Introduction

Missionary Glen Chambers was waiting for a plane to take him to Quito, Ecuador. Wanting to write a letter to his family, he looked for a sheet of paper. But he found none. Glancing on the floor, he saw a piece of paper and he picked it up. It was part of an ad. Right in the center of it was one word-Why?

Glen scribbled a note to his mother, promising that he'd write more later. He stuffed it into an envelope and slipped it into a box.

But he never kept his promise. His DC-4 hit a mountain and he was killed. The letter arrived after the news of his death. All his mother saw was one big word in the center of the ad-Why?

Sooner or later, everyone asks, "Why?" Everyone feels pain, sees tragedy strike, and suffers temptations.

They wonder, "Does God know? Does He care? Why does He allow suffering?

But God does know and He does care. For God became a man, a real man who knew our passions, experienced our temptations, and felt our pains.

He knew what it was to have no where to lay His head, to ride to town on another's beast, and to  stand beside a grave and weep. He knew what it was to be despised, rejected, and acquainted with the bitterest grief. While suffering as no one else has ever suffered, being forsaken by His Father, He too cried, "Why?" He asked in Matthew 27:46, "My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"

But He didn't doubt or die in despair. He trusted in God. You hear this in His last words: "Father, into Thy hand I commend My Spirit"-Luke 23:46.

Yes, Christ suffered. Christians still must suffer, but Christ now suffers with us. It's written in Hebrews 4:15 and 16, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touch with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

That's the kind of God we have. Our God won't forsake us. He promises in Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Our God won't forget us. He said in Isaiah 49:15, "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea they may forget, yet I will not forget thee." Our God won't fail us. It's written in 1 Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."

"He knows, He loves, He cares, Nothing this truth can dim.

He does the very best for those Who leave the choice with Him."

"That sounds good," you may say. "But I suffer. Why?" Let's look at why.

I.Suffering Proves

It's written in 1 Peter 1:6-7, "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if ye need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."

St. Peter didn't say, "if by chance, ye are in heaviness." He said, "If need be." Nothing comes to you by accident, only by the Almighty. Nothing happens to you by chance, only by Christ. Everything that comes to you is planned by the Lord Jesus Christ.

It's in His plat to prove your faith. Faith is foundational. If faith goes, everything goes. If faith stands, everything stands. If you'd become a Christian and behave as a Christian, you must have faith. So faith must be proven or verified. Is it sincere or a sham? Is it based on facts or on feelings?

Look at Job. Suffering proved his faith. He said in chapter 23, verse 10, "He knoweth the way that I take." He didn't shrink from the suffering; he submitted to it for he knew that his heavenly Father knew all about his testings and troubles. No, men and women didn't know the way Job took. They said he was a phony and was being punished, that he had sinned and was suffering. But Job knew that his faith was honest and not hypocritical. He appealed their counterfeit charges by saying, "He knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me I shall come forth as gold."

Don't you like his statement? He said, "When He hath tried me." Many times Christians see the devil as the cause for their trials and troubles. He does bring about much that hurts us. But above him is the Lord. The devil can't touch a hair of our heads without the Lord's permission. And when the devil is allowed to disturb us, even then it's the Lord using him to try us.

Job knew there was dross in him, and that there was a "need be" for the trying. He admitted this by saying in chapter 42, verse 6, "I abhor myself." Well he might, and well we may. But he said, "When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." How could Job say that? He knew the Lord's plan and purpose can't fail. David said in Psalm 138:8, "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me." And Paul said in Philippians 1:6, "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it." That is, He'll finish it.

That's why Job could say, "I shall come forth as gold." The most wonderful thing about heaven won't be the golden streets but the golden saints on whom is stamped the image of God!

II. Suffering Presents

It's written in 1 Corinthians 4:9, "We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angel, and to men." Your suffering may be for a display of God's attributes in the angelic world as well as in this world.

