32:
But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.
The same effect of hardening the heart or stubbornness due to suffering was also reported after the plague of Hail as we read in Exodus 9:34–35:
34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. 35 So Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had said through Moses.
The hardness of heart due to suffering implies that those who harden their hearts during suffering will not come to repentance. This state of the soul is one that will characterize those in the future that will experience God’s judgment as we read in Revelation 9:20–21:
20 The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Another effect of suffering that is contrary to hardness of heart is that of humbling of self in repentance. In other words, suffering may lead to a positive attitude towards God that is evident in repentance. We are saying that if a person is aware that the individual’s suffering is due to sin in the person’s life that such suffering may have the effect of causing repentance in that individual. The best illustration of this positive effect of suffering on an individual spiritually is Manasseh, king of Judah. He rejected the God of his father, Hezekiah, and so became involved in idolatry together with his people. The Lord sent His prophets to warn him and his people but he would not listen to God’s word and so He sent him into exile as we read in 2 Chronicles 33:10–11:
10 The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. 11 So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.
In exile, he suffered greatly, and his suffering had the positive effect of repentance so that he sought the Lord, God of Israel, as we read in 2 Chronicles 33:12–13:
12 In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.
This aside, the fact is that suffering can either have a negative effect of the hardening of the heart, that is, being stubborn, so the sufferer does not show any concern for the individual’s spiritual life or that suffering may have a positive effect of humbling of self before the Lord that leads a person to repentance. This brings us to the next topic of the inevitability of suffering.
Inevitability of suffering of believers
We indicated previously that suffering is universal because of the Fall. This being the case, some would think that because of redemption from sin implies our salvation that believers should not experience suffering. In fact, many believers express surprise if they suffer or if fellow believers are suffering. Such an expectation is not rooted in Scripture. The Scripture is clear that suffering is inevitable for believers. Hence, believers should expect it. There are several reasons for this declaration. First, the Lord Jesus foretold of the suffering of those who believe in Him as we read in Matthew 10:22:
All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
The hate of believers by unbelievers would result in suffering. You see, hate can be either passive where a person despises you but does nothing about it other than perhaps to avoid you or hate can be active where a person who hates you goes a step further by acting in a manner that causes problems for you. Thus, it is this active hatred that will result in suffering and even death that the Lord Jesus also predicted as lot of believers as recorded in Matthew 24:9:
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
Second, the Holy Spirit foretold the suffering of believers through the apostles. Thus, Apostle Paul conveyed to new converts during his first missionary journey that suffering is a necessary part of being a believer in Christ as implied in Acts 14:22:
strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
The apostle under the guidance of the Holy Spirit states unequivocally that suffering is inevitable for believers who want to live righteously in Christ since such persons would be persecuted as communicated in 2 Timothy 3:12:
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
Third, suffering is a price for being devoted to God as that is what the Holy Spirit conveyed through Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1:6–7:
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
The apostle indicates that believers suffer since it is inevitable because of its effect on the believer. We will say more later on the benefits of suffering for believers. Fourth, the experiences of believers in the past convey that the suffering of believers is inevitable. The suffering of believers in the OT is summarized by the human author of Hebrews in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews but let us consider specifically Hebrews 11:25–26:
25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
In this passage, it is the suffering of Moses that was the concern but as we already stated, the eleventh chapter contains general examples of the suffering of believers in the OT. It is not only the examples of OT believers that confirm the inevitability of suffering for believers, so does that of the NT believers. We see this, for example, in the persecution of the apostles as in Acts 5:40:
His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Flogging is a form of punishment that is intended to inflict pain or suffering on the receiver. Thus, the apostles were subjected to sufferings because of their faith in Jesus Christ. The point is that we should recognize that suffering is inevitable for believers. So, the question is not whether we will suffer for that is a settled fact but how we handle it. This brings me to the next consideration in our doctrine of suffering, which is right and wrong responses to suffering.
