Suffering in the Believer’s Life (Part 2 of 2)

When we're in the midst of a painful struggle, it's not uncommon for us to wonder why God would allow his people to suffer. Today on Truth for Life, Alistair Begg provides us with ten reasons biblical ways God uses suffering for a believer's benefit. He's teaching from the Old Testament book of Lamentations.

We're looking at verse 12 in chapter 1. The context in which we consider the matter of suffering is one in which we have been exposed over a significant period of time now in American Christianity, primarily, to a form of triumphalism which is just unbiblical. We are continually being reminded by people that we can have it all now, that if we are able to name it and claim it, then we can banish all of the demons of darkness and suffering and disappointment and so on. And if you take a steady inrush of that to your mind, you will find that it will turn you crazy eventually or turn you into a liar, one of the two. But you will not be able to take that theology and the experience of life and marry it in any way that gives you anything that is sensible. Now, if we're going to tackle the issue of suffering, there are certain pitfalls that we need to avoid.

One is to engage in philosophical ramblings that are devoid of any theological foundations whatsoever. We also need to avoid the pitfall of adopting a simplistic approach to the problem of pain which hurts rather than heals. And also, we need to ensure that we do not forget the eloquence of empathetic silence.

Probably the most helpful thing that Job's friends did is recorded in chapter 2 and verse 13, where it says that they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. Because his great need was for companionship and comfort that was expressed in their solidarity. Now, if these pitfalls are there to be avoided, what is the perspective that we need to adopt in relationship to the issue of suffering? Now, the answer to it in a phrase lies in our preparedness to bow under God's sovereign purposes.

To bow under God's sovereign purposes. At the moment, in contemporary theological circles, at the level of high academic rationale, there is a whole resurgence that is about to come down into the body of Christ, both in America and in Great Britain, that is going to argue again feverishly against what I'm suggesting to you is the biblical response. And in a number of very pivotal works, which are hard to read, there are scholars on the fringes of evangelicalism seeking somehow or another to preserve God by arguing for an ancient form of dualism which says that certain experiences through which God's people go are not traceable to the sovereign hand of God but are actually significantly and supremely the work of the evil one, and that there is a great dualistic battle in the heavens. Some of the battles are won by the devil, and some are won by God. It's one thing for it to be rattling around in the realm of academic theology. It is another thing for it to hit the pews and the hearts of God's people. Is it possible to say anything with biblical certainty concerning the purposes of God in the experience of suffering?

Yes, I think it is, and I'm going to tell you what these things are, and I'm not going to camp on a single one of them, and I think I have probably ten of them. I'm going to give you ten statements. For those of you who want a little series on suffering, here it is.

And for your own further study, I'm going to mention them, and we're through. What can we say with biblical certainty concerning the purposes of God in the experience of suffering? How would God use suffering in the lives of his children? Number one, to develop perseverance. To develop perseverance. That's what James says in James 1.3, count it all joy when you face trials of various kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

When I tried unsuccessfully to baptize one of those gentlemen this morning, I had the thought running through my mind at some point in it—not a very spiritual thought—but I remembered the phrase. It came across my screen, You too could have a body like mine. Which I changed to, You too could have a body like mine if you're not careful. But the fact of the matter is that when you see somebody whose body physically is structured in a certain way, it all has to do with pain. It all has to do with resistance. It all has to do with perseverance.

It all has to do with increasing the weight, or increasing the repetitions, or increasing everything that makes these guys make these dreadful guttural noises that I have only heard but never made. In the same way—which is apparent to all, but in the same way—you don't need to state the obvious already—in the same way, none of us will become all that God intends for us to be if we choose always to run into the sunshine. Sunshine always, only desert. Secondly, to bring us to maturity. To bring us to maturity.

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete. Remember, when we studied in Hebrews, we discovered that the sufferings of Christ were the ground in which his obedience became full-grown. We staggered over that phrase, that he learned obedience through suffering.

And we marveled at the whole notion. If suffering was the means whereby the sinless Christ became mature, so much more do we need it than in our sinfulness. Thirdly, God uses it to assure us of our sonship. To assure us of our sonship. Hebrews chapter 12, Romans chapter 8, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. We prove ourselves to be really his sons by the experiences of discipline which he brings into our lives. If you are not disciplined, he says in Hebrews 12, then you're illegitimate children and not true sons.

We all had human fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live? Fourthly, to prove the genuine nature of our faith. To prove the genuine nature of our faith. It's not difficult to be a Christian when the band is playing and everyone's marching and everything's fine.

That's no peculiar challenge at all. But when trials come, when difficulties are to be faced, when sadness sweeps over us like a tidal wave, when we have unanswered questions, when we awake in the night and weep uncontrollably, when our body is like water, it disintegrates, when our heart has become like wax, when our bones seem to be melting away, sometimes all that we may be able to say is, Father. But that is proving the genuine nature of our faith.

Because our Father said, I hear you. I hear you. No, I understand. No, you don't have to make a big, long speech. No, you don't have to prove that you've got an answer to every question.

No, you don't have to do anything. I'm just glad I heard you call on me. Isn't that what Isaac was to discover in Genesis 22? When with his father Abraham he faces the perplexity of that circumstance, and Abraham himself was to discover, Take your only son Isaac whom you love and take him to a place that I will tell you, and there on that hill, take his life from him. And so Abraham arose early in the morning, and with his servants he began his journey on the strength of what? A deep, unceded conviction that Father knows best. Fifthly, God uses the experience to develop in us humility. To develop in us humility, you say, Well, that seems to be quite an extent to go to, does it not? Does it matter that much?

Yes, it does. Isn't it quite amazing that when Paul talks about his thorn in the flesh in 2 Corinthians 12, he puts it in these exact terms—do you remember what he says? To prevent me from becoming conceited. The Lord gave me this.

Why? Because our conceit may lead to our total downfall. For pride comes before a fall. And our lack of humility and our overinflated ego and our desire to depend upon ourselves is so crucial when we think about the fact that it is only those who continue to the end who are saved. And if you and I are to become incredibly arrogant, dreadfully proud, full of ourselves and of our own notions and our own abilities, God, in his great mercy, in order to complete the work that he has begun within our lives, may bring into our experience issues of deep pain in order to develop in us humility, because humility is the soil in which all the seeds of his grace grow to their maturity. Sixthly, God will use it to keep us on track.

To keep us on track. Isn't it dead easy to wander when everything is going wrong? Have you noticed how your prayer life changes when you have a visit to the doctor? Have you noticed how the intensity of our desire to call out to God can be altered in an instant, just by one little shadow across the horizon? Isn't that what the psalmist says in Psalm 119? Before I was afflicted, I went astray.

But you afflicted me to keep me on track. That's why Solomon, when he writes to his son in Proverbs 3, he keeps saying to him again and again, My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, because he is keeping you on track. Seventhly, God uses suffering to deepen our insight into the heart of God. To deepen our insight into the heart of God.

Go home and read for your homework Hosea chapter 1, 2, and 3, and the experience of Hosea with his wife, and all of the challenges that are involved in that, and all that he went through. And yet how God used all of that pain, all of that dreadfulness, to develop in Hosea that which would never have been there otherwise. Eighthly, to enable us to help others in their trials.

To enable us to help others in their trials. Do you ever think about the servant girl in 2 Kings 5? I know you do. Who is she, you say?

Well, I'd better just check myself. But it's the story of Naaman, isn't it? Yeah. So here's this girl, and she gets caught up in ethnic cleansing. She gets shunted off as a refugee to somewhere she doesn't want to go, to live with a bunch of people she doesn't even like, and to end up serving them in their house. Therefore, in this young girl's life, there is all the potential for bitterness, for disgruntlement, and for an attitude which would say, You know what? I don't want to be here. I don't like you, and frankly, I'm not going to help you. But it wasn't there.

Why not? Well, it must have been, at least in part, this. That when she looked upon the pain of her master's wife and the pain of her master himself, and when she realized all the turmoil that he was going through with the onset of this leprosy, her own experience of suffering had made her empathetic to the concerns of her master. And so she is the one who, in the providence of God, volunteers the information. You know, if you would tell my master to go to the house of the man of God, the man of God could help him there. Why would she have such confidence that God's man would be able to help? Because in all of the experience of her own journey, God had come through and helped her. That's why it is so important, loved ones, that ministry takes place in a cross-fertilization way amongst the body of Christ, and thank God for the extent to which it does.

But we need to encourage it and develop it more and more. Often your greatest counselor, your best helper, your most empathetic ear will not be in the call for a pastor, not because the pastor isn't there to help, but because he's not the best one to help. Remember to look around where you're sitting on the Lord's day. Take a moment to look into each other's eyes.

Take a moment to put a hand on the shoulder and say, How are you really? Is there anything that we can pray about? Is there anything that we can enter into your life with you for?

You'll be amazed how much time you will be able to give over to these concerns. And the journeys through which God has brought you, he is using to enable you to help others in your trials. Penultimately, he uses suffering to reveal what we really love. To reveal what we really love. Death and illness clarify things in a way that nothing else does.