One day the Lord Jesus was walking along, and He saw a man blind from birth. According to John 9:2-3, "His disciples asked Him, 'who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, 'Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.' "

It may be that you're suffering in order that God might demonstrate His mighty power in healing or helping, in caring or keeping. Think of it - on display for God. What a privilege, for you only display that which is delightful.

Stephen was on display when he died the death of a martyr. The leaders were stung to fury by his sermon, and they ground their teeth in anger. But Stephen gazed steadily toward heaven. His face was as radiant as an angel's. "Behold," he said in Acts 7:56, "I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." Then they mobbed him. Drowning out his voice with their shouts, they dragged him out of the city and stoned him. As the murderous stones fell upon him, Stephen prayed, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." With that, he died.

One who watched this was a young man named Saul. He guarded the clothes of the executioners. He never got away from the glory of God in that sweet, submissive, smiling saint who was stoned for his Savior. I believe it was one thing that brought about the conversion of Saul and changed him into Paul.

A little boy came walking home with a basket of blackberries. "Where did you get them?" asked a neighbor. "In the briar patch," answered Sammy. "Your mother will be happy to have the berries," said the man. "Yes, sir," replied the boy, "but I won't show her the briars in my feet." Berries and briars always go together. In your suffering, while you're on display, show the berries, not the briars!

III. Suffering Purifies

It is written in Malachi 3:3, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and He shall purify...and purge them like gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."

Are you in the furnace of fire? Be grateful, not grouchy. It proves that you're being readied for His service and not the scrap heap.

A. Meet The Person

The Bible says, "He shall purify." An angel? No, the Almighty. An angel may protect you, but only the Almighty purifies you. A saint? No, the Savior. A saint may recruit you, but only the Savior refines you. He's too wise to make a mistake. He's too loving to cause a needless tear. He's too good to allow anything to touch you that won't work for your good.

B. Mark The Position

The Bible says, "He shall sit." However many days, weeks, or years you may have to be in the fire, He'll sit beside you. The doctor may leave you, but not the great Physician. The nurse may go off duty, but not your Comforter. Your loved ones may grow weary as they wait on you, but not the Lord. They may slumber or sleep, but He won't. He'll sit beside you day and night, feeling what you feel, suffering what you suffer, for nothing touches you that doesn't touch Him first.

C. Mark The Process

First, there's the ore. When the gold-bearing ore is taken from the rock, it's a mixture. It must be refined. That ore is crushed and melted. Then there comes to the top of the molten materials a scum that must be scooped off. In that scum there's selfishness and sensuality, impatience and imperfections, envy and evil speaking, haughtiness and hatefulness, shortcomings and sins. Oh, what a list. Second, there's the fire. The Refiner uses suffering and the Spirit. We'd do well to pray.

"Oh, that in me the sacred fire Might now begin to glow;

Burn up the dross of base desire, And make the mountains flow.

"Refining fire, go through my heart, Illuminate my soul;

Scatter Thy life through every part, And sanctify the whole."

D. Mark The Purpose

Suffering is to prepare us for service. The uprooting is to make us useable. And the crucible is to make us Christlike. The refining process isn't an end, only the means to the end. One asked:

"Is there no other way, O God,

Except through sorrow, pain and loss, To stamp Christ's likeness on my soul- No other way except the cross?

"And then a voice stills all my soul, As stilled the waves of Galilee:

Canst thou not bear the furnace heat, If 'mid the flames I walk with Thee?

"I bore the cross, I know its weight, I drank the cup I hold for thee; Canst thou not follow where I lead?

I'll give thee strength-lean hard on Me."

IV. Suffering Prevents

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:7, "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 should I be exalted above measure."

A. Mark This Temptation

It was pride. He said, "Lest I should be exalted above measure." The expression, "above measure," means "too much." One may enjoy a measure of exaltation, but too much is tragic. Then spiritual pleasure becomes spiritual pride, and that leads to pitiful unserviceableness.

