HoHum:
Charlene Nelson said, “Suffering is not magic and mountain tops. Have you ever had a stomach bug? Or even a bad cold or the coronavirus? Did you feel super close to God while you walked through that? When your head was hung over the toilet, were you amazed with the godly attitude that just seemed to rush over you the more you vomited? No way, right? Suffering is suffering and it feels like suffering.” Suffering is the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship. Unless one is a masochist (one who derives pleasure from pain) we hate suffering
WBTU:
Some things in life that are best described by what they are not. Many times God is discussed this way. “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.” Numbers 23:19. Humans are made in the image of God but God is not a human. Hard to talk about the soul, to say that the soul is this way or that way is challenging. Sometimes easier to describe the soul as saying that the soul is not a body. Dealing with difficult subject like suffering we might want to enact this negation technique.
Thesis: Suffering is not...
For instances:
1. Suffering is not a sign of holiness
“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,” Philippians 1:29, NIV. There was a time when it was believed that to be a good Christian, one had to seek out suffering. Martin Luther, before he posted the 95 thesis that spurred the Reformation, was a monk seeking God. While a monk, Luther dedicated himself to fasting and penance. He performed acts of self punishment like neglecting sleep, enduing cold nights without a blanket, and, in an attempt to atone for his sins, even whipping himself. Reflecting on this time of his life, he would later say, “If anyone could have earned heaven by the life of a monk, it was I.” Let me say that we can never earn heaven by suffering, by masochism. “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:1, 2, NIV. Enjoy good health so that all may go well- this indicates that Christians should not seek out suffering- suffering will come about for everyone. ““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.”” John 16:33, NIV. Might be some who still hold to these masochistic lies but for the most part the sign of holiness in our day is health and prosperity but that topic is for a different lesson.
2. Suffering is not punishment from God
God does not delight in our pain. God is not a sadomasochist. He is a good father. “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 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 12:7-11, NIV. Notice that God disciples us for our good! A physician’s son became very ill. The father was the only surgeon available to perform the operation. This dad knew that the procedure would cause his son severe pain, but that it would also save his life. He also knew that the young boy might not understand why his father was hurting him. To explain the father said to his son, “I might hurt you, but I will never harm you.” Unable to provide better words to describe the chastisement of God in his dealings with us, God will never harm us, might have pain and hurt but God would never deliberately harm one of his children. The real question is not whether we will suffer, but how we will react to the discipline when it comes. We can see it as a miserable experience to be endured, or we can offer it to God for his redemptive purposes. This is the great truth Christians know: God can use what we suffer to draw us closer to Himself and to draw others to Christ by our example of how to deal with suffering in a Christian way. “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” 1 Peter 4:19, NIV. “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.” Romans 8:28, NIV.
3. Suffering is not due to sin
Now there is an element of truth in this. All suffering came about because of sin. With the fall of humanity came suffering because of sin. What is being said here is that suffering is due to some personal sin. God is punishing me because of the sins in my life. Reap what we sow. The good things in my life are because I did good. The bad things in my life are because I did something bad. Job faced this with his 3 friends. Job had done nothing to deserve all the bad that was happening to him. “Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”” Luke 13:1-5, NIV. Need more, then how about when Jesus and his disciples met a man who had been blind from birth. “His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus.” John 9:2, 3, NIV. What about those who have lung cancer from smoking- well, ok, we see the consequences from these actions. Even so, I have been around people who smoked their whole lives and never had trouble with their lungs or other body parts due to smoking. How about those people who get cirrhosis of the liver but never touched a drop of alcohol? Must have drank something, no! These simplifications are unhelpful. “He (God) causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:45, NIV.
4. Suffering is not an illusion
Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, lived during the 5th century BC. Guatama was born into a wealthy family as a prince in present day Nepal. Although he had an easy life, Gautama was moved by the suffering in the world. He decided to give up his lavish lifestyle and endure poverty. After 6 years of searching, Gautama found enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree. He spent the rest of his life teaching others about how to achieve his enlightened spiritual state. Now, to make this simple, through meditation one begins to see that suffering is an illusion. Now there is suffering that can be considered an illusion. I have worries about going to the dentist. Over the past several years, the dentist does the exam and says that everything is great and to come back next year. This suffering can be called an illusion- my mental and emotional suffering is real but the cause of it all is not. Even so, I know that suffering is real because when my wife went into labor, she wanted to squeeze my hand when the labor pains hit. My hand was so sore and bruised after this. Therefore I know that suffering is real. Suffering is a fact of life- “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18.
Transition: My preacher professor would have a fit- need to state this positively not negatively.
Thesis: Suffering comes from...
For instances:
1. Suffering comes from the curse
“For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it...” Romans 8:20, NIV. “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” Romans 8:22, NIV. Eat by the sweat of our brow, pain in childbirth, corruption that leads to death.
2. Suffering comes from resisting sin
“Because he (Christ) suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Hebrews 2:18, NIV. The flesh cries out to give in and enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time (Hebrews 11:25). Christ can help the tempted because he has empathy with them. He too has been tempted and knows what temptation is. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.” Hebrews 4:15, NIV.
Part of the suffering from temptation comes from others. “They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.” 1 Peter 4:4.
3. Suffering comes from persecution
Got ideas from Ron Craig who wrote, “What Christian Suffering is Not! And What it is!” Overall disappointed by the book but not about the emphasis that Craig places on the fact that Christian suffering is different from other sufferings because of persecution. “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,” 2 Timothy 3:12, NIV. “Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” John 15:20, NIV. an immoral and unreasoning hated for Christians
So What?
“Therefore, since Christ suffered (the cross) in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.” 1 Peter 4:1, 2
