The Suffering Servant

First I’d like to give a little background for this study. My family has three members with some of the most extreme back issues that you’ll ever see, other than some type of paralysis (and in one case there is some paralysis in one leg and some internal organs). They suffer with constant pain, and can’t work. Each instance is vastly different, but each is seemingly going to last until the end of their lives. I for one believe in healing, and I believe that God still heals miraculously. But, while the pain exists, the issue weighs heavily on all of our minds and hearts.

On 10/7/12, Sunday morning, while drinking my coffee and checking my e-mail, I felt compelled from out of nowhere to do a study on suffering. I must admit that it baffles me that this has never entered my mind until then, but somehow it did not. I then got up from my computer and went downstairs to watch church. John Ankerberg was on, and the topic was severe chronic pain and how to deal with it. I took this as a sign from God, and was eager to begin.

I wrote to one of my cousins, who has the most recently developed back issue, and told her about the aforementioned information, and I told her that I had, at the same time started a study on forgiveness that I felt God was leading me to finish first, but that soon I would have a study completed on suffering that may help or encourage her. She told me that she was in the middle of a several week study on forgiveness. So, God has confirmed that both are being done on His time schedule, and that He is the One putting things together. I also believe that the two subjects are linked. Perhaps un-forgiveness is a cause of some physical suffering. The following link is to the Hatena Diary Bible study on forgiveness, I suggest that everyone reads it, as the subject is life or death. If you do not forgive others God will not forgive you. “Forgiveness Is Mandatory” - http://d.hatena.ne.jp/nicholighkun/20121011/1349975761

And with that, let’s get going.

Example Of Suffering

Surely we are all familiar with the story of Job in the Bible. His livestock, whereby he made his living and his 10 sons and daughters were all destroyed in a single day. And soon after, his health was taken when he was stricken from head to tow with boils.

The story of Job is one so rich with insight it’s difficult to know where to begin, so we’ll just begin with the events in order, which can be found in Job 1 & 2. First we read of a day when all the sons of God gather to present themselves to Him, and Satan comes along with them. It is VERY important to note that GOD first brings up the name of Job in 1:8, as if to boast to Satan of Jobs uprightness before God. Remember that Satan is called the accuser of the brethren in Revelation 12:9-10. This is important because God knows the end from the beginning, Isaiah 46:10, so God surely knew that Satan would challenge Him. Satan surely sought to cause Job to give the devil a reason to accuse Job before God. That means that when God brought up the name and character of His servant Job to Satan, He already knew that it would cause Satan to challenge God with what are certainly the most difficult trials for any one man, outside of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Word of God. God knew what Satan would request. It is also worth mentioning that God could easily have said no.

Next take note that, in this instance at least, it is Satan who brings death and destruction, yet God allows it. This is difficult for many Christians to reconcile the notion of a loving God with the controversial story of Job, but rejecting the truth of the matter, simply because it is a hard truth, won’t help your faith, it will weaken it immensely. We are allowed to ask God why, but God is not required to tell us, and we are not allowed to demand a response before we move on. Moving on in whatever way that we know, even when we feel overwhelmed by circumstances; that is faith. In other words, don’t sit down, waiting to move until you receive an answer as to why things are the way they are. If you know the next step to take, then take it. Sometimes He will give us an answer, but His silence doesn’t mean that He has suddenly gone deaf. Isaiah 59:1 “Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:"

I’d also like to point out that Jobs suffering was not the result of any sin that is recorded in the Word of God. The record of Job is that he was an exceedingly just man. Not all suffering is due to sin. In fact Jobs friends repeatedly told him that he must have some secret sin that only the Almighty knew of, and that this secret sin must be the reason for Jobs suffering. God later rebukes the men, and has Job pray for them. So if you see someone suffering greatly, be sure that you do not assume that they have committed any great sin. Job repeatedly tells his friends that all he wanted was to be comforted, and instead they all three sought to labor him with guilt upon his grief. If you know someone who is suffering, comfort that person and pray for him or her.

Now let’s look at Jobs response. The whole of chapter 3 is Job cursing the day he was born. Also note that the mighty prophet Elijah requested death because the wicked sought his life in I Kings 19:1-18. And this was after Elijah had performed many miracles for God, and done many mighty works, like raising the dead, and calling fire from heaven. God never rebukes either man for crying out to God in agony. The point is that we can be honest with God, and we are allowed to be upset. Be angry and sin not. If we blaspheme God in anger then we have sinned, thereby adding the anger of God to a situation that REQUIRES His presence. We should be honest with Him, but holding back emotion is nothing more than attempted deception. Usually when we Christians are going through a difficult time, be it physical, emotional or spiritual suffering, we tend to “put on a brave face” for Christ’s sake. But if we are masking our emotions for ANYONE: God, friends, family, or church, then we are deceiving them, and we are also impeding their ability to see our pain, and therefore our need for prayer. If everyone thinks you’ve totally got it together, when you’re actually on the brink of falling off, then they won’t be compelled to pray for you, or to offer some other form of help, unless the Holy Spirit intervenes. Be honest with believers about what you’re struggling with. God put them in your life for a reason. Matthew 18:19 “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."

One more poignant example of a person revealing their frustration with God in a holy way is the story of Mary, just after her brother Lazarus had died. Jesus was told that Lazarus was sick, but He decided to wait where He was, until Lazarus had died. After Lazarus dies, and Jesus finally arrives in the village, the following is recorded; John 11:32-35 “32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept.” Jesus felt deep emotions for her pain. He is not some stoic deity sitting on a throne, sighing every time we cry to Him in pain. His empathy toward us is deep and it is real.

Possible Reasons For Suffering

(1) One reason for God to allow suffering in a believers life is to set an example to others of how to respond to hardship in a holy manner. Job is an excellent example of this. Job did not sin to receive his suffering, it was ordained by God for our sakes. It is thousands of years after these events and we are still learning from his story. Not everyone has a real life model for a godly response to suffering, so God uses whom He Will, when He will to accomplish this. If He is using you to set an example for others in a similar situation, and you are not setting the proper example, then you may suffer longer than you would if you were to stand upright. Thanks to I Corinthians 1:3-4 & 10:11-13 we know that God uses the stories of some to teach others, and that He does not test us above our ability to endure. And Romans 12:3 seems to say that each person has faith in different measures. Therefore, we can deduce that God chooses certain of us to give a larger measure of faith to, and to some of those, He often gives the more difficult situations, so that our example can teach those around us, who have a weaker faith. Even though this can be very difficult to accept when you’re dealing with extreme amounts of pain, God may have chosen you to be a living example to others. God rarely, uses someone who has never wrestled with addiction, to minister to someone with severe addiction, because many times people in the midst of a particular struggle need empathy as much as they need truth, and usually only someone who’s been through the same struggles personally can reach us or help us when no one else can.

Is there someone in your life that is suffering like you, but they do not know God, or perhaps their notion of God is skewed by some means? If so, there’s a great chance that God is preparing you to be a witness to them. Sometimes this can be difficult, depending on the person or people that we feel lead to minister to, but that is a perfect time to run to God like a little child. Luke 18:17 “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.” Matthew 18:4 “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” He can and will help you to do what He has called you to, only believe that His Word is true.

(2) Yet another reason for suffering is to keep us humble. In II Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul writes “7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Sometimes God intends to use us in such a mighty way, that He allows infirmities, reproaches, necessities, persecutions, and distresses, in order to keep us humble, because pride comes before destruction, Proverbs 16:18, and a destroyed spirit cannot restore the breaches.

(3) Another reason for suffering is to teach us to be fully dependant on God. Isaiah 19:22 says that God breaks, and then binds the very wound that He has made. This goes back to the word picture used that Jesus/God is a shepherd. One method that a shepherd may use for a sheep that has a tendency to wonder is to break the sheep’s leg, and then bind it immediately. The shepherd then carries the sheep on his shoulders, until it’s wound has fully healed. After this, the sheep stays close to the shepherd, and listens to him. This may seem cruel, but the only other option is to let the sheep wonder whenever it finds opportunity, only to eventually be consumed by a predator, or to fall into some unseen trap. Sometimes God will do things that teach us to rely on Him, and that keep us from wondering into the wilderness without Him. One way of looking at this method is to consider suffering to be a refining fire, much like impurities in silver are removed by placing it in the fire. Zechariah 13:9 “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God."

It does one well to learn to call on the Name of The Lord in all circumstances. Those who truely belong to Him will call on His Name, and if they are not doing so presently, then He will teach them to do so, and hardship is most often the way in which we learn that lesson.

(4) Physical suffering can also be the result of un-confessed or un-repented sin. James 4:16 tells us to confess our faults [sins] one to another, and pray for one another, so that we may be healed. In other words, if you have health issues, and you are requesting prayer, but there is also known sin that has not been dealt with, then you’re hurting, or perhaps destroying your chance of being healed by God. Confess your sins to a believer that you trust, and thereby avail yourself to the healing Hand of God.

(5) And because of the timing of this study, and the way that God seemed to link it to the un-forgiveness issue, I’ll go ahead and suggest that with un-forgiveness in your heart, you may very well continue to suffer physically with health issues. If you’re aware of any un-forgiveness in your heart, please begin to be honest with yourself about it, and deal with it. Making excuses, or calling it by a different name, doesn’t fool God; at best it will fool you, and you will continue to suffer for your rejection of the command of Christ, to forgive trespasses against you. Again, PLEASE read the study on forgiveness that is linked in the third paragraph of this study.

Summary

There are presumably other reasons for suffering as well, but only God knows why He is allowing you or someone you know to suffer. The question we should be asking isn’t “Why?” the question should be “Is there something I’m missing Lord, please open my eyes.” I suggest that you study king David. God Himself described David as a man after Gods own Heart. One of the greatest lessons for us regarding the person of David is that He always gave God the glory for his victories, great and small. I personally won’t even speculate on what my part actually is, in the work that God uses me for, I will let God declare it if it needs to be known. Otherwise, He is responsible for everything good that I do.

Also, if there is a lesson that God has given you several times over; a lesson that you refuse to work on, then you can be sure that you will regret your refusal. You may not find yourself in a place of physical pain, but you will certainly be working contrary to the plan of God in your life, and that could lead to many, many difficult and stagnant places. Also, those lessons are often intensified each new time they need to be repeated. God will teach you what He wants you to learn, and He only chastens those that are sons.

Hebrews 12 “1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye ba****ds [one born, not in lawful wedlock, but of a concubine or female slave], and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. 18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire."

If God stops chastening you, then you should be very afraid.
The bottom line is this, God is good, and only He knows the reasons for your trials. Our only responsibility is to respond as He has given command. In John 14:21 we read “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."

Do you want to show God that you love Him? Do you want Jesus to manifest Himself to you? Then keep His commandments.

To learn more on the nature of the Old Covenant [Testament] commandments i.e. their purpose and their current status, please read the following Hatena Diary Bible study. http://d.hatena.ne.jp/nicholighkun/20120727/1343415433

And to learn more about the New Covenant law of Christ, read this Hatena Diary Bible study. http://d.hatena.ne.jp/nicholighkun/20120829/1346260564

Believe on the Son of God. Love God, love your neighbor [which includes your enemies], forgive the trespasses against you, and thereby you will show Jesus that you love Him, and He will love you, and He will manifest Himself to you.