A. GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF PAIN OR SUFFERING
1. God created a perfect man and placed Him in a perfect environment.
2. Pain and suffering are the consequences of living in a fallen world.
“To the woman He said: ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.’ Then to
Adam He said, ‘Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, “You shall not eat of it”: ‘Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil
you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the
ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return’” (Gen. 3:16-19, NKJV).
3. The question is not: Why do bad things happen to good people? The question is: Why do good things happen to bad people?
B. GOD’S ULTIMATE PURPOSE
1. To be like Jesus, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29, NKJV).
2. God did not create you to be happy or comfortable. He created you for a purpose. Advertisements: live without pain” are a myth.
C. GOD SOVEREIGNLY USES PAIN TO FULFILL HIS PURPOSE
1. “God whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain” -C. S. Lewis. Pain is a loud speaker.
2. Pain protects us from ourselves.
(a) Physical pain shouts “STOP.”
(b) “Lest I should be exalted above measure . . . there was given to me . . . a thorn in the flesh was given me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure” (2 Cor. 12:7, NKJV).
3. Pain strengthens our character. “Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete” (James 1:2-4, LB).
4. Pain strengthens our faith. “These trials are only to test your faith” (1 Pet 1:7, NLT).
5. Pain prepares you to serve Him better. Joseph fed the world because of threats, wrongful imprisonment, lies and rejections. “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20, NKJV).
6. Pain draws us closer to Christ. “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Phil. 3:10, NKJV).
7. Pain awakens us, to strengthen our life purpose. “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10, NKJV).
8. Pain motivates us to action. The pain of a tooth makes us call the dentist. Advertisement for exercise equipment, “no pain, no gain.”
9. Pain guides us and teaches us, i.e., growing pains. “My troubles turned out all for the best—they forced me to learn from Your textbook” (Ps. 119:71, The Message).
10. Pain may protect us from a worse situation.
a. Fever or infection needs treatment.
b. “For I am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin”
(Ps. 38:17-18, NKJV).
D. WHAT YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT CHRIST FROM PAIN
1. Develop the attitude of Christ when hurting. “Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had . . . he did not demand and cling to his rights . . . He made himself nothing . . . and in human form he obediently humbled himself . . . by dying a criminal’s death on a cross” (Phil 2:5, 7, 8, NKJV).
a. Yield everything, as did Christ.
b. Pray, “Your kingdom come in my life, Your will be done.”
c. Sufferings didn’t just end His life, it was the beginning of all things new.
2. If you are suffering, keep on doing what is right and commit yourself to God.
a. Bitterness and complaining only make you feel worse, not better.
b. The joy of doing right can bring more relief from pain than wallowing in self-pity and constant complaining. Your complaints will only make you feel worse.
c. In one sense, MIND OVER MATTER. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.
3. Always recognize God is in control. “He will not allow you to suffer above that you are able to bear it” (1 Cor 10:13, paraphrased). “Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way” (Col. 3:17, The Message).
4. Never forget: “You are never alone.” The same providence of God that allows you to be afflicted, on the other hand relieves you and comforts you. “Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as
the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth” (Hos. 6:1-3, NKJV).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Please contact me at eltowns@liberty.edu and tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
To receive this lesson, log on to www.elmertowns.com. You will find it under Sunday School lessons. To email Dr. Towns, eltowns@liberty.edu.
