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The Beginning (CLICK YOUR BROWSERS "BACK" BUTTON WHEN FINISHED) |
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When a person looks at the subject of suffering in a Christian’s life (I will use the term suffering interchangeably with trials, afflictions and pain), there are so many struggles and questions we have. John Stott said, “The fact of suffering undoubtedly constitutes the single greatest challenge to the Christian faith.” Many people through the ages have turned their back on God over the issue of pain in their life. Why is suffering such a big issue? I believe it is because our desire is for happiness. From infancy, our goal seems to be happiness and the freedom from any physical, emotional, or relational pain. Most of this has to do with feelings. I want to feel good! Usually feeling good has to do with our circumstances. Helen Keller in her book Optimism wrote in 1903, “No matter how dull, or how mean, or how wise a man is, he feels that happiness is his indisputable right.” Even one of the basic tenets of our founding fathers was that we would have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” So happiness becomes the goal and anything that interferes with my happiness is bad. It becomes the idea of “I want what makes me feel good and I want it now.” In the Christian life, we call that attitude the flesh. Living in the flesh is the opposite of living in the Spirit. Denying the flesh does not mean that we will not be happy or that it is bad to be happy. It does not mean that the Christian life is one of suffering or that you are more virtuous or holier for suffering. To really understand the subject of suffering we have to go back to the beginning. Let’s look at Genesis 1, 2 and 3 and what happened between God and man and woman. Man and women were created in God’s image. They had an intimate fellowship with God. They had a perfect environment. They had perfect bodies built to last forever. God provided everything they needed. But He gave them the ability to choose. They could chose to eat from the tree of life and live forever in that condition or they could choose to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and suffer the consequence of their sin and disobedience. The question always arises at this point — why did God give them the choice? Why didn’t He just make them perfect and leave it at that, no choices? I don’t think anyone can give us an absolute answer to that question. But most believe that it is because He wanted them to choose to obey Him, to love Him, to walk with Him. We could say that He gave them freedom. Philip Yancy said, “the Bible translates the entrance of suffering and evil into the world to a grand but terrible quality of human beings — freedom.” Freedom can be a wonderful quality to life. It was God’s desire for us. But in that freedom, Adam and Eve chose sin or turning away from God. They were led in that direction by the deception of the enemy who said to Eve, “You can sin and get away with it. Surely God didn’t say that. He is withholding something good from you.” (Donna’s paraphrase version). Eve believed the deception, the lie of the enemy and Adam followed in disobedience. I see this event as the first suffering or trial. How did Adam and Eve respond to the trial? They hid from God in fear. Their concept of God was immediately distorted. God had told them the consequence of their actions to eat would be death. Man began to decay and die physically and he died spiritually as he was separated from God. How was God feeling at this time? What was He thinking? I think God was grieved over man’s choice but not surprised. After all, He made provisions for man’s sin from the foundation of the earth. I believe He Who else is affected by Adam and Eve’s sin? All of us. Romans 5:12-21 is really clear about Adam’s role. “For if, by the trespass of one man [Adam], death reigned through the one man [Adam], how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through one man, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17) The bad news is that we not only have to deal with sin but consequently with suffering, because we have all chose to sin just as Adam did. The good news is that God provided abundantly for us through Jesus Christ. We do not have to remain sinful, we can now be righteous because of Him. The reality of sin is that it causes pain for us and pain for others. There is no way to escape sin, pain, or suffering even as Christians. I think that is what Jesus had in mind when He said “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Yes, it is a fact that we will have trouble in this world. But we can overcome that trouble as we receive Christ and focus on Him! Has there been a time in your life when you have suffered as Adam and Eve did? Have you had to suffer because of the consequences of your own choices? Have you believed the lie of the enemy and acted in disobedience? Some of our suffering comes as a result of our own choices just as it did in the beginning. Sometimes the effects of those choices last a life time. What was God thinking, feeling, when you made your choice? Was He surprised by your choice? I think that God was probably grieved over your sin as He was from the beginning. But surprised? I don’t think God is ever surprised by what we do. He has already made provision for that sin. I believe that He is pursuing us with His love just as He did Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve hid from God in their time of trial. They seemed to fear God. What was your response to God when you were suffering? Did you turn your back on God, did you fear Him, did you hide from Him? He will pursue you just as He did Adam and Eve. He loves you and cares for you. His desire is that we turn towards Him in those times. His grace continues to abound toward us. God’s grace, my surrender.
© 1998, Scope Ministries International, Inc.
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