Right and wrong responses to suffering
There are two general ways a believer can respond to suffering: rightly or wrongly. But we begin with the wrong way to respond suffering. It will be wrong to speak evil words against God in the midst of suffering or to show resentment towards God because of one’s suffering. We derive this wrong response from the suggestion of Job’s wife to him during his ordeal of intense suffering as recorded in Job 2:9:
His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
There are those who dispute what it is Job’s wife said to him because of the word “curse.” It is translated from a Hebrew word (bārǎḵ) with a positive meaning of “to commend,” in the sense of speaking words invoking divine favor on a person or it could mean “to praise.” Because of the positive meaning of the Hebrew word, some contend that its meaning here should be “to bless” but such a meaning is refuted by what Job answered the wife as we read in Job 2:10:
He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
Why would Job respond the way he did if the wife had nudged him to do what is right by God. It is inconceivable that Job would have rebuked his wife for telling him to praise God in the midst of his suffering. Therefore, it is better to understand that what the wife said for Job to do was something that would not speak well of God. Furthermore, it is cursing God that draws death penalty as Israel was instructed in Leviticus 24:15–16:
15 Say to the Israelites: ‘If anyone curses his God, he will be held responsible; 16 anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him. Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.
Based on the arguments we have presented and the fact that the meaning of a word is governed by the context, the Hebrew word (bārǎḵ) that, no doubt, has an overwhelming positive meaning must have been used in a negative sense in the mouth of Job’s wife. This being the case, it should be accepted that Job’s wife encouraged the husband to say something that would cause God to kill him. That aside, it would be wrong for a believer who suffers to charge God of doing anything wrong or of not caring for the individual. Furthermore, it will be wrong to become disillusioned because of suffering as to question whether it is worth serving the Lord or living according to truth if one still suffers despite every effort to live for the Lord. Being disillusioned because of suffering would be having an attitude similar to what the psalmist had when he observed the prosperity of the wicked as we read in Psalm 73:13:
Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
It is not difficult for a person who suffers despite living according to the truth to become disillusioned but that does not have to be. We should recognize that there is a difference in an honest recognition of a person’s suffering for which the individual could not immediately place the cause of suffering from disillusionment in the sense of losing one’s faith or trust in the Lord. Joseph is an example of one that evaluated his suffering honestly without becoming disillusioned in a sense. He suffered for living righteously when he rejected the sexual advances of Potiphar’s wife as recorded in Gen 39:9:
No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"
Joseph was imprisoned and so he suffered because he would not sin against God. He realized his suffering was not due to something he has done but he did not seem to have been disillusioned although he complained about his imprisonment when he requested the chief cupbearer of Pharaoh to mention him to Pharaoh after he interpreted his dream according to Genesis 40:13–15:
13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. 14 But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. 15 For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.”
Joseph’s request to be mentioned to Pharaoh was an expression of his faith in the Lord to do something for him. If he did not trust in the Lord, his request to be released from prison would have no basis since there is no human reason for Pharaoh to intervene to rescue a slave in prison. Anyhow, he expressed an honest belief of what his suffering was not but because he was not disillusioned, he was hopeful that he would someday be released from prison. The point is that we should distinguish between being disillusioned due to suffering from expressing an honest opinion of what one sees as suffering without a perceptible reason for it. Those who become disillusioned because of suffering are those who think that serving God is not worth it if doing so leads to suffering. A person with that mindset will be similar to those Prophet Malachi charged of saying that it is useless to serve the Lord if they had to suffer as we read in Malachi 3:14:
"You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty?
Anyway, it is important to recognize that a wrong response to suffering is to become disillusioned and to speak evil words against God in the midst of suffering or to show resentment towards God because of one’s suffering. We have considered the wrong response to suffering so we turn our attention to the right response to suffering.
A right response to suffering is to reverentially submit to God in your suffering, recognizing that He is in control of all things and that whatever suffering you undergo is for a purpose in His plan. This reverential submission to God in the face of suffering was exhibited by Job at the beginning of his suffering. His reverential submission is conveyed in Job 1:21:
and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”
It may not seem like what Job said in this verse is reverential submission to the Lord if we forget that the preceding verse speaks of Job’s worship of God as we read in Job 1:20:
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship.
