To Be Still and Know...Why Do We Suffer?

On my walk this morning I felt that there was so much more to say on the topic of suffering in a Christians life.  One question we all have is "Why?".  Why does God allow His children to go through times of suffering?  And why do some people seem to have more than their fair share of suffering?  These are very hard but very real questions we all have at some point in our lives.  I will say upfront I do not have all the answers to these questions but I will share verses from God Word on this topic to help us all hopefully better understand some reasons Christians face suffering.  The first verse is "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."  2 Corinthians 2:4.  This is one reason God allows trials to come into our lives.  We are instruments of God's love and comfort to others and we can better comfort people and help them through their own struggles when we have walked that same path and can understand their struggle and pain.  A few areas of struggle that I have very personal, very real experience with is in the areas of worry, anxiety and depression.  I am talking the kind of worry that makes you get ulcers and keeps you awake at night.  The kind of anxiety that makes you feel like you cannot breathe and the kind of depression that makes you feel like you cannot get out of bed in the morning.  There have been different times of these struggles in my life, each a unique set of circumstances.  God has brought me through each of these struggles.  He has truly been my lifeline in times when I felt completely hopeless and worthless and as if I may suffocate in my own worries and troubles.  He has comforted me by bringing others into my life at just the right time who have had the right words to say or met a need I had, through reading His Word, through sermons, through getting in a quