The Mystery of Suffering
When ministering to those who have
experienced tragedies, we must be very cautious
in offering explanations--
particularly during the normal period of grief.
Here now is Gene Getz:
When I think of this Principle, I do think
in terms of a profound reality.
A reality that is illustrated in the book of Job.
There are times when righteous people suffer
and unrighteous people prosper.
And Job demonstrates that good things
happen to bad people.
It's not just bad things happen to good people.
Good things happen to bad people.
Listen to what he says:
Why do the wicked continue to live,
growing old and becoming powerful?
Their children are established while they
are still alive, and their descendants,
before their eyes. ...
In other words, Job is saying: I've lived,
I know, a life--not perfect--but I've lived in
such a way that I've treated others right.
And God of course, confirmed that.
And my children are dead.
He goes on to say:
...Their homes are secure and free of fear;
no rod from God strikes them.
In other words, he's saying:
I've tried to live the way God wants me to live
and I've lost my own.
I've lost everything.
In other words, he's saying: Good things
happen to bad people.
That's tough, isn't it? He goes on to say:
...They spend their days and prosperity...
How many people do you know who are
living wicked lives who are living in prosperity?
There are a lot of them.
...They spend their days in prosperity
[and] go down to Sheol in peace. ...
In other words, they die in peace.
...Yet they say to God: "Leave us alone! ...
Basically said they're agnostic.
...We don't want to know Your ways.
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him...
That's almost an atheistic statement--
if not an atheistic statement.
...and what will we gain by pleading with Him?"
In other words, we don't need God.
So Job is thinking about all that.
And he's stating this reality:
There are times when righteous people suffer
and unrighteous people prosper.
Now the other reality here is, of course,
from Job's life is that bad things happen
to good people.
Bad things happen to good people.
And what makes this so painful is that
at times, God seems to be silent.
We certainly see this illustrated in the
book of Job.
Now we know the end of the story.
God restored everything.
In fact, He doubled his previous possessions.
He gave back, as it were, his sons.
He got seven sons and three daughters.
But you see, when you look at the
whole biblical story, there's still a reality here.
And that is that Job's story does not
answer all the questions about suffering.
Because not everyone experiences
earthly blessings like Job did
after a severe trial. There are people,
they go to their death not understanding
why bad things happen to good people.
And they won't really understand it until
they enter heaven's gates.
And this is the essence of what we read
in the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews chapter 11, verses 13 and 14:
These all died in faith without having
received the promises,
but they saw them from a distance,
greeted them, and confessed that they
were foreigners and temporary
residents on the earth.
Now those who say such things make it clear
that they are seeking a homeland.
And if you go back and you look at the
context of that, there were people that
suffered and were killed for their faith--literally.
In a horrible way.
And they didn't understand it.
They didn't see purpose in it until they
were with the Lord.
And so we have a biblical story here--
that even the biblical story in its total,
in its total revelation--does not give us all the answers
to why bad things happen to good people.
Reflection and Response question:
When people are suffering in ways that
seem unexplainable [when they seem] unfair,
what is the best way to encourage them?
And really, this question takes us right back
to the beginning of the book of Job.
In the opening Principle that comes
right out of the book of Job itself. And ironically,
from Job's three friends.
And here's the Principle--
The Art of Being Silent:
When ministering to those who are suffering,
we should initially focus our efforts on
simply being present, not on dispensing information.
And the three guys started out well.
And sat there and said nothing,
And they should have stayed right there saying
nothing in this particular situation.
But we see how they violated Principle
after Principle as the story continues to unfold.
So what can we learn here in answer to this question?
Well, as I've shared before, when we do speak,
there are times we must simply say that
we don't understand.
I've faced that situation many times in my ministry.
In a hospital, in a situation where there's
been a horrible tragedy. And I have
not earned the right to even say:
I understand. Because I don't.
I haven't really earned the right to say:
I know how you feel. Because I've not been there.
There are times when we just simply
need to be there and to say:
I'm here and I love you. I'm here.
In fact, there're sometimes they're
not even ready to hear you say:
God loves you.
What they need to see is God's love
through you just being there and
demonstrating God's love.
That takes a lot of wisdom.
But there are times to speak. And there
are times when we can share.
And we need to look for those opportunities.
We can share biblical illustrations when
their heart is open.
Even they will initiate and say:
I need to hear some Scripture.
And I think one of the great Scriptures
we can share is what Timothy received
from Paul in the last letter
when Paul was in a dungeon.
And this is what he said:
For I am already being poured out as a
drink offering, and the time for
my departure is close. ...
In other words, he said: I'm going to die.
The guillotine is coming--
I know that Nero's going to take my life.
I got out of prison the first time even though
I didn't know I was. But this time
I know it's not going to happen.
And he goes on to say:
...I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith. ...
And notice what the promise was:
...There is reserved for me in the future
the crown of righteousness...
Now don't make a mistake.
He's not talking about salvation.
He has righteousness in Christ.
He has the assurance of his salvation.
Not because of his works.
Not because he's kept the faith or finished the race.
His salvation is based on the gift that
God gave him.
But because he has finished the race,
kept the faith, fought this good fight, he's going
to receive a crown of righteousness. And he says:
There is reserved for me in the future
the crown of righteousness, which the Lord,
the righteous Judge, will give me on that day,
and not only to me, but to all those who
have loved His appearing.
That includes all of us who put our faith
in Christ and who finished that race.
Even in some instances, having to say like Job:
Though He slay me, yet I'll trust Him.