The sentence he fell to the ground in worship is more literally he fell on the ground and bowed down. Bowing down before someone, especially among the ancient Semitic people, was an act of reverence or honoring of someone as it was used to describe the reverence shown to David by Mephibosheth as we read in 2 Samuel 9:6:
When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, “Mephibosheth!” “Your servant,” he replied.
So, when it is said that Job bowed down, it is to be understood as an expression of reverence to the Lord that he addressed. His reverential submission to the Lord is evident in his acknowledgment of the fact that nothing belongs to him since he was born with nothing in the sense that he did not bring anything into the world and would die with nothing in the sense of not taking anything out of the world. Furthermore, he acknowledged that it is God’s prerogative to do whatever He wants with His resources. Thus, he resigned himself to the fact that God is sovereignly in control of all things and so has the right to do whatever He wanted. This is what reverential submission from a human being looks like. In other words, if you reverentially submit to God in your suffering, you will not question Him or complain against Him for the suffering that you undergo. It is not only Job that reverentially submitted to God in the face of suffering so did the Lord Jesus as the human author of Hebrews stated in Hebrews 5:7–8:
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.
Jesus’ reverent submission to God the Father is that He willingly accepted the suffering of death on the cross in keeping with the Father’s will in order to provide our eternal salvation. The Lord Jesus did not question the Father regarding His suffering. He accepted it because that was part of the package of Him being our redeemer. Hence, a proper response to suffering is to submit to it in a reverential manner, recognizing that God knows exactly what He is doing even in the midst of our suffering that we may never understand its reason.
Another right response to suffering by a believer that is related to reverential submission is to have an unshakable trust in the Lord with the firm conviction that the Lord knows exactly what He is doing in whatever the suffering happens to be. The three Jewish men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego exhibited this response in the face of certain painful death of being burnt alive. They were given the option of avoiding suffering by becoming idolatrous, but they refused and were willing to suffer as they trusted the Lord because of who He is as we may gather from their response or reply to Nebuchadnezzar’s proposal as recorded in Daniel 3:17–18:
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
You may say to yourself that the three men have not yet suffered because they have not yet been thrown into the furnace, but you will be wrong. The men were already in emotional pain or suffering because they were facing the prospect of being thrown into the furnace. I am saying that the anticipation to be thrown into a furnace is in and of itself a suffering of emotional pain by the three men but despite such suffering, they had an unshakable trust in their God regardless of the result of their being thrown into the furnace. Prophet Habakkuk displayed the same unshakable trust in the Lord when he indicated that if he suffered economically because of economic downtime expressed in absence of figs and livestock needed to sustain life that he would still trust in the Lord as we read in Habakkuk 3:17–18:
17Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Lord Jesus responded to His suffering with unshakable trust in God the Father despite His suffering on the cross as we read in 1 Peter 2:23:
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
The sentence he entrusted himself to him who judges justly conveys the truth that the Lord Jesus trusted God the Father in an unshakable manner as He suffered while on the cross.
Still another proper response to suffering is to put it in proper perspective of recognizing that whatever the suffering happened to be that it is in God’s plan and so the believer should not be overwhelmed by it. We are saying that suffering is indeed a part of the “everything” the Holy Spirit says through Apostle Paul is God’s work in accordance with His will in Ephesians 1:11:
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.
