The Christian begins his theology of suffering with a study
of Job. Job’s attitude toward suffering serves as a model attitude for all of
us when things don’t go just as expected or worse, when tragedy strikes. When
my dad’s first bought with cancer proved successful we all thanked God. But
when the disease returned to prove fatal and my dad was snatched away at the
young age of 58, who did we thank then? Who was there to thank? Recently, my
Sunday school teacher was talking about the power of prayer. And in the middle
of the hype that is War Room, the conversation seemed appropriate. He was
leaning too far in the wrong direction in my view. And I could not resist
asking the question, what happens when the baby dies? What happens when you
bury your father at the young age of 58? What do you do with those thoughts of
jealousy when others are still talking about their dads living into their 80s
and your heart is breaking because you wish you could see and talk to your dad
just one more time? Do we thank God for the time He graciously gave us and
embrace the suffering with the understanding that God is working great things
in our life? Or do we buy into the nonsense of the theology behind War Room and
think that if we just pray, and pray hard enough and in the right way, it will
all work out? Sometimes, the spouse leaves anyway. Sometimes the divorce happens
no matter how hard you pray for reconciliation. Indeed, an unbiblical theology
and philosophy of suffering can create far more pain than is necessary. To make
sure your theology of suffering is informed by Scripture, begin with Job.
Jesus Christ Himself was also a man who was acquainted with
suffering. God in the flesh came to His own and His own not only rejected Him,
they conspired with the Roman pagans to murder Him. He was despised, rejected,
and beaten all because He loved His own enough to tell them the truth. Not only
does Jesus’ life provide the picture perfect model for suffering, His words
promise that His followers will suffer as well. Jesus promised us that the
world would hate us for His name’s sake. He promised us that they will slander
us and say all sorts of things against us falsely. Indeed, we will be
persecuted for His name’s sake because we are not better than our master. We
are not above Christ. If Christ should suffer, be rejected, and murdered for
the message of hope He brought, how shall His followers escape the same fate?
The apostle Paul was well-acquainted with suffering, writing
a number of his letters while he was in prison and in the end, giving up his
life for the gospel that had been placed in his charge. Paul prayed the Lord
would ease his suffering at one point and it is revealed that God refused to
answer that prayer. I know, some people like to say that God always answers
prayer, its just that sometimes He says no. I really have little use for such
nonsensical sayings. Jesus told us to always pray that God’s will would be
done. And in that sense, God always says yes because God’s will is always
accomplished. Christianity repudiates the very thought of a frustrated Deity. Such
thinking is really the product of an ungodly rationalistic philosophy, not
biblical Christianity. The suffering you are going through right now is the
direct result of God’s eternal decree. What God used to bring it to pass may be
of some interest but make no mistake about it, God is not sitting in heaven
hoping the best for you cheering you on and hoping your prayers are just right
and your faith is strong enough to see you through. God holds His own in the
palm of His hand. There is no question as to whether or not they will endure
and pass the test. To contrary to this is plainly ignorant in light of revealed
Scripture. Let us think better of suffering, better of our Lord’s promise to
keep us by His power.
Peter provides us with an excellent text on how we ought to
think about suffering. First, Peter tells us in his fourth chapter NOT to be
surprised by our trials. Christ suffered in the flesh and so shall we. That is
Peter’s guidance. Not only that, Peter tells us to rejoice, in fact, he tells
us to keep on rejoicing. Peter tells us if we are reviled for the name of
Christ, we are blessed. We are blessed because the Spirit of glory and of God
rests upon us! How remarkable is that! We are NOT to be ashamed to suffer for
the name of Christ. We are only to be ashamed if we suffer as an evil doer.
Those who suffer for Christ’s sake entrust their souls to their faithful
Creator in doing what is right.
Why then do we see numerous American Christians engaging in
the sort of political activism that seems to think that Christians have a right
to avoid the kind of suffering that is produced by persecution? We want our
religious freedom and we want it right now! Think about that. Read Scripture
and tell me where exactly in the text do the apostles ever even come close to
implying that we ought to do whatever we can to force the governing authorities
to grant us our right to freely worship Christ without the threat of
persecution? The idea is completely missing from Scripture.
If you want to understand what our attitude should be
regarding suffering, read Job, read about Joseph, read about Christ, read Paul,
and read Peter. It is there alone that you will find the fodder that ought to
inform your theology of suffering, not the American Constitution.
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