Why Suffering?

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds..."
~James 1:2 (ESV)

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Why does the Lord grant suffering to His children? Why do Christians still face the same troubles and even more troubles than non-Christians? James talks about counting it all joy when we face trials of various kinds. How is this possible?

Greeting Your Trials?

Would it seem strange to you that God wills for us to greet trials as our best friend? So much changes when we realize how much the Lord works in us through our various trials and sufferings. In fact, if you observe your own life, would you not say that the times you've grown in the Lord most come as the result of hardship and testing of your faith? Trials reveal some very useful things of which we can take hold to our benefit:

1. Trials Reveal God's Sovereignty

Trials are not times when things are out of God's control. Neither are they times that God is pouring out His wrath on us. God's sovereignty is displayed in the Gospel--His plan could not be stopped to give His life for the forgiveness of man. There the wrath of God was all spent on God's Son, Jesus. So that removes any argument that trials are the punishment that Jesus removed with His own blood (though that is not to say that God does not discipline disobedience. God is not limited in the ways that He can work). God's sovereignty is displayed in His providence--His hand in everything, all the time, and nothing happening outside of His ordained plan for us. In other words, God grants trials to the believer as a growing experience! By His grace, we come out the other end a more sanctified being.

2. Trials Reveal God's Purposes

Being in the midst of a trial can be like having violent storm clouds swirling around our heads; we can't see a thing but the pain! Yes, it can be difficult to see what God's purposes are in the midst of a trial. But do we trust God? Do we take hold of the peace of God that surpasses all understanding that God has a specific, sanctifying, and unerring purpose for this trial? Not to say that it isn't painful. Life includes pain. But the pain isn't the end (meaning the end purpose) of the trial; God's glory and our good is! Going through a series of draining trials this past year, the Lord finally revealed to me what I believe to be a summary of His purpose for the trials. He revealed to me unexpectedly in a still, small voice, "It's to prepare you for more." I was shown that there would be greater suffering than this, and so it was God's mercy to have prepared me for greater suffering through these past trials! Did He tell me that right away? No. It took over a year. During that time I asked and pleaded for relief (which apparently was not the right thing for which to ask), and at times in deep anguish! Oh how I did not understand and still do not fully see. But what He has taught me through it all I would not trade for anything! He has revealed His purpose, and I am thankful. None of my anxiousness or other sins ever helped. His hand was in it all, all the time.

3. Trials Reveal Man's Dependence

In God's sovereignty, He draws us closer to Himself and to a deeper knowledge of our desperate need for Him. Through trials, He removes idols of our hearts that we would not let go of and replaces that desire with an even more passionate desire for more of His sweet presence. He takes a heart of stone and replaces it with a heart of flesh.

"And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God."
~Ezekiel 11:18-20

My pastor said recently that God will answer prayers in one of two ways: He will either answer as you asked, or He will give you more of Himself. The point is that God would remove detestable doubt, pride, idols, and other sin from our lives that He (not the things we want too much) will be our God!

So though we may not understand all that the Lord is doing now, let us believe this passage:

"Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told." ~Habakkuk 1:5

And remember the peace of God that I mentioned earlier? Here's how to take hold of it:

"[D]o not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:6-7

God bless, my friends!
-Franz