Suffering Is Not

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.