Suffering #4 To intensify our hatred of sin

It is important that we remind ourselves here that all afflictions are not the result of actual sin. Adam in his original sin brought all mankind into a state of sin and misery. Job said in 14:1 “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (cf. 5:7). Also, Paul says in II Timothy 3:12 “…all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (cf. Galatians 5:11). While it is ill-advised to read the providence of God in afflictions, there are times in our lives when we can look back and say, ‘this affliction is the result or consequence of my sin.’ Whether this is the case or not, afflictions make us spiritually sensitive. In sorrow we see more clearly the frailty of the flesh, the vanity of mankind and the sinful tendencies of our own hearts.

Afflictions remind us of sin.  History teaches nothing more emphatically than that unmingled prosperity is one of the chief sources of national and individual degeneracy. Pride and fullness of bread (Ezekiel 16:49) embolden wickedness, inflate insolence, become the aliment of angry dissention, collisions of interest, and pervading corruption” (Rev. Gardiner Spring, The Mission of Sorrow). This is the reason why the preacher said it is better to go to the house of mourning; to lay it to heart (Ecclesiastes 7:2). Job said through his sufferings, “I abhor myself” and Paul tells the Galatians to take heed when they see a brother being overtaken in a fault, lest [you] also are tempted (Galatians 6:1). The constant presence of affliction, either personal or perceptible ought to humble us before God (II Chronicles 33:12; Job 23:10).

Afflictions restrain us from sin. Having that sense of corruption and abhorrence, the Christian will naturally and penitently look to the Lord for deliverance, strength and encouragement (Job 42:6). It was in times of affliction that Israel was most sensitivity to their spiritual condition. Jeremiah 22:21 “I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.” The Psalmist said in Psalm 119:67, 71 “Before I was afflicted I went astray:… It is good for me that I have been afflicted.” It is to our benefit to pray that the Lord would give grace in affliction, not necessarily removal of the affliction but grace in and through the suffering (Amos 4:6; Hosea 4:17).

Suffering #3 To Prove The Power of God’s Grace

Reading: II Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

When Paul prayed for the removal of the “thorn in the flesh” (a figure of speech denoting affliction, pain and trouble) he received an answer that he did not want to hear, but one that he came to appreciate and rejoice in (II Corinthians 12:9). Paul came to realize that the “thorn in the flesh” was God’s gift to him.

The answer Paul received; “my grace is sufficient for thee” is the culmination of a thread of thought running throughout the second letter to the Corinthian Church. In 1:8 Paul writes “we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life.” Later in 4:7 he testifies that the gospel is contained “in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” and in 12:9 he discloses the Lord’s answer to his prayer; “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” All of this weakness and despair bound up in earthen vessels has purpose for the Christian; to prove the power of divine grace.

The connection between the grace of God and the power of God here is the focus of the parallelism in Vs. 9. “My grace” corresponds with “my strength,” as grace given “for thee” corresponds to “weakness” in this parallelism. Grace is not given merely to endure the struggle or resign ourselves to it passively, but grace is given to display the power of God throughout the trial and actively submit to God. The power of God is displayed in the grace given. The power of God becomes a reality (“perfected”) in the weakness of man and the weakness of man is exemplified in the trials of life; “thorn in the flesh.”

The verb tenses of the verse are particularly significant; Paul says in the aorist tense “there was given a thorn…I prayed…” and then in the perfect tense the Lord “said” and what he said continues to hold good. This perfect tense implies an action the influence of which continues. In other words, the Lord told Paul, no matter the circumstance, whether the present thorn or when that passes, a future thorn my grace continues to be sufficient. God’s grace is sufficient in times of extremity. The power of God accomplishes its end in us when we are at an end of ourselves and apply to God for grace at the appointed means; God gives thorns to prove the power of grace.

Suffering #2 To prove the sustaining power of God

Reading Exodus 15:23-26

Job blessed God for affliction (Job 1:21) and Paul praised God for it (II Corinthians 12:9). These qualities are commendable and indeed desirable but God simply asks that we remain faithful and obedient. This was the statute and ordinance the Lord made in Exodus 15:25. The Lord intends, by adverse circumstances to prove our obedience to him; in other words He intends us to examine ourselves to see if we have the faith to prove his power in impossible circumstances. The Israelites had recently come through the Red Sea by the miraculous hand of God. Such a mighty deliverance this was that the Lord repeatedly used it as a title for himself; I am the Lord that “brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage.” (Deuteronomy 13:10; Judges 6:8 cf. Daniel 9:15).

There are many situations in life, like that of the Israelites in Exodus 15:23 they “turn sour” and become a great affliction and burden to us. Family affairs, work conditions, marriage relations all have a very high probability of turning unfavourable. It is easy to murmur, become bitter or walk away. This is what the Israelites wanted to do (Numbers 11:5; 14:2 cf. Acts 7:39). But the Lord who brought them out by a mighty hand would “teach” (“show” Exodus 15:25) them also to live in the wilderness by his mighty hand.  The Lord made clear to Israel what he expected from them: obedience and fidelity. He also made clear what they could expect from him (Vs. 26): continued healing (active participle; “I, Jehovah, am healing thee.”). In essence, although you are delivered from ‘Egypt,’ yet it is possible to act like the Egyptians, or by faithlessness and disobedience to come through adversity like the world does.  The Lord however is able to make the bitter circumstances sweet for his people; this he promises to do in his mercy (Psalm 32:10).

Christian, the first ‘impossible’ situation the Lord brought you through was salvation (John 1:13). When you can see the Lord clearly as the Lord-that-brought-you-up-from-Egypt then you are strengthened to see the Lord sustaining in the circumstances of life. This is in essence living in the reality of the cross-work of Christ. Consider the words of the Hymn-writer, “Jesus keep me near the cross.” The writer goes on to pray “Near the cross of Lamb of God, bring it’s scenes before me, help me walk from day to day with its shadow or me.”

SUFFERING #1: SUFFERING HELPS US UNDERSTAND OURSELVES

The Christian is like a teabag; its strength or weakness is only discovered by hot water. If we believe in the doctrine of total depravity; (i.e. that the fall of man in Adam brought him into a state where every area of his life is corrupted and the seeds of every sin lie dormant), we will in part understand the importance of knowing ourselves and the level of corruption in us all. It behooves the Christian then to search his heart and life often for evidence of sins springing up (Psalm 139:23-24). How many have looked back in life and said “I never saw it coming” or “I can’t believe I let myself get caught up in that.” There are two reasons why the Christian is overtaken by sin (Galatians 6:1) and the discovery of these two reasons is often why the Lord brings affliction into our lives.

The Discovery of Latent Sins

Latent corruption and unsubdued propensities to sin are often discovered in times of temptation and humiliation. We are in danger of becoming ignorant of the fact of sin in our lives and we never suspect its existence until some temptation comes and we are thrown out of orbit. Job discovered things about himself that he never knew before, and he could say at the end of his trials in 42;6 “I abhor myself and repent.” How often our weaknesses and insincerity and imperfect motives are revealed in the crucible.