Why Does God Let Us Suffer? It’s NEVER Random
“To this you were called because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps” 1st Peter 2:21.
This passage may refer more to the suffering of persecution, given the context. However, I also think there is something to be learned about suffering in general.
As Christians we are His children, His bride, His elect, right? Why then does God let us suffer? Is it His will? Is there a rhyme and reason to it or is it random and arbitrary?
Of course, that’s much too broad of a topic to cover comprehensively in one short blog post. But we will try to capture some of the important elements of the question here.
To read this passage from 1st Peter chapter 2 and get some context, click here.
So, in answer to the first question above, I believe the answer is yes, it is His will. . . if we need it. And no, it’s never random. Suffering which includes trials, calamity, infliction of blows, scourging according to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of the NT is what helps us to grow up and mature.
And since we all need this, we all need to suffer to some extent. Where we’ve come from and where we’re going will determine the degree to which we need to suffer.
In other words, the kind of upbringing and parents we had, our personality type, whether we’ve been sinned against to any great degree, our giftings and calling. These all play a role in how much we need to suffer.
Suffering Is Discipline
I think suffering in all its various forms is really discipline or training. The reason I believe this is because all suffering regardless of the cause or type produces maturity. That is if we respond correctly. And this is the purpose of discipline.
According to Vine’s again the word discipline means “to train children, suggesting the broad idea of education. It brings salvation and employs means to give us full possession of it. Hence, “to discipline, whether by correcting with words, or by the infliction of evils and calamities”.
It also means to “discipline with blows, to scourge” (Vines Expository Dictionary of the NT, 1985).
Why Does God Let Us Suffer? We Need It
1st Corinthians 11:30-32 says this: “That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.”
This sobering passage is referring to the judgment the Corinthian church experienced because they weren’t treating each other with Christian love. Essentially, when the Corinthians were being judged by the Lord, they were being disciplined so as not to be condemned with the world.
Mature, Fruitful and Blessed in the End
As you can see, discipline includes the worst kind of suffering such as judgment. And the purpose of the discipline is to train us that we might become mature and fruitful and be blessed in the end.
So, if we’re suffering, it’s because we have not yet reached the highest level of maturity. It is therefore necessary to enable us to do so.
So, when we are afflicted in whatever way, to pray for God to remove it is not the right response. At least not at first. We need to first acknowledge that God is disciplining (training) us out of love. And we need to learn the lesson. Once we’ve done that, it might be appropriate to pray for its removal.
Even the great apostle Paul had to be disciplined with a “thorn in the flesh”. He prayed on three separate occasions that God would remove it, but He didn’t. Why? God allowed him to have it for a reason. Just like the rest of us, he needed it to grow up and mature. And in his case, it helped him stay humble.
I think we reveal a lack of faith when we ask God to remove our trials before we’ve been trained by them. We are saying, in effect that God is not in control of every aspect of our lives.
We are saying “this trial came upon me, not because God carefully plans and orchestrates every aspect of my life, but arbitrarily because I live in a fallen world. It has no connection to my character or behavior”.
Why Does God Let Us Suffer When We Have a Clear Conscience?
But the truth is, every bit of suffering we experience is because of some lack in our character or behavior. It may not be the result of conscious sin. But it is the result of character flaws we may not even be aware of.
After all, this is the purpose of the refining process of precious metals. It brings the previously hidden impurities to the surface where they can be removed.
Here’s the truth: when we sin, we suffer. Sometimes the fact that our suffering is a consequence of sin is more obvious than others. But the point of the suffering is to cause us to turn from our sin, so we don’t have to continue to suffer.
Again, this may not be conscious sin. It may be a hidden character flaw that requires the heat to draw it out.
Discipline Gives Us Rest from Trouble
Said another way, we suffer because of our immaturity in order to mature so we don’t have to suffer anymore. It’s hard to admit that we bring our suffering upon ourselves. But acknowledging this also makes it a lot more effective.
I love Psalm 94:12, 13: “Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble. . . “
The implication is that when he is taught by the Lord or learns the lesson the trouble or suffering will end. When we sow to the sinful nature and thereby reap destruction, it’s because God loves us enough to discipline us, to train us so we can overcome our sin, reach maturity and be blessed in the end.
It’s Tragic If We Don’t Take It Personally
It’s tragic then if when we suffer (are disciplined), we don’t take it personally. If we don’t acknowledge our suffering is because we need to mature in some way and not because “that’s life”. Or “bad things happening to good people” or “life in unfair”.
If we don’t get this right, we won’t learn the lesson, change our ways and progress to perfect maturity.
In effect then, we’ve suffered for nothing and wasted our pain.
Proverbs 3:17 tells us “Her [wisdom’s]ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.” On the other hand, “no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it Hebrews 12:11.
So, once we’ve attained maturity (righteousness, wisdom) by allowing ourselves to be trained by our discipline, we will have the peaceful, pleasant life that perfect wisdom affords. To read another post similar to Why Does God Let Us Suffer? It’s NEVER Random, click here: Trials and Glory in the Bible: The Connection.
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