The Purpose of Christian Suffering
(Job,
1:21, 19:25-27, 23:10, 28:1)
by
Saya Yaw Tar
Saya Yaw Tar
Suffering
is the part and parcel of Christian life. When we suffer for the sake of
Christ, God gives us grace to endure in it. Apostle Paul says, “for to you it
has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to
suffer for his sake” (Phil 1: 29).
Why
do Christian suffering? Why there is suffering in Christian Life? Why God
permits suffering in Christian the life of Christian? If suffering is an universal
fact what is the purpose of Christian suffering? The book of Job gives the
answer to these and many others question. We shall look at the purpose of
Christian suffering.
1.
To
build our faith in God ( Job 19: 25-27)
God
builds Job’s faith and hope in the Lord through the means of suffering. God is
not necessarily responsible for our suffering. Righteous suffer because they
are righteous. Job suffered not because of his sins. But God wants to build his
faith in Him in the time of trials and testing. We should be faithful even in
the time of suffering because suffering will build our faith, trusting, hope
and confidence in the Lord.
The book of Job said, 19:25 “I know
that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth”. He
had a great faith and hopes in God his redeemer. Furthermore, Job says in chapter
13:15, “Though he slays me, yet will I trust him”. God wants to build up our
faith and trust in Him. Do we really trust in Him when we go through such kind
of Suffering in Our lives?
2.
To
prove our patience ( Job 1-2; James 1:3)
James
says, “Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance”.
(James 1:3) It means God wants to prove our long suffering by putting trials
and testing in our lives. Suffering s the best time when we show our real
character and nature towards God and others.
Let me tell you a real story; there
was a pastor and his wife. They had a young Child. This child had been going
under serious sickness. In one Sunday this child was died. Shortly often the
death of the child the Pastor was almost decided to leave the ministry. He
said, “this is not patience. You know that Job was still patient even when he
lost all that man belonged to him.
He Lost:
1.
His oxen and donkeys are stolen ( Job
1:14-15)
2.
His sheep and herdsmen are burned up by
fire (Job 1:16)
3.
His camels and stolen and his servants
killed by Chaldean (Job 1:17)
4.
His sons and daughters perished in a
mighty wind (job 1:18-19)
5.
He himself got a terrible case of boils
(Job 2:7-8
In all these Job never
sin against God and his sovereignty. He was patient even in suffering of his
life. He patiently waited upon the Lord for his comfort and cure. Job is the
best example for the believers today. In the New Testament, Apostle Paul says
“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that
suffering produces perseverance”. Romans 5:3. Apostle James said “Testing of
your faith work patience”, James 1:3
And as you know, we
consider blessed those who have persevered”, James 5:11. You have heard of
Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The lord
is full of compassion and mercy”.
3.
To
purify our lives (Job 23:10;28:1)
God
purified Job’s life through the means sufferings. Sometimes suffering comes
because of our sins, sometimes it comes from God so that He wants to purify our
life of cleans, our life. Job says, “And though after my skin worms destroy
this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God”, (Job 19:26).
In
the New Testament, James says, “Blessed is the man that endures testing or
trials by which he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life”, (James 1:12).
Sufferings will make our life as pure as gold which refined by fire. Suffering will
purify our life just as gold is purified by fire.
Finally,
To Glorify God (Job 1:21)
We
should glorify God through our sufferings, trials and testing. Job says, “Came
out of my mother’s womb with necked, and necked shall I return there. The Lord
gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised”. (Job
1:21)
In
all this, Job never sinned against God; rather he glorified God in his
sufferings. We must glorify God in times of suffering, testing, trials and
temptations. Our ultimate purpose to live her in this world is to glorify our
Living God. Are we really glorifying God through our sufferings in our lives?
There
was a lady who had an opportunity to do a higher study in London. She was a Christian
as well as a good singer. As her studies progress, she was found with a
terrible sickness, that was cancer! By knowing the fact that she was a cancer
patient, she was still happy, and she still sings songs for the Lord and
glorified God through that terrible suffering in life. One day, she went to be
with the Lord. She glorified God even in her death.
Brothers
and sisters in Christ, as we have seen about for purpose of Christians’
suffering from the book of Job, we should know the fact that what is the
purpose of God in Christian suffering? The purposes of Christians’ Sufferings
are:
1.
To build our solid faith in God.
2.
To prove our patience
3.
To purify our life and
4.
To glorify God.
Therefore, we should
glorify our God through the pain that we go through, the difficulties that we
face every day, the sufferings that we experience.
May God bless you all!
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