Anyhow, a believer is better served when facing perplexing situation by remembering to look at whatever it is in light of God’s plan and His control of everything on this planet. We can see this approach with the psalmist. He was troubled by the fact that the wicked prospered while the righteous did not. However, his troubled mind was eased when he put everything in proper perspective as he stated in Psalm 73:16–17:
16When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
The psalmist admitted his inability to find a satisfactory answer for the evil he observed concerning the apparent prosperity of the wicked because he approached the problem in the wrong way. It should be pretty clear to us that we could never find the solution to our problems unless we looked in the right place. The psalmist found satisfactory answer when in his own words till I entered the sanctuary of God. This means that he found satisfactory answer when he entered the state of continuous worship of God. For it is only in continuous worship that anyone could come into God’s presence. Thus, the psalmist is saying that he did not find a satisfactory answer to the perplexing problem he faced until he returned to the worship of God in the sense of continuous fellowship with Him. Entering the sanctuary of God would also imply learning about God’s character as we may gather in Psalm 63:2:
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Hence, when a person focuses on the worship of God and continues to learn of God’s character then he would not be distracted or concerned with the apparent success of the wicked. This is what the psalmist realized. If we apply this to suffering, then when a person walks in fellowship with the Lord and focuses on His character that He is a good God and sovereignly in control of all things, the individual will realize that no matter what the suffering is that God is working out His plan so the believer will run to the declaration of Romans 8:28:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
In addition, the believer should derive comfort knowing that suffering is limited to this planet since there is no suffering in heaven as we read in Revelation 21:4:
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
In any event, when you face suffering of any kind it is important to respond properly in the manner we have described from the Scripture. Reverentially submit to God knowing that He knows what He is doing at all times. You should have unshakable trust in the Lord in midst of your suffering and put the suffering in proper perspective of understanding that God is sovereignly in control of all things and therefore be certain that He is working out His purpose in you or through you. With what we have said about proper response to suffering, we proceed to consider its benefits.
Benefits of Suffering
We many never understand reason(s) for any suffering, and we may find it difficult to deal with or we may think of it as unfair as Prophet Habakkuk felt when he perceived that the wicked oppressed the righteous as he complained to God according to Habakkuk 1:13:
Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
However, we should upon recognizing that God is in control of everything realize that there must be a purpose for suffering that we experience. So, although suffering is painful, we should recognize that it must have some benefits in God’s working out of His plan. We are saying that as a general rule, suffering, although painful, is beneficial even when we do not immediately recognize it to be so. The psalmist testified how beneficial his own suffering was in his spiritual life as we learn from Psalm 119:71:
It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.
Listen again to what the psalmist stated It was good for me to be afflicted. Affliction is concerned with suffering. Therefore, when the psalmist stated that it was beneficial for him to suffer, he was thinking of its benefit to him spiritually. This is confirmed in the clause so that I might learn your decrees. The psalmist’s confession is that suffering enabled him to learn of God’s word. We can learn God’s word in the easy way of attending Bible classes to receive the word from a teacher under normal circumstances or we can learn God’s word or spiritual truths by way of pain. This aside, the point is that suffering, although painful, is beneficial or brings blessings to believers as the psalmist confessed. He was not alone in such a confession. King Hezekiah confessed the same thing according to Isaiah 38:17:
Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.
The suffering that Hezekiah was concerned about in this passage was due to illness although it is also possible that he thought of his military defeats in the hands of the Assyrians. That notwithstanding, he indicates that his suffering benefited him in that it gave him a renewed devotion to the Lord or a new level of appreciation for the God who is that gracious to him despite his failures. The point is that as a general rule, suffering brings blessings to the believer. We have made a general statement that suffering eventually brings blessing, let me provide specific examples of benefits of suffering to the believer.
