Why Suffer?

Not long ago, I was having a conversation with a friend, in which she stated that she believed people didn’t have to suffer. I, on the other hand, responded that I felt everyone suffers. I believe we all suffer because we are alive and may face the consequences of our own actions, or the actions of others. We may experience the death of a loved one, illness, loss of a job, or stocks may go down, resulting in a loss of value for an investor portfolio. There could be a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or an earthquake, causing great damage to people and property. Or we may go on a beach vacation and get sunburn, or it rains the whole time so the money for the trip was wasted. The fact is, we will suffer at some level at different times.

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Jesus didn’t lie. Suffering is a part of life. When I was younger, I would sometimes overhear my grandmother asking God why she had to suffer. I didn’t have an answer to that then, but after years of reading my Bible, I do now.

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5

There are versions of the Bible that say “we rejoice in our sufferings” instead of “glory in tribulations.” And there are versions that say we “celebrate” or “boast” in our tribulations. That seems to be taking it a little too far for me, but then, when I realize that these sufferings develop perseverance in me, which in turn builds godly character, then celebrating makes sense. In these tribulations, while persevering, I am also learning more about the character of God because He is with me through all difficulties, and I can know Him more as a Comforter, a Provider, a Protector, or whatever else I need during my challenges. Then my hope is in Him and not in man or circumstances. This is why James wrote that we can count it all joy when we go through trials of many kinds.

Face your troubles with courage and gladness, remembering that you have nothing to fear. The saint is filled with hilarity when crushed by difficulties, because the situation is so ludicrously impossible to anyone but God. “If you say, ‘The Lord is my refuge,’ and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you” (Psalm 91:9–10). No plague can come near the place where you are at one with God."

The above quote is from Oswald Chambers’ Utmost for His Highest. As believers, we should be able to laugh in our difficulties. Unfortunately, I am not quite there yet to find hilarity when I am being crushed. It almost seems like madness to be laughing in trials, but with God, we can. I am often impressed by Jamaicans who can joke around after losing everything in a devastating hurricane. However, this can be a great coping mechanism. It doesn’t mean they are not living in the reality of the destruction, but when they laugh in it, they are living beyond it. The Apostle Paul repeatedly told the Philippians in his letter to them to rejoice, yet he was under house arrest, but God was with him. And we too should not despair in our trials because God is with us. I recognized recently that I had been missing a very important word in Joshua 1:9.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Dismayed - this is the word I missed. All this time, God has been telling me not to be discouraged or disappointed because He is with me. Instead, I have had a tendency to complain. Sometimes we even get angry with God and grumble because His blessings aren’t what we want and how we want them. God is not happy with our complaining and grumbling.

Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Numbers 1:11

We should be careful about our complaining, and instead be grateful for whatever God is doing in our lives, even if it hurts. I had a friend who did not have feeling in her hands. When she was cooking, she would often burn her hands on the stove, but she could not feel it. She would not know what was happening until she smelled her skin burning. Pain can be good because it alerts us that something is wrong before things get worse. More importantly, God uses painful trials to get us back on His path, build our character, and help us trust Him more. Therefore, we can count it all joy when we suffer, because God will use it for His glory.