In this week's devotional we will continue to study the subject of why does God allow suffering and pain in this life. Let me quickly bring back into focus what we covered last week before we continue in today's second part on this subject. As you may recall we learned from Scripture that God has no problem revealing and taking full responsibility that He has His hands in the processes of our daily blessings and troubles that may show up in our life. However, with that said, please understand that this is not to imply that God creates them in our lives per say...I merely suggest from what the Word describes and that is He gives permission to our adversary to which serves a greater purpose that possibly leaves it way beyond our understanding to why He would allow it to happen.
Let me list four Scriptures which plainly show us that God does watch over the affairs of our lives even the bad stuff. Please keep in mind that God is the same yesterday as He is today and how He will be tomorrow; God never changes.
Isaiah 45:7 (NLT)
7 I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things.
Exodus 4:11 (NLT)
11 Then the Lord asked Moses, "Who makes a person's mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord?
John 9:1-3 (NLT)
1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth.
2 "Rabbi," his disciples asked him, "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?"
3 "It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins," Jesus answered. "This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.
Job 37:9-13 (NLT)
9 The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the driving winds bring the cold.
10 God's breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water.
11 He loads the clouds with moisture, and they flash with his lightning.
12 The clouds churn about at his direction. They do whatever he commands throughout the earth.
13 He makes these things happen either to punish people or to show his unfailing love.
Job 2:9-10 (NLT)
9 His wife said to him, "Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die."
10 But Job replied, "You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.
As you can see through these Scriptures we just posted God is very much involved as an overseer in what He will allow our adversary to do or bring into our life. God's purposes always exceed the temporary moments of our troubles that we want controlled favorably by Him, but become dumbfounded when they do not change. Let's look at a passage from God's Word and see what it has to say about suffering.
James 5:11 (NLT)
11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
As we look at the life of Job we do witness that it all ended good. But I will assure you that Job did not see that while his life all around him was crumbling to the ground. It's possible that someone might comment then why did God allow Satan to exist? Well, believe it or not even Satan plays into the hands for God's purposes. We should note here that God did not make Satan in the beginning as we might understand him to be today. Satan re-created himself by falling from his original purpose. Yet, despite this creation by God that obviously has gone wild; even the attacks of this evil and destructive devil serves the purposes of God. In other words, the greatest of tragedies can be turned into the greatest of victories! Let me give you a perfect example of this: What was more gruesome and cruel as the crucifixion of Jesus Christ?
Let me ask you this. Who was behind the horrific and cruel crucifixion of Jesus Christ? Your obvious answer of course is the devil! We all know he used Judas to betray the Lord for 30 pieces of silver. This devil manipulated and worked through Pilate as well as through the Roman soldiers that beat and scourged Jesus. But the devil also worked through the religious leaders of that day who he influenced to turn the Lord of glory over to be crucified. Insomuch as this is the truth about the devil, there was someone else working within this atrocity, and that of course is none other than God the Father. God in some strange and hard to understand way, was working in conjunction with the devil against His own Son. Yet, for different purposes mind you. So, it's this way that we learn that though our adversary comes to steal, kill, and destroy our lives, God within its workings as bad as they may seem and may actually be at the moment...God is doing something far greater than we often realize is being accomplished. In the midst of such suffering and pain we don't recognize God can be right in the middle of it all, working a plan just like He was in His own Son, Jesus!
Hebrews 12:11 (NLT)
11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening-it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
Now this brings us back to our story involving Job. We are getting a glimpse into the worst time of his life and at that very same time we now witness three of his friends (debatable) coming onto the scene.
Job 2:11-13 (NLT)
11 When three of Job's friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite.
12 When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to show their grief.
13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.
One thing that sticks out to me in this passage just read is that there are times that people are suffering so deeply that we need to refrain from speaking any words and just be there for them. It is not a time to bring forth some lofty sermon from God's Word. Remember they are hurting and hurting people are emotionally disoriented from why this has happened to them. Now look with me at these three friends that sat with Job at the worst time of his life offering such lame and unfounded words during this heavy moment that Job was enduring under. Our first character was a man by the name of Eliphaz who obviously saw God as inflexible and unsympathetic and who gives us exactly what we deserve. Listen to what he spoke to Job...
