Why Believers Suffer

By Arthur J Licursi

Contrary to common belief, the Bible does not teach that all men are the children of God. Our Lord said to the “religious leaders” of His day, “Ye are of your father the devil” (John 8:44). But to the Christian believers at Galatia the Apostle Paul wrote: “Ye Are All The Children Of God By Faith In Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26).

As the children of Adam, it is not strange that we should have to bear suffering; for sorrow, sickness and death entered the world through sin (Rom. 5:12). Sin has definite ramifications, bringing about hurt for ourselves, our loved ones, and others; sometimes in the form of physical suffering and even death and most certainly in the soul-pain for the sinner and all who are touched by one’s sinning.

But some people wonder why God’s children, the genuine believers, whose greatest desire is to please Him, should have to suffer along with others who care not for the Lord. There are several reasons for this. In the case of Job, God allowed His servant to suffer to prove to Satan that Job did not live a godly life for personal gain — and Job was richly rewarded later for all he had borne.

Further, God’s people could not be of much spiritual help to others if they were exempt from the sufferings, which others have to bear. In such a case wouldn’t the unsaved say: “Yes, you can talk! You don’t know what it is to suffer disappointments, sickness and pain, as we do.”? Jesus, as a pattern, partook of the sufferings of mankind in every way when He was incarnated in a human body and suffered hatred and pain as He bore “the sin of the world” for His for all mankind, including His offenders.

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but (Jesus) was in all points tempted (tested) like as we are, yet without sin.”(Hebrews 4:15)

It must be remembered that even the most godly believer isn’t perfect and must at times be disciplined by His loving Father for persistent rebellion, “for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth” (Heb. 12:6).

This chastening is meted out remedially, as of a loving Father, for our good. Correction designed to, 1) keep us from sin and 2) keep us from having to suffer the natural consequences of our sinful acts. It then is a genuine blessing when the Lord permits our sins to become exposed or blow up in our face, whether it is lying, stealing, deceiving, cheating, manipulating for gain, gossip, slandering another, or otherwise. Such correction is for our benefit.

Finally, suffering and adversity tend to make God’s children pray more and lean harder on trusting Him, and herein lays their spiritual strength and blessing. Paul said: “I take pleasure in infirmities… for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor. 12:10).

But there is a twofold advantage which the suffering Christian has over non-believers. First, his sufferings are only temporary and, second, they work into is God’s eternal glory (expression).

“For Our Light Affliction, which is but For A Moment (is temporal and),

Worketh For Us a far more exceeding and Eternal Weight Of Glory” (2 Cor. 4:17).

We must take God’s view and be those who see through this life to the unseen eternal realm. Eternity with Christ is our destiny, so we are those who most value and are “Looking for that Blessed Hope, and the Glorious Appearing of The Great God And Our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).