Suffering

The issue of human suffering is universal in that we all experience it, all hate it, all crave an answer, and usually come to the end of ourselves. Job is the enigmatic poster child of suffering. He echoes the same questions we all have when we suffer except he voices them out over and over. Job’s story is further complicated by the fact that God seems to have colluded with satan (in attacking Job’s perfect life though he was “…blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” In Job 2:3b God says of Job after he had lost his property, his livestock and his children, “he still holds fast to his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him without cause.” Without cause!?  Scary! Job protests based on his righteousness and according to God’s estimation of him he would be right.

Job’s friends though! The only thing worse is being alone! They are not the picture of how to comfort a person who is suffering or grieving the loss of their children and of everything else. Their one mantra is, ‘the only way this could have happened to you is if you had sinned, if you are a wicked man.’

Disciples’ Perspective:

First of all a disciple needs to be clear that the singular source of ALL suffering – physical, emotional, or otherwise – is original sin. Even if you bang your head against a wall and it hurts, it’s because of what our bodies are now due to the effects of the fall. We should hate sickness and disease as we do sin.

Secondly we need to understand that Jesus took ALL our sin and suffering. It was ALL nailed to His cross. And when He declared over 2000 years ago that “it is finished!” he had paid for it all and healed us ALL completely. This is good news! When we repent and are baptized we identify completely with His death and burial; and when we come out of the water, we identify with His resurrection and are new creatures! Ones that never existed before.

So when we minister to people, we need to understand that there is no excuse. Even if they had surgery, we can speak healing. Even if they had an accident and there is a legitimate reason for their suffering, we can still take authority over it.

Thirdly, there is a kind of suffering that we are called to as we identify with Christ, and that is suffering persecution for righteousness sake. We should expect it so we are not thrown off course by it. Jesus told us plainly, “in this world you will have tribulation. . . but I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33). Paul also cautioned Timothy (3:12) thus: “. . . everyone who wants to live a godly life in /christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Bible Reading list – Jan 22-28

DATE	READING	Commentary
Jan 22	Job 12-14	Suffering – Part 1
Jan 23	Job 15-18
Jan 24	Job 19-21
Jan 25	Job 22-25
Jan 26	Job 26-29
Jan 27	Job 30-31
Jan 28	Job 32-34

This topic is to be continued as the book of Job provides more insight into suffering. Blessings.