.On Suffering and Death...

Seeing Job's suffering, his friends were convinced there was a reason for it. Clearly, he must have done something, said something, and/or thought something evil to bring all these awful things on himself. Their conviction was such that when Job claimed innocence, they became frustrated, grew angry, and berated him.

That kind of thinking was evident during Jesus' ministry as well, because his disciples asked, "Who did sin? this man, or his parents that he was born blind?" (John 9:2) What's more, even today such thinking persists. Our humanity tends to view pain, suffering, and disease as punishment - that the sufferer is reaping what he or she has sown. However, Jesus made it clear this was not the case. While, yes, we can by careless living, set up conditions for a disease process in our body, (e.g. cirrhosis of the liver, clogged arteries, diabetes, [Type II,] STD's, etc.,) there is a promise of healing, even in such cases. (See James 5:14-15.)

But this brings us to questions about unthinkable suffering - suffering that strikes suddenly and/or suffering that continues over a long period of time. Some examples come easily to mind...

• a friend and mentor who suffered agonizing pain as a result of a horrific automobile accident, 
• another friend and mentor who struggled for many pain-filled years with rheumatoid arthritis, 
• a friend who is dealing with continual setbacks in his fight against a variety of diseases including cancer. (When asked about why he thought he was going through all this, he was heard to answer, "Well, the Bible says the rain falls on the just and the unjust.") 
• a young friend whose cancer struck suddenly and was so invasive it surged through his body, killing him within a week of its discovery, 
• a young father of two toddlers learned he had colon cancer, and died in less than eight months.
• a child, four years old, has had intimate knowledge of hospitals, doctors, nurses, and pain since birth - and her parents have suffered right along with her,
• even now, a precious, respected woman of God is in intractable pain due to invasive cancer. 

What then? Is there a lack of faith in the sufferer? In those that pray? Is God not listening for some unknown reason? Are such calamities the result of someone's sin? Jesus answered the disciples' question, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." (John 9:3) For both Job and the blind man, God had a greater purpose; one that transcended their current dilemmas and ultimately, brought glory to God. We don't know how long Job's suffering lasted, but the blind man had been so all his life and was now a full grown man. In both of these cases, healing came; and along with it, revelation and greater understanding of God and His ways.

What about when healing doesn't come? Does lengthy suffering mean God is out of the healing business? Here's what Job has to say about suffering...

• "...the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the LORD." (1:21)
• "...What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?..." (2:10)
• "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him..." (13:15a)
• "For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant." (14:7-9)
• "If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come." (14:14)
• "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And [though] after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me." (19:25-27)
• "But He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."  (23:10-12)

And what about when death comes? Does it negate the promises of God? Paul asked, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" then answered his own questions this way... "The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin the law." (I Corinthians 15:55-56) Verses 57 and 58 go on to proclaim victory through our Lord Jesus Christ and encourages us to be "stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord," and to "know that" our "labour is not in vain in the Lord." Listed below are several Scriptures which speak for themselves. I pray they will give you food for thought and allow you to step back, gain a greater perspective, and a clearer understanding...

• "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints." (Psalm 116:15)
• "He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall be their blood in His sight." (Psalm 72:14)
• "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness." (Isaiah 57:1-2)
• "A good name is better than precious ointment: and the day of death than the day of one's birth." (Ecclesiastes 7:1)
• "...and if the tree falleth toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be." (Ecclesiastes 11:3b) [See also Revelation 22:11.]
• "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."(Revelation 14:13)
• Jesus said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
• "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet of God shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ...So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory!" (I Corinthians 15:52-55)