B. Mark His Thorn

Paul said, "There was given to me a thorn in flesh." The word "thorn" signifies a palisade," or a sharp stake for piercing people. It was a living crucifixion. Way translates the verse like this: "There was given to me that which tortured me like a stake driven through flesh."

The "thorn" was a piercing, painful physical ailment. The book of Galatians, which Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives us a clue. He said in Chapter 4, verse 15, "If it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me." And in the 6th chapter, verse 11, he said, "Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand." It wasn't the size of the communication, but of the characters he used in writing. It seems his eye trouble gave him constant and cutting pain.

C. Mark His Travail

He wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:8, "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me."

His prayer was fixed. He said, "For this thing I besought the Lord." His prayer was definite and distinct. That's real praying. Too often our prayers are uncertain and unclear. Paul's prayer had an object as well as a subject. And what was the object? Healing.

His prayer was fervent. The word "besought" means "begged." He said, "I begged the Lord." He prayed passionately. His tears were hot because his heart was heavy.

His prayer was frequent. He said, "I besought the Lord thrice." He asked and kept on asking three times. Then he stopped. Why? He discovered the will of the Lord. In this respect his prayer was really answered even though his request was denied. For the purpose of prayer is to learn the will of the Lord, and that purpose was realized.

D. Mark The Training

The Lord heard the prayer, but he denied the petition. The Lord's answer wasn't in accordance with Paul's wants, but it was in accordance with the Lord's will.

Paul states in verse 9 how the Lord undertook to train him with his thorn. He gave Paul grace for his grief. For the Lord said, "My grace is sufficient for thee." And He'll give you His grace for your grief.

To pay for my music lessons when I was a teenager, I got a backbreaking job on a section gang. One thing that I was introduced to was a device known as a derail. This thing is placed on the track to make the train run off the rails. Why? To cause a wreck? No, to protect other trains. The Lord uses a derailing device in the lives of His children. Sometimes we're determined to go through the danger signals. That will mean disaster, so the Lord derails us. That is, He sidetracks us. The sidetracking is for repairs, not retribution. It's to correct us, not condemn us. And these stops are as important to us as the starts.

But there's another striking statement. The Lord said, "My strength is made perfect in weakness." What a paradox! For God's strength to be appropriated, our weakness must be acknowledge. It's only as we're broken that we bless. It takes a broken cloud to give rain, a broken alabaster box to give perfume, and broken grain to give bread. It's only as we're bankrupt and broken that we appropriate God's benefits and become a blessing.

E. Mark Paul's Triumph

He testified in verses 9 and 10, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong."

Why was Paul glorying instead of growling? Was sin less sinful and pain less painful? No. Was it in God's answer? No, it was in Paul's attitude. God didn't answer Paul's desire, but Paul accepted God's design. When he became pliable in his pain, his thorn became his triumph. And when you exchange your growling for glorying, your self-sufficiency for Savior-sufficiency, you'll go from pain to power and your blight will become your blessing.

We've been considering the why of suffering. Now let's consider the way.

Suffering never leaves you as it finds you. It makes you better or bitter. It draws you closer to the Lord, or it drives you farther from the Lord. It all depends upon the way you suffer.

Lord Byron and Sir Walter Scott were brilliant writers, and they were both lame. Byron brooded and constantly complained. Scott believed and committed it to Christ. Byron became bitter. Scott became better.

V. Suffer Resignedly

After their miracle-filled escape from Egypt, the Israelis murmured fiercely. They became grouchy, not grateful, and complained. What happened? They were killed.

It's written in 1 Corinthians 10:10, "Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer."

In two days 15,000 were killed. But their kind didn't die out entirely. People today still fuss and find fault. So it's written in verse 11, and I'm quoting from Way's translation, "Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."

Wise men are guided by good examples and goaded by bad examples. So let us not repine, as they did. Instead let us resign to God's word and will!

