Suffering, the Unwanted Blessing from Romans 8

Today I am commenting on the idea that suffering is the “unwanted blessing.”

An old saying is that into each life some rain must fall.  I've been rained upon in at least a dozen states of the USA, and in eight other countries.  It has always been cold and uncomfortable!  The phrase “raining on my parade” shows that rain can be a negative experience.

When bad things happen in our lives, it is like spiritual and emotional rain.  Paul helps us to understand how God would have us see these things in Romans 8.  Let us look on this today and be both enlightened and encouraged.

The Reality of Suffering:

We only have to look around us to see suffering in our world. 

As I write this in July of 2020, we are still in the midst of a global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus. Millions have been sickened and hundreds of thousands of people have died. Global economies and peoples’ ways of life have been upset. Yet, after six months of work we still don’t have a vaccine and COVID-19 is only one issue that besets us. 

We still vividly remember the attacks of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the April 2011 tornado outbreaks as well as many other natural and man-made disasters. I recently read of a church planter who was hit and kill by a vehicle while trying to help another motorist whose car had caught fire.

We only have to look in the Bible to see suffering.

A prime example of this is Job, as we see in Job 1:13-20:

One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

If that was not trouble enough, let’s see more of Job’s travail in Job 2:7 and 8:  “So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.”

Job, of course, was not the only character in the Bible to see suffering.  David, who had been anointed by God as King of Israel was falsely accused by Saul and mercilessly persecuted by him. Later, in II Corinthians 11:24-28, Paul describes the difficulties he had faced in serving God:

Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

Our greatest Biblical example of suffering, of course, is that of Christ Himself, who was sinless, and who had blessed many people during His ministry, yet He was beaten, scourged, and crucified. 

We only have to look into our lives to see suffering as well. Sickness, betrayal, unemployment, conflict are common experiences. Not for nothing did the Psalmist say that “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow . . .”

Or, put another way, “Life is pain,” said Westley in the movie The Princess Bride, “Anyone who says otherwise is selling something.”

The Human Rationale for Suffering:

Humans have tried to understand and explain suffering from the beginning of  time. The theology of suffering is called theodicy: Theo = God. Dike = righteous It explains why God is righteous even though people suffer.

Some say that only sinners suffer. This is not Biblical; Job was said to be “blameless and upright; he feared God and sunned evil.” We know that Jesus was perfect and without sin; yet both He and Job suffered tremendously. No, this idea is too simplistic; a cursory examination of the world system reveals that prosperity does not equal righteousness.

Some say that God is too weak to prevent suffering. He is good, but incapable of keeping bad things from happening to good people. This cannot be true of the God of the Bible who is presented as  the Creator, and Sustainer of the universe and who is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and omni-benevolent.

Some say that God is either partially or wholly evil in His essence. This can't be true of the God of the Bible, who died for our sins! This can't be true of the God who wept over Lazarus’s grave! This can't be true of the God who loved the little children! This isn't true of God who knows the numbers of hairs on our heads and who cares if a sparrow falls!

Finally, some say that suffering is illusory; that it doesn’t really exist.  This is simply a denial of reality! 

My dad used to say, “When all else fails read the instructions!” What does the Bible, our instruction book, tell us about suffering?

God’s Reasons for Suffering: 

God does not cause suffering, that comes from human sin, but God does make lemonade when life sends us lemons! Let’s consider Romans 8:28, which says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

As we parse this verse, some facts stand out. 

First, “all things” means “anything we can imagine.” 

“Works for good” means “our ultimate benefit.” 

“To those who love Him” means that these provisions apply only to the members of His family!

So, whatever comes into our lives (death, unemployment, hardship, disputes, traffic jams, illness), God can and will use to bless us!  This has caused author Phillip Yancy to call suffering the “Unwanted Blessing” because while it is painful, suffering also brings us a blessing we can receive in no other way. 

As James 1:2 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

So, will we always understand, step by step, what God is doing through the circumstances of our lives? No!  Job didn’t. David didn’t. Paul didn't! 

Do we need to?  No, we just need to know and trust Him. We don't know what our doctor knows but we must trust our doctor will work to heal us.

One of the greatest promises of Christ applies directly to this discussion. In John 10:10 Jesus told us of His purpose: 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” 

Jesus wants to give us abundant life, and while we know this can happen here on earth, it definitely will happen to all of His family in the hereafter in heaven. As Jesus taught the Disciples in John 14:1 and 2, 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”  

Conclusion:

God’s work in our life is like a star in the night sky. It's light disappears at dawn, but it is still there, unseen. 

C.S. Lewis, who knew a thing or two about suffering, said, “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities, brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”  

All these things make sense if we know and trust God.  Do you? 

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt