Why Do Christians Suffer?

Intro: When writing this message, not to long ago, I had a conversation with a lady who lives here In the trailer park where I live. I was cutting her yard for her because she was hurt 2 weeks ago and could not do so and asked me to cut the lawn for her till she gets better.

When she came to pay me I could see she was distraught. She had in her hands a bunch of quarters and broken rolls of quarters and asked me I hope you take quarters.

I could see she was hurting and asked her dear what’s wrong, and she broke down crying and pour out all of her troubles to me that she was dealing with and experiencing. Then she was asking why was all this happing to her.

I looked at her thinking what words to speak and I was a bit lost of what to tell her and help her understand why she was dealing with all the mess she was in. So I told her you know what dear, keep your money, and if this matters at all, Jesus loves you and be blessed.

She broke down and cried thanked me, then I listen to her more and did my best to ease her fears and hurts and to comfort her the best way that I could.

She got around to asking me about my wife who was also suffering and as I was listing to her, my mind was thinking of my wife. Then I said to myself, what Sherry is dealing with is nothing compare to what this lady was dealing with and come to think of it, they are a lot more folks dealing with far worst than what Sherry has.

So when I finished cutting the yards, this lead me to write this message and I hope it helps someone else who may be suffering something In their lives in what I am about to say, including me and my wife.

Reading: 1 Peter 5:10 - And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Prayer…..

Title: Why Do Christians Suffer?

The title says it all, Why Do Christians Suffer? The only thing I can think of is this, we who have been called to this great purpose of conformity to the image of Christ will for that reason also be called to suffer with Christ.

If we want to know him and the power of his resurrection, then we will need to share in his sufferings, Philippians 3:10 says - that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Romans 8:17 also says – and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

What we learn from these passages is, that our death in any way is redemptive. Only Christ’s death can save. But yet, if anyone is in Christ, then that person has glory and hardship in store.

When giving this some thought’s of a answer to share, all I can think of is that the central reason for Christian suffering is fellowship with Christ. We should not be surprised at the trials that come our way but be glad that they mean we are communing with Christ’s sufferings. It can even be said that we fill up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.

Colossians 1:24 – says Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,

So often we are caught off guard by our sufferings, as though we ought to be exempt. We reason that since we are not condemned, then why should we continue to pay any price?

We hardly have all the answers for the mystery of suffering, especially the suffering of Christians. Ultimately, only God can have reasons for the evil in this world and the pain inflicted on its inhabitants. We do know that the immediate responsibility for evil is ours, not God’s.

But we wonder why believers who are acquitted from the responsibility still must receive the consequences deserved by sinners. The Bible explains that suffering has a number of purposes connected with sanctification.

One of them is the purification of our faith. Here is what Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1:7 - so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.