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An article I put in the “Chatters World” October 2001

Important Questions Answered

These last few years I have been searching for the answer to a very important question.  Some people cvan spend a lifetime trying to figure it out.  On Sunday 20th of May I found the answer.  I seems right to share it with you.  It’s the answer to why God allows suffering.  My mother and I have been troubled with bad health for many years and now we have new hope.  The answer came when I read an article in our Church magazine, by a former clergyman in my Church.  Strangely I had the answer all the time but I wasen’t sure.

We suffer because our Lord suffered on the cross.  He suffered for our sins.  “He made himself a slave to do The Father’s will.  How could I refuse to give my all, my best.”  Now do you see what I mean?  He gave a quote from a missionary called C.T. Studd.  He said,”If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for him.”

Let’s just turn to another type of suffering.  The suffering of the starving in Africa.  It’s different and I learned the answer to their dilemma a few years ago.  These unfortunate people simply suffer because of man’s inhumanity to man.  It’s common sense really, when you think about it.  Man causes their suffering in different ways.  A lot of these poor countries have a war going on all the time.  We hear regular news on our televisions of food aid to these starving people, being taken to the soldiers or even people who are supposed to be distributing it.  The greed of man.  Then there are countless stories of people afraid to donate to charity because of this problem, worried that their donation will get into the wrong hands.

Some people will argue thatr most wealthy people help keep children starving by their greed for spoiling themselves, living it uop with designer clothes and expensive holidays etc.  Sadly only a minority of wealthy people donate to charity.

Let’s hope I have helped you all as you read this, to realise the answer to some questions is more simple than we think.  We can have the answer but we are not sure, and then…..


 


       

An God who equips all of is children to live suffer and die for Him, says;

Phil 1
28  And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;


Petro

Welcome, Annahavil:

What you have stated above is certainly true, but not altogether the reason for the suffering of saints.

God has a very definite eternal purpose for putting His children through the furnace of affliction, persecution, trials and tribulations (Phil.1:29)  :

1. There is blessing in suffering, since God becomes our Divine Comforter (Matt.5:4; 2 Cor. 1:3-5)
2. There is blessing in persecution for righteousness sake, because those who suffer with Christ will also reign with Him (Matt.5:10; 2 Tim. 2:12)
3. There is blessing in persecution for the sake of the Gospel and Christ, because there is a great reward waiting in heaven (Matt.5:11-12)
4. There is a need to "suffer with Him", so that may may also be "glorified with Him" and there is no comparison between the magnitude of our present suffering and the magnitude of our future glorification (Rom.8:17-18).
5.  Suffering is designed to teach us the most valuable lesson on earth -- THAT NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR AND THE LOVE OF GOD OUR FATHER   (Rom. 8:35-39).
6. Suffering is designed to teach us that "no flesh should glory in His presence" and "He that glorieth, let Him glory in the Lord" (1 Cor. 1:26-31).
7. Those whom the Lord chooses as His choicest servants, He also puts through the greatest suffering, so that they become "fools for Christ's sake" (1 Cor. 4:9-17).
8. Those who purpose not to "hinder the Gospel" "suffer all things" (1 Cor. 9:12; 19-23).
9. Those who seek Christ's approval and a "crown", allow themselves to be disciplined through suffering (1 Cor. 9:24-27; 2 Cor. 5:9-11).
10. Love for others produces suffering and the Lord is the prime example of suffering, selfless love (2 Cor. 2:1-5).
11. Those who preach the Gospel must also suffer, so "that the excellency of the power [of seeing souls saved] may be of God, and not of us" (2 Cor. 4:5-9).
12. Suffering is meant to "make manifest" the life of Jesus in our bodies (2 Cor. 4:10-12).
13. The more we suffer, the greater will be our reward and our "glory" in eternity (2 Cor. 4:16-17).
14. Suffering takes our eyes off the temporal and fixes them on the eternal (2 Cor. 4:18)
15. Suffering becomes a badge of approval for those who serve God faithfully (2 Cor. 6:1-10)
16.  Suffering is a "trial of our faith" --  the genuineness of our faith is tested through suffering, and rewarded in heaven (1 Pet. 1:6-7).
17.  The trail of our faith through suffering forms the character of Christ in us (Jas 1:2-4) since it produces patience and brings great reward (Jas. 5:10-11).
18.  As the "sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ" (2 Cor. 1:3-5).  

Therefore the more we suffer, the more comfort and grace do we receive from God in this life, and the greater is the reward and the glory in the life to come!  So now, who does not wish to suffer?