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What the Bible Says About Suffering
Suffering is an inescapable reality of the human experience, touching every life regardless of age, status, or belief. From the minor irritations of daily life to profound grief, chronic pain, or persecution, its presence prompts fundamental questions: Why does it exist? What is its purpose? How should we respond? The King James Version of the Bible provides profound answers, offering comfort, hope, and guidance for navigating its stormy waters. It reveals that suffering is not meaningless, but often serves divine purposes within God's sovereign plan.
The Origin of Suffering: The Fall of Man
To understand suffering, we must first look to its origin. The Bible teaches that suffering was not part of God's original perfect creation. When God created the heavens and the earth, and Adam and Eve, He declared all things "very good" (Genesis 1:31). However, sin entered the world through the disobedience of the first man, Adam, and with sin came its devastating consequences: death, decay, and suffering. The Apostle Paul plainly states this truth:
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
The curse pronounced in Genesis 3:16-19 introduced pain in childbirth, toil in labor, and ultimately, physical death. Thus, the suffering we experience today is a direct result of humanity's rebellion against a holy God. It is a constant reminder of the brokenness of a world groaning under sin.
The Purposes of Suffering
While sin introduced suffering, God, in His infinite wisdom and sovereignty, often uses suffering for various redemptive purposes in the lives of believers. It is never arbitrary with God; He works all things according to the counsel of His own will (Ephesians 1:11). Understanding these purposes can transform our perspective from despair to hope, even in the midst of trials.
- To Discipline and Correct Us: Like a loving father, God uses suffering to correct His children and bring them back to Himself or to a path of righteousness. The author of Hebrews reminds us:
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Sometimes, suffering acts as a spiritual alarm clock, drawing us away from sin and closer to God's will. David confessed, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes" (Psalms 119:71).
- To Test and Refine Our Faith: God allows trials to prove the genuineness of our faith, much like fire refines gold. Peter writes:
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
These tests strengthen our reliance on God, revealing areas of weakness and strengthening our spiritual resolve.
- To Produce Endurance, Character, and Hope: Suffering is a crucible for spiritual growth. Paul outlines a beautiful progression:
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
Through enduring trials, we develop perseverance, a deeper understanding of God's faithfulness, and a stronger, more resilient character.
- To Draw Us Closer to God and Increase Our Dependence: In times of comfort, we often rely on our own strength. Suffering strips away our self-sufficiency, forcing us to lean wholly on God. It teaches us that His grace is sufficient, and His strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
- To Equip Us to Comfort Others: Those who have experienced suffering are uniquely positioned to empathize with and comfort others going through similar trials. God comforts us in our afflictions so that we, in turn, can comfort others:
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Our pain, when surrendered to God, can become a ministry of compassion.
Suffering in the Life of Christ
The ultimate example and pattern for suffering is found in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He, who knew no sin, became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) and endured unimaginable suffering, both physical and spiritual, culminating in His crucifixion. Isaiah prophetically described Him as "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3). His suffering was not for His own sin, but for ours, to provide salvation and reconcile us to God. Through His suffering, we receive healing and peace:
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
As followers of Christ, we are called to share in His sufferings (Philippians 3:10), not in a redemptive sense, but in bearing witness to Him in a hostile world. This includes persecution for righteousness' sake (Matthew 5:10-12).
The Believer's Response to Suffering
Given the reality and various purposes of suffering, how should a believer respond? The Bible offers clear guidance:
God's Presence and Promise in Suffering
Perhaps the most comforting truth the Bible reveals about suffering is God's unwavering presence with His people through every trial. He does not abandon us; rather, He draws near. David declared, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit" (Psalms 34:18). We are assured that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
And in the verses that follow, Paul affirms that "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:37). God promises to sustain us, to give us strength, and to work all things for our ultimate good and His glory. Even when the "why" remains a mystery, the "Who" is always present and faithful. The suffering of this present time is temporary and incomparable to the glory that shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). After we have suffered a while, God Himself will perfect, stablish, strengthen, and settle us (1 Peter 5:10).
Conclusion
The Bible offers a profound, multifaceted understanding of suffering, rooted in God's sovereignty, justice, and love. It reveals suffering as a consequence of sin, yet also as a powerful tool in God's hands for refining His people, drawing them closer to Him, and preparing them for eternal glory. Through Christ, our suffering has meaning and purpose, and we are never alone in it. By embracing this Biblical perspective, we can face suffering not with despair, but with enduring hope, knowing God is always at work, bringing good from pain, and that one day, He will wipe away every tear.
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