VI. Suffer Regardfully

In your suffering be mindful of His word. It's written in 2 Corinthians 1:3 and 4. "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."

The word "comfort" in this verse signifies "call alongside." God is the God of all comfort. That's His specialty. And when you suffer, He's called alongside to personally accompany you and personally assist you in your suffering.

You'll never be without suffering in this world. But you'll never be without God in your suffering, in any suffering. Any and every affliction is His concern, for He cares for you.

In your suffering be mindful of His will. It's seen in the chain reaction in these verses. You suffer. God comes alongside to comfort you. Others suffer. God wants you to step alongside to comfort them.

Your suffering is never useless. God's preparing you to comfort others. So, suffer regardfully.

Maybe you're standing just where Paul stood. Things are desperate. The despair seems beyond repair. But God has a reason. So don't be mindful of your woes, but mindful of His will.

He was Mr. Big. He had everything - religion, riches and respect. But suddenly he was thrown to the ground and blinded. He didn't ask, "Why?" Instead he asked, "What?" Hear Paul as he cried, "Lord,

what wilt Thou have me to do?" The Lord told him in due time and he went on to become the world's greatest Christian. Just as He prepared him, so our heavenly Father's preparing us.

When Pierre Renoir, the great French painter, was afflicted with arthritis, it tortured him to paint. But he kept on. One day a friend saw him suffering pain as he skillfully painted. He asked, "How can you paint at the expense of such torture?" "The pain passes," said Renoir, "but the beauty remains." So it is with the beauty of the service that's wrought by the soul that suffers.

VII. Suffer Rejoicingly

Peter and the other apostles were brutally beaten because of their love and labor for the Lord. Then the authorities told them never again to speak in the name of Jesus. But the courageous Christians stood fast. They didn't silence their testimony to save their skin. They were more interested in souls. When a young man was learning to steer a sailing ship, a gale came up. An old sail said, "Keep her facing it. Always keep her facing it!" That's what the apostles did. And it's written of the apostles in Acts 5:41, "They departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name."

Why rejoice? Because of what it does for you here. Romans 5:3 insists, "Glory in tribulation." People in Bible times used an instrument to beat the grain. It was called the "tribulum." It separated the chaff from the wheat. Our word "tribulation" comes from that word. Tribulations separate the chaff from the wheat in our lives. Wouldn't you rather be all wheat than chaff and wheat? It may be that God's putting you in His threshing machine to separate the chaff from the wheat in your life. So, glory in it. Don't growl.

Rejoice? Yes, because of what it does for you hereafter. It's written in 2 Corinthians 4:17, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

A. Mark The Present

The Bible says, "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment." Christ suffered, and so does every Christian. It's to be expected. Acts 14:22 says, "Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God." But our afflictions are light when compared with the weight of glory that's awaiting us. Paul said in Romans 8:18, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

B. Mark The Pressure

The word "affliction" means pressure. The affliction is a pressure, an dit "worketh for us," says the Bible, not against us. Sometimes we consider affliction as a blight, but God calls it a blessing.

Sometimes we think it empties us, but God says it enriches us. Here's a fact as true as the Bible itself - pressures are profitable.

C. Mark The Prospect

"A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Not a bad exchange. Our lives, which we consider prolonged and painful, with sorrow and suffering, are likened to a moment. And the suffering is so working for us that it will have eternal compensations. A moment's sorrow - eternal joy. What an exchange! Suffering saint, faith invites you to place your present pressure on one scale and God's glory on the other. Are they worthy to be compared? On, no! Your best is still ahead, for your grief is preparing you for glory.

VIII. Suffer Resiliently

John Ruskin was in the company of a lady who dropped a blot of ink on her beautiful and expensive handkerchief. "Oh," she cried, "it's ruined." "Perhaps not," said Ruskin, "leave it with me." A little later he returned it. But it was no longer disfigured. He used the blot for the basis of a most attractive design. The handkerchief was now more beautiful and more valuable than ever before.