For years I have dealt with pain and suffering; whether it were that of other people or of my own.
Some people believe that their suffering and pain is greater than any other person's has ever been; only the truly arrogant can conceive such a thought. For all pain is equal, but different.
Others have painful times physically, some emotionally.
Regardless, the Christian view of suffering should be centered upon the redemptive factor it contains.
Pain, physical or emotional, causes us to suffer; yet, it also contributes to our life.
Many times we question whether or not God 'sends' suffering.
Does He make it happen, or does He allow it to happen?
Is pain and suffering for some greater goal of God's we cannot fathom?
Well, I'm not sure entirely; but I do know that in the Gospels, Jesus doesn't tell people that god has sent suffering into their lives so that their character will be better developed.
In fact, not once did Jesus lecture the suffering; He healed them.
We would do well to seek healing with those who are hurting rather than to try and describe to them why they are suffering.
With the leper, Jesus touched Him and then healed him - certainly an act of uncleanliness in His time; but He knew as well as anybody, to help those who are unclean, sometimes you must enter the filth which surrounds them.
With the woman caught in adultery, Jesus didn't defend her actions but neither did He take part in the act of stoning.
When it was over, He didn't lecture the crowd nor the woman; He admonished her to repent and sin no more.
You see, throughout the New Testament, the suffering passages, whether physical or emotional, God shows us how a 'bad' thing can be redeemed for our good and His glory.
We would do well to seek to do the same; even when we are hurt by those we love or face an uncertain future with our health.
Modern Christians tend to respond in America to the message of 'God has a wonderful plan for your life.' This is not the message of the New Testament, nor that of the early Church.
In fact, I don't remember one prophet beginning any message with that phrase.
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| The Persecuted Church |
The Apostles wrote to persecuted Christians, and they wrote about the redemptive quality of suffering.
And today the message is the same to us - the suffering of any Christian can be redeemed in ways they could not have imagined at the time of their pain.
Yet, too often the person who is suffering and is the object of that pain, forgets of the work of God going on behind the scenes.
Many times when this happens, the individual can become consumed with bitterness, secret schemes to retaliate, or even hate.
Christians of this nature are easy to spot generally; yet, even when they are not and keep their true nature hidden, it will come to the surface at some point and be exposed.
They will focus on themselves and make others an image of ridicule; funny, I don't remember reading anything that placed Jesus in that type of light.
Instead, Jesus died on a day that we call Good Friday.
On the day that Christ died, it was as if all nature took notice of His death; witnessing the greatest crime in the history of the universe as God's Son hung on a Cross.
But you see, with true redemption, there is a person going through pain and who is suffering; they don't try to steer clear of it or go around it because it is easier.
That individual does what God leads them to do, no matter how painful the temporary suffering might be.
It is at this point in a person's life where they will go through a 'hinge' moment.
This is a crossroad where a person must make a decision they may not want to make; the future may be looming and a see of the unknown lies ahead.
Yet, that decision which will effect the rest of their life must be made.
And what it boils down to is if you are going to be faithful or not to the Lord; when this involves the future, it is a huge challenge - especially when others are involved.
By definition, to redeem something means that someone must pay a price.
For example, to redeem humanity and the planet which we destroyed, someone had to die and that "someone" was the very Son of God.
But in this new state of available redemption, it is a forward looking opportunity, not a backward dwelling hindrance.
Yet, even in this new state, scars remain.
For example, an alcoholic may give up drinking but the physical scars on his liver will remain; as will the emotional scars on his family.
Spiritually, though Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead - His scars remain.
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| Murrah Building After Bombing |
And in our lives, whether it is a Church division, a divorce, a disease such as cancer or even a death of someone close to us - the painful memories will never disappear.
But those memories and those past actions can be redeemed.
The truth of the matter is that eventually, we will live 'Happily Ever After.'
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| Happily Ever After |
But this day will come only when the redemptive story ends; it will end only when Christ returns and redeems all things.
In the meantime, you and I are stuck in the middle of the story as characters who cannot yet see the end.
But it is an end that is worth fighting for in honor and integrity even when we are in pain and when we are suffering because of physical limitations or the emotional damage caused by another.
For you see, however unclear the story of life may be to us, it is God who is writing the story.
And this means it is a story and an ultimate redemption of our pain that we can trust; for His name is 'Faithful and True.'
Until next time, win one for the good guys.
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