A specific benefit of suffering in the life of believers is that it affirms we are God’s adopted children. The Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul makes references to the fact that suffering should confirm we are children of God. He reminded the believers in Rome that sharing in Christ’s suffering implies being adopted children of God as we read in Romans 8:17:
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
To ensure that not every suffering of any human being that qualifies to confirm being adopted into the family of God, the apostle used the clause if indeed we share in his sufferings that assumes believers are sharing in Christ’s suffering. This being the case then that proves we are heirs of God. To the Thessalonians, the apostle indicated that their suffering in different ways confirms they belong to God as that is what is implied by them being counted worthy of God’s kingdom or being under the rule of God as we read in 2 Thessalonians 1:4–5:
4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
Another specific benefit of suffering in the life of believers is that it develops trust in the Lord as the Holy Spirit conveyed through Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:9:
Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
The word “suffering” is not used directly in this verse, but it is implied in the phrase the sentence of death. The apostle used the phrase to refer to his suffering that was so great that he felt that he had received a death sentence from a court. Since the apostle indicated that the purpose of death sentence is to cause him and his team to rely on God, we should understand that suffering of a believer leads to trusting the Lord. By the way, the Greek word (peithō) translated “rely” may also be translated “trust.” Thus, the apostle indicates that suffering caused him and his team not to rely on themselves but to trust in God. This being the case, we are correct to assert that suffering is beneficial in that it helps the believer to trust in the Lord. There is no doubt that suffering causes us to look more to God than to ourselves. God wants us to depend on Him and trust Him while on this planet so that whatever causes us to do so must be beneficial.
Still another specific benefit of suffering in the life of believers is it develops spiritual character as the Holy Spirit states through Apostle Paul as recorded in Romans 5:3–4:
3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.
It sounds almost phony or unbelievable that a person could rejoice in the face of suffering were it not that the apostle wrote under the Holy Spirit and so provides the reason for such rejoicing. It is the benefit of suffering in terms of developing patience as part of spiritual character in the life of the believer that has the apostle excited. We use the word “patience” because of the Greek word used. You see, the word “perseverance” is translated from a Greek word (hypomonē) that refers to the capacity to hold out or bear up in the face of difficulty and so in addition to “perseverance” may mean “patience, endurance.” Certainly, anything that will produce patience or endurance or perseverance in the believer is a good thing. The Holy Spirit tells us that suffering does that, which in turn leads to the development of spiritual character. Hence, suffering although painful is indeed beneficial to the believer. We should not fear suffering knowing that it has spiritual benefits.
In any event, to end the doctrine of suffering, there are facts we want to present to you that you should arm yourself when faced with suffering. First, you should remind yourself that suffering does not change God’s character in relationship with you. God is always loving. Thus, suffering does not alter His love for you. The Holy Spirit is clear that there is nothing that would change His love for you as we read in Romans 8:35:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
This passage in effect conveys that suffering will not change the love of Christ, who is God. Suffering is conveyed in the phrase trouble or hardship or persecution or famine. So, whether you are faced with physical or emotional suffering, you can be certain that such does not alter God’s love for you. As you recognize that suffering does not affect the love of God for you, be also reminded that Jesus Christ understands your suffering since in His humanity, He experienced suffering of the type we could not possibly understand or face but that is not all, He is able to help you in time of your suffering as implied in Hebrews 2:18:
Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Second, remember that God is on your side. He is concerned about your suffering and will not ignore you. His concern about your suffering is evident in what He said about His covenant people, Israel, when they were suffering in Egypt as we read in Exodus 3:7:
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
It is not only that God is concerned about your suffering, but He will also not ignore your plight. This fact was demonstrated in God’s promise to deliver Israel as we read in Exodus 3:8:
So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
The psalmist is clear that God will not ignore your cry in times of your suffering as we read in Psalm 9:12:
For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
The reason we can be confident that the Lord will do something about your suffering is that the psalmist testified to God’s deliverance of His own from troubles in Psalm 34:19:
A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
Thus, you should derive comfort from this promise so that you will be comforted like the psalmist as he declared in Psalm 119:50:
My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
Third, you can count on His grace being available to you in times of your suffering. Hence, it is no wonder Apostle Paul makes a reference to the availability of God’s grace to him in his weakness as we read in 2 Corinthians 12:9:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Finally, you should be comforted by remembering that although you suffer now but that is nothing compared to the glory that awaits you in the eternal state as stated in Romans 8:18:
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
With the conclusion of the doctrine of suffering, we are now ready to answer the question of How a believer could suffer together with another believer or share in the suffering of a fellow believer. This we do in our next study.
08/19//22