There is no question of that. The onset of significant illness, the prospect of impending death, or the experience of the death of a loved one suddenly or over a prolonged period of time reveals in the experience of the sufferer and in those who are the caregivers what we really love. In Deuteronomy 13.3, Moses says, The Lord is testing you to see whether you love him with all your heart. And finally, God will use the experience of suffering in the lives of his children in order ultimately to display his glory. Isn't that the whole story of Joseph?

Who would have thought that you could get yourself in such a mess over something as trivial as a coat? Who would have thought that such hatred, such animosity, such jealous, putrefying rage could spill out from those things, and all of the experience through which Joseph went on his pilgrimage? And then he turns at the end of it all, and he says, You intended this for evil, but God intended it for good. I do not know what lies ahead, the way I cannot see. But one stands near to be my guide, and he'll show the way to me. I know who holds the future, and he guides me with his hand. With God, things just don't happen.

Everything by him is planned. So as I face tomorrow, with its problems large and small, I will trust the God of miracles and give to him my all. Suffering, some thoughts at 60,000 feet. You're listening to Alistair Begg on Truth for Life with the message he's titled, Suffering in the Believer's Life.

Alistair will return to close today's program. If you're a regular listener to Truth for Life, you often hear me talk about our mission, which is to teach the Bible with clarity and relevance. We do this with confidence that three outcomes will result as God's Spirit works through the teaching of his word. First, unbelievers will be converted and become committed followers of Jesus. Second, those who already believe will better understand scripture and become more established in their faith.

And third, pastors and church members will be encouraged to rely solely on the Bible as the centerpiece for their worship and the source of their fellowship. You also often hear me talk about our truth partners on this program, and I mention them regularly for a very important reason. Truth partners are listeners like you who come alongside this ministry, faithfully praying for us and giving to Truth for Life each month.

In this way, they provide the ministry with the operating income we need to produce and distribute this daily program. In fact, you're hearing Alistair today because of the generous giving from someone else, another listener just like you. If you benefited from the daily Bible teaching you hear on Truth for Life and strengthened your relationship with Jesus by listening to Alistair's Bible-centered messages, would you become a truth partner today? You can arrange to set up an automatic monthly donation when you visit truthforlife.org slash truth partner, or if you'd prefer, you can call us at 888-588-7884, and you choose the amount you want to give each month. To say thank you when you become a truth partner, we'll send you a welcome package. It includes the Truth for Life devotional from Alistair, and if you commit to giving $20 a month or more, you can request both of the monthly books we recommend.

Over the course of a year, you'll build a library full of great books. We heard recently from Peggy in Florida who shared with us the reason she became a truth partner. She said, I was so inspired by the clear, unbiased truthfulness of the teaching. The lessons have increased my understanding of God's Word, deepened my faith, and increased my love for God. As a truth partner, I request many of the wonderful books offered to read and to share as God leads me. The daily emails, sermons, blogs, and books have helped me see God's love and grace in the midst of difficult times.

Every donation helps bring the gospel message of salvation and hope to a worldwide audience. So whether you make a commitment to become a truth partner today, or just give a one-time donation, we'll express our appreciation by inviting you to request a book called Divine Providence. This is an encouraging book that will assure you of God's goodness, righteousness, wisdom, and power, so that you can truly rest in His Divine Providence in every circumstance of life.

Ask for your copy of the book Divine Providence when you become a truth partner or when you make a one-time donation at truthforlife.org slash donate. Now here's Alistair to close in prayer. Father, how many heartaches are hidden behind our smiles? How many deep and grievous wounds are concealed by our laughter? We don't want to become maudlin, Lord.

We don't want to go around trying to show how disciplined and mature and empathetic and growing we are by the length of our faces. But we certainly do not want to appear flippant, smug, self-satisfied, triumphalistic in the face of some of the deepest questions and darkest moments of our human pilgrimage. Forgive us for presenting to the world a God who is on a deck chair by trying to make it seem that everything is fine always, so that anybody who knows that they are not fine feels somehow that they've done something dreadfully wrong, because if it was right, then they would be fine. Help us never to try and understand the sufferings of our lives except viewed through the prism of the cross of your dearly beloved Son, so that we may be overwhelmed by his amazing love. Come, then, to our hearts tonight, we pray, and touch us at our point of most significant pain—wounds that we may never have surfaced, that we may never have given over to you. Sadnesses, regrets. Enable us, Lord, to cast our burdens afresh upon you tonight, and help us to learn what it means to care and to be cared for. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

I'm Bob Lapine. How do you respond when life doesn't go the way you expected? Many people get stuck in self-pity or resentment or bitterness. Tomorrow we'll find out how to avoid that downward spiral and how to experience joy instead. The Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life where the Learning is for Living.