by Why does God allow suffering? That is the million dollar question.
I once tried to persuade a young woman that suffering is for our good. That if our lives were all rainbows and straight highways without tūthikī (that’s meru for snag or obstacle) we would be the worst version of ourselves. This girl had gone through a lot, and did not understand a world that needed one to face all manner of troubles.
I quickly realised I could not explain away her suffering without a Christian worldview. Without a Biblical framework, our stories will be those where you suffer a little, enjoy life a little and then die like a dog. Or a leaf.
Paul tells believers to expect suffering; they are only partaking in Christ’s life. If we have to share his glory, we have to share is suffering too.
Peter too in his first letter warns the believers to know that they must endure a lot of troubles, though for a little while.
And if you don’t believe those two, at least believe Jesus who told his disciples to expect trouble in this world.
Therefore, I know pain and suffering will checker our walk as sons of men. Because of a fallen world, because of sin, but most importantly because God ordains suffering for his purposes – in our lives an on the larger scale.
For this young woman, I did not know how to tell her that she was going through the refiner’s fire without sounding callous; that God loved her so much to leave her the way he found her. Suffering was a path of purification. “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.” Would she choose to submit to this school of suffering and discipline?
“These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” 1 Peter 1:17
Lessons from ancient Israel
In the Old Testament, God sent nations to attack Israel that they may turn away from their evil and obey him. He was so interested in refining a people for himself he would use their enemies to chastise them and lead them to repentance.
In Zephaniah 3, God says:
“I have cut off nations; their battlements are in ruins; I have laid waste their streets so that no one walks in them; their cities have been made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant. I said, ‘Surely you will fear me; you will accept correction. Then your dwelling would not be cut off according to all that I have appointed against you.’ But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt.”
Zephaniah 3:6-7
If only we can learn to look at suffering as a process that produces perseverance, faith and hope as James says. In this sense suffering becomes a blessing because it is working for good for God’s purposes.
No discipline seems pleasant at the moment, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those that have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)
in Zechariah 13 God talks about purifying the remnant of Judah after he has scattered the sheep and cut a majority from the land.
I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as good and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on my name and I will answer them. I will say, “These are my people,” and they will say, “This is our God.” Zechariah 13:9
God wants trouble to direct us to him. He wants us to call on him in the day of trouble. He wants us to be purified by the fire then find our salvation in Him.
“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame”. —Rom. 5:3–5
Yet not everyone gets refined by suffering. The nations Zephaniah refers to were not refined by suffering. They went through the fire and came out as dross, not silver or gold.
The furnace is a must for all. The question is whether it will refine us or leaved us charred, like those pop corns at the bottom of the pan. Those who are refined are those who submit to God’s discipline, who through pain do not let go of the hand that holds them, who like Job say, even though you slay me, still I will trust you’.
The furnace is a must for all. The question is whether it will refine us or leaved us charred, like those pop corns at the bottom of the pan.
God is so interested in the people we become he will use all tools, including suffering, to refine us into people he can use. If you see trouble at your side, know that God is running after your heart. He wants you to turn away from idols and falsehood and unbelief and look to him.
God uses trouble to shake our false foundations that we may look to him alone, trust in him for our salvation and deliverance. Salvation belongs to God. Don’t let trouble leave you at the same place it found you or at a worse place of unbelief and faithlessness, even cynicism.
May our troubles lead us near the cross. May our troubles show us that we need God. May our suffering show us that God is faithful. And when He delivers, and we know He surely will, may His name be glorified among the nations. Shalom.