Job 4:7-8 (NLT)
7 "Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed?
8 My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same.
Clearly we can see that Eliphaz is blaming Job for what has fallen upon him based on the sowing and reaping principle that we find in God's Word. Now, I wrote a book about that subject which deals with the many outcomes that arrive into our lives through how we sow wrongly in this life. It is a principle that certainly cannot be ignored where it may apply to what we may be receiving in our life due to the wrong kind of sowing. But here we are talking about a just man according to God's description of him who is suffering for no reason at all. Job was a man of integrity, a man of prayer, and a man who loved his God! Yet, Eliphaz was attributing all of Job's troubles because he had obviously sown badly and now getting his just reward. Now we come to our second friend Bildad who thought Job's problems are due to some sin in his life.
Job 8:20 (NLT)
20 "But look, God will not reject a person of integrity, nor will he lend a hand to the wicked.
Bildad was very deliberate by saying to Job's face that he was obviously not in private what he portrayed himself to be in public! In other words, you are not the man of integrity that you have led on that you are or there is no way that this would have been allowed to happen to you. I tell you having friends like these can be a real suffering and pain of themselves. Now let us look at our third friend Zophar who is a piece of work to say the least. Listen to what he had to say about all of this that Job was going through...
Job 11:6 (NLT)
6 If only he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom is not a simple matter. Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!
Can you imagine...as you are suffering through something so severe and difficult as what Job was experiencing and this friend comes along and begins to fill your ears with the notion that you deserve all of this, and quite frankly, you deserve far worse than your getting. How would that make you feel? Well, this is exactly what Zophar was saying to Job about these domino of experiences to which came one after another with a vengeance and without mercy. Oh, and he didn't stop there either...listen to what else he had to say about all of this that was happening to Job.
Job 20:7-10 (NLT)
7 yet they will vanish forever, thrown away like their own dung. Those who knew them will ask, 'Where are they?'
8 They will fade like a dream and not be found. They will vanish like a vision in the night.
9 Those who once saw them will see them no more. Their families will never see them again.
10 Their children will beg from the poor, for they must give back their stolen riches.
Geez...with friends like these who needs enemies, right? Its one thing to be afflicted for no reason that can be fully explained; but to have negative people all around you who add to the confusion with all their bull-(poop) based from their human opinions which is enough to cause the strongest believer to collapse under; and I believe that is what was beginning to happen to this righteous man Job as he now starts to weigh in on why things were happening. Job wants to know why! I don't believe for a minute that God is bothered by some of our "whys." In fact, listen as Jesus hangs on the cross and cries out: "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" We can even see our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane asking His Father if it's possible may this be done a different way than how it is obviously going to happen. Yet, I will mention that Jesus did rest on the will of His Father despite the choice, "Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done!" Look now with me as we listen in on how God responds back to Job's chatter after being under these three friends and their ignorance. God had obviously grown very tired of how Job was now perceiving things...
Job 38:2-3 (NLT)
2 "Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
3 Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
You know what most fail to catch here: is that God never did tell Job "why" about any of those things that happened to him. God just revealed more of Himself to Job. I believe that is what is needed more than understanding the details of all that is happening to us. We don't always need the explanation as much as we need more of Him to come into focus.
A Small God, produces big problems...A Big God, makes small the problems!
I want to give you six things to why I believe God allows bad things to happen in our lives. In no way do I pretend that this exhaust all there is to know about this subject; but I do believe it will lend some insight just the same.
1. God is in control of all circumstances that surround a believer.
The devil cannot do anything to a believer without the express permission of God. The question might arise, then why would God ever allow the devil to do such things in the first place? I believe Scripture gives us quite extensive answers based on what we actually discover about ourselves when faced with difficult things in life. We are told to let patience have her perfect work in us, so that we may be in want of nothing producing a perfect man (James 1:4). We are to count it all joy when we fall into different temptations as it is working something far greater than we might understand at the moment (James 1:2). Many times people think that being a righteous person will somehow exempt them from going through difficulties in life. Therefore, it's this premise that character is thought to be made within our crisis...yet the truth is character is revealed there. Consider the words of the apostle Paul...
1 Corinthians 4:9-13 (NLT)
9 Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world-to people and angels alike.
10 Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed.
11 Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don't have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home.
12 We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.
13 We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world's garbage, like everybody's trash-right up to the present moment.
Paul was one of the leaders of the gospel of Jesus Christ and yet he was not opted out of trials and persecutions that Jesus said would come to all of His followers. What is a fact is that our God is in control of our lives through the good times and the bad times. Our adversary the devil on the other hand is clueless to the workings of our God in the midst of what the devil is actually trying to destroy in our lives. Consider this:
1 Corinthians 2:8 (AMP)
8 None of the rulers of this age or world perceived and recognized and understood this, for if they had, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.
2. Suffering helps us grow spiritually and makes us stronger in our faith
James 1:2 (Phillips NT)
2 When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don't resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realize that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with integrity.
I know there are a number of folks that will argue this point being made: on how I believe suffering leads to eventual spiritual growth and a stronger faith. But for them to dismiss my thoughts they will have to erase a great deal of Scripture to substantiate their position.
3. God works through our weaknesses.
If you think about it anyone can serve God while the sky is blue and all things are perfectly sunny. But what happens when you take away that hedge of protection from them...will they curse God to His face? This is what Satan told God that Job would do if He removed His protection from off of him. Yet, as God bragged on the kind of man that Job was; the devil said he wouldn't be once God removed His protection...but Satan was surprised to learn that Job continued to love God before, in-between and afterwards despite the troubles and afflictions that he had received at the hand of the devil. There are many things unfortunately that people will have to deal with in the forms of handicaps or disabilities in this life that never do iron out as they had hoped. This is not to imply, that we are to stop believing for what is provided in the atonement according to the Word of God...but rather that if for whatever the reason God leaves it in tact no matter how many times you have prayed about it...can you except the outcome without sitting down on life and getting angry? I know there are those reading this that will defy the idea that we should ever accept less than what the promises say are ours in Christ Jesus; and I understand the feeling completely...I say keep asking just as the Word tells us to. But we have to consider that there are biblical and New Testament results that lend support to what happened in the life of Paul though he asked several times for something to be removed from him.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NLT)
8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.
9 Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
4. God will allow our suffering to get our attention.
Sometimes we can be so hardheaded that we don't pay attention to anything that God is trying to communicate to us. Therefore, He allows something of such difficult magnitude that it is sure to wake us up. Whereas, we generally don't like to think about God in terms of discipline especially in light of how the grace message is often ipromoted today by some. Consider a passage found over in Psalms 119.
Psalms 119:67 (NLT)
67 I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word.
This could be easily tied to the same meaning as found in the 23rd Psalm where we find that the shepherd uses his rod and staff to keep his sheep in the fold. Whether some want to believe it or not, God does allow things in our lives to wake us up.
5. Our suffering will not last forever.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NLT)
17 For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
18 So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
6. Suffering can be used to prepare us for a special task.
The greatest example that comes to mind is the story about Joseph. Anyone who knows their bible will be familiar with this story. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers who were jealous of him because of his dreams and favor with their father. In addition to all of this, we discover how that Joseph suffered many years for what would eventually play out as a plan that God had in mind all along.
Genesis 50:19-20 (NLT)
19 But Joseph replied, "Don't be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you?
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.
We must keep things in perspective regarding suffering and pain. God's end results is not to make you or I happy as to the comforts of this world as we presently have the many beliefs out there that suggest otherwise; but God desires to transform us to the same image as His Son Jesus!
Romans 8:28-29 (AMP)
28 We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design andpurpose.
29 For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.
Whatever our pains and sufferings may induce upon us today...don't allow those pains to be wasted with endless complaints. Our pain helps us to identify with others that need the same "grace" that we obtained in the fire of our own suffering.
Hebrews 4:15-16 (AMP)
15 For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities andliability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.
16 Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].
Perhaps the hardships of today are preparing us for great opportunities tomorrow. Remember that Job did not have the book of Job to read about how things would eventually turn out for him. His love and trust in his God carried him through what he could not understand or see at the present moment to which he was suffering under. But in the end it revealed the reward of God would be doubly upon Job. God really does have a plan that far exceeds the suffering and pain that we sometimes experience in this life. Learn to trust Him always by giving thanks unto Him in all things...for He is faithful!
