March 14, 2023
Five Purposes of Suffering
For those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Beloved one, we seldom know the reasons for our sufferings, but the Bible does give us faith-sustaining reasons. It’s good to have a way to remember some of these so that, when we are suddenly afflicted, or have a chance to help others in their affliction, we can recall some of the truths God has given us to help us not lose hope. I don’t know if you have noticed but it appears the enemy is consciously aware of his time being short because he is double downing on the frontlines. He is trying to wear the saints out or take them out. I believe it is more important now to be in an attitude of prayer when we are awake.
The 5 R’s purposes of God in our sufferings include:
1. Repentance: Suffering is a call for us and others to turn from treasuring anything on earth above God.
Luke said, ‘we think you ought to know about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.’ (Luke 13:4-5)
Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 1:2-5)
2. Reliance: Suffering is a call to trust God and not the life-sustaining props of this world.
We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)
3. Righteousness: Suffering is the discipline of our loving heavenly Father so that we come to share his righteousness and holiness.
“The Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son whom he receives.” He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. (Hebrews 12:6-7)
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)
4. Reward: Suffering is working for us a great reward in heaven that will make up for every loss here a thousand-fold.
This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. (2 Corinthians 4:17)
5. Reminder: Suffering reminds us that God sent his Son into the world to suffer so that our suffering would not be God’s condemnation but his purification. You can’t put a value on knowing Christ.
Paul said, ‘It is my determined purpose that I may know Him and the power of his resurrection and may share his sufferings. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
(Philippians 3:10-11)
I don’t know about you, but it is my determined purpose to know Christ Jesus intimately. Knowing Christ makes challenges and suffering more tolerable. It is understandable that the Christian heart would cry out in suffering, ‘why?’ Since we don’t know the reason why we are suffering – why now? Why this way? Why this long? Paul said, ‘we only know in part and one day we will know in whole, we will see the bigger picture and understand why? Don’t allow yourself to overlook the massive help God has given you as you were walking through and overcoming.
God’s ways are so much higher than our ways. (Isaiah 55:9-10)
We give great honor to those who endure suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. (James 5:11)
