Big Topics Big Answers: Why Does God Allow Christians to Suffer?

Why Does God Allow Believers to Suffer? A Theology of Suffering

I Peter 1:3-7 ESV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1. Suffering is inevitable in this life – Since the fall, suffering has invaded
   • Genesis 3:14-19
     • The ground has been cursed
     • Pain of childbirth increased
     • Death and decay, sickness and disease
   • The earth is filled with sinners, we were among them
   • The enemy is at work – Why doesn’t God destroy him? Because he created with free will, doesn’t force his creation to serve Him, allows our choices to bring us to the end of ourselves. Uses even evil to bring about good. Romans 8:28, Habakkuk 1:5-11 God uses Babylon to deal with Judah’s idolatry ( More on this soon?)
   • The world hates Christ
   • Sinful Christians are being sanctified
   • This means people will continue to die, get sick, murder, betray, enslave, persecute, abuse substances, experience mental disorders, abort their babies, etc. Bigotry and racism will continue. “Natural” disasters will continue to occur as the Earth groans Romans 8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
   • This doesn’t mean we have no hope. In fact, it’s the opposite.
   • Of all people, we should not be shocked when tragedy strikes.
   • We should not be ill or bitter when things don’t go our way.
   • Until things are set right, suffering is a way of life in a fallen world!
   • We need to be ready to point others to Christ during times of suffering.
   • And we can’t do that if we don’t take God and his work seriously.
   • Application: Embrace and Expect Suffering as a Reality in this Life!
   • Use the sufferings of this life as an opportunity to worship Christ and point others to His all sufficiency!
   • Instead of looking away from the suffering in the world, use it to bring more glory to God by encouraging others while you are going through it. Example of Paul, Jesus
   • When you suffer, look for purpose to glorify God and see where God is at work.
2. Here is what we learn from our text about trials, tests, and suffering.
   • Faith requires testing to reveal that it’s genuine.
   • Faith is more precious than gold
   • This results in three things: Praise, glory, and honor at the revealing of Christ.

Greatest Lie vs. Truth

• Greatest Lie of Satan: There is no purpose to a life in suffering.
  • What’s the point of pain?
  • Why live life if you are suffering?
• False Premise: Life is meant for your pleasure, not pain. Not true!
• Truth of our Purpose for living.
  • Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and for your pleasure they were created and exist”.
  • We exist for His glory, to honor Him, to give him our power and strength.
  • We exist for His pleasure.

Suffering Requires Perspective

• In the moment there is labor, pain and suffering – Soon a lifetime, legacy of joy.
• 1 Peter 5:10 – And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
• Romans 8:18 – For I consider that the suffering of this present time is not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

God’s Purpose in Suffering

• God never wastes what we go through.
• God allows suffering to give you something better than momentary comfort and pleasure.
• The Alpha and Omega knows that some suffering now will produce an eternal and everlasting joy unspeakable and full of glory.
• Can you see that there are such priceless benefits of suffering now compared to eternal glory?
• God has all of eternity to lavish His love on us.
• ’They all lived happily ever after’ is not merely a fairy tale.
• It’s the blood-bought promise of God
• For all who trust through suffering in the one who suffered for them!
• Remember that God created pleasure, not the Devil!
• And He will maximize it in heaven.
• Why in heaven?
• Heaven will be incredible
• Because God is incredible.
• You and I cannot experience the glory and joy that will be ours in this carnal condition.
• Glory is weighty – Hebrew word chabad.
• God cannot reveal all of His glory on you now because it would destroy you.
• The weight of your suffering is equal to a grain of sand and eternity is the rock of Gibraltar.
• 2 Corinthians 4:17, 18 – For this light momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Suffering as a Sign

• Suffering can be a proof that you belong to Christ.
• Philippians 1:29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.
• Purpose of suffering is: For His sake, for the Sake of Jesus
• For those of the Faith, is suffering for Him…. Suffering is not pointless but produces Christ in us!
• Romans 5:3 We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character ( Whose Character?), and character produces hope (What is hope? Who is hope?).
• Suffering is purposeful and produces 3 things:
  • Endurance – you will run the race and finish in heaven
    • 1 Cor. 9:24 …run in such a way as to win or be victorious.
    • Someone has already finished this race for us, we need only to remain with Him.
  • Character – you will become more and more like Christ
    • Philippians 3:10 To experience a relationship with Jesus in this way meant sharing in the fellowship of His sufferings, even if that meant death.
  • Hope – We grow more and more secure in Jesus (That is what our Hope is) Jesus!
    • Hebrews 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

Hope in the “Here and Now”

• That’s later in heaven…But what about the here and now on Earth?
• In the same place of setback and suffering there is a set-up for success!
  • “in the valley of Achor”.
  • In Israel, there’s a valley called the Valley of Achor, all right?
  • Hosea 2:15 and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
  • In that valley God will set a door of hope.
  • Now, it doesn’t make sense. Why of all the valleys, is this valley?
  • But when you look at the name “achor,” it means “trouble,”
  • So God is saying in the valley of trouble he’s gonna open to you a door of hope.
  • Let that be a Word for some of you, you’re in a valley of trouble, but only when we look at the word, “achor,” we find the word “trouble”.
  • Listen to what God’s word has said – Door of Hope!
  • What the world calls trouble God calls hope.
  • What the world calls adversarial, God calls a great and effectual door.
  • Paul teaches this principle: 1 Cor. 16:9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
  • In the same place that there is a test, God has placed a trophy,
  • In the same place that there is trouble, God has placed triumph,
  • In the same place that there is pressure, there is promotion.
  • The promised land was known for resistance, God calls His rest!

Giant Grapes and Giants

• In the same place where there are giant grapes, there were giants, but there was also a GIANT GOD!
  • Grapes
    • They even went as far as to bring some of the grapes back on a branch carried by two men!
    • They saw the potential of the land
    • The grapes represented more than just potential; they also represented prosperity.
    • Prosperity preaching presents an Image of royalty being fanned and eating grapes while reclined in luxury.
    • There is more to prosperity than luxury and laziness!
    • Prosperity is for a Purpose and the Purpose is BIG!
  • Giants
    • Wouldn’t it be great if there were only grapes in life?
    • Unfortunately, with every opportunity there is always opposition.
    • Giant Problems were in the same place as Giant Grapes!
    • Someone once said, “The door of opportunity swings upon the hinges of obstacles.”
    • When you reach new levels, there will be new devils!”
  • Grasshoppers
    • They then broke the bad news that the Amalekites, who were the giants of the land, were spread out throughout the entire region.
    • The people obviously began to panic because Caleb had to still the people in Numbers 13. Two men named Joshua and Caleb stated in faith immediately, “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” I love these men’s spirit of faith!
    • Immediately, 10 spies began to speak back in faithlessness. They said that the nation was not able to overcome it. In fact they stated in Numbers 13:33, “We were in our own sight as grasshoppers.”
    • This statement sums up the real problem in this story. The real problem was not the giants—the real problem was a lack of faith and belief in the Word of God.
    • Notice that it was all about their sight. Did anyone ever stop to ask, “What about God’s sight?” How did God view these giants?
    • Someone once said, “Don’t show God your problems, show your problems your God!”
  • God
    • I am so thankful that 2 of these spies did not just see grapes, giants, and grasshoppers, but they saw God’s work!
    • They preached to the congregation that God can and that God will, but the congregation, as many do today, wanted to stone the preachers!
    • Thankfully, these 2 men not only entered into the Promised Land forty years later, they were leading the charge!
• God called this place, the same thing He calls heaven: REST!

Suffering and the Kingdom of God

• Suffering is how we enter the Kingdom of God
• Acts 14:21-22 “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
• Joni Erickson Tada spent the last forty-one years of her life in a wheelchair, and prays this sweet prayer, “Oh thank you, thank you for this wheelchair! By tasting hell in this life, I’ve been driven to think seriously about what faces me in the next. This paralysis is my greatest mercy.”
• This is how I want to pray! This is how I want to view suffering in light of my savior!

Conclusion

• Jesus said, “Anyone who would be my disciple, let him take up his cross and follow me.”
• Satan wants us to think we are alone, that God is not for us, and that His promises and love are negated because of the current pain we are facing. He wants us to focus on how people aren’t caring for us well. He wants us to accuse God of injustice.
• Application: When enduring suffering, remind yourself that there is a war going on that cannot be seen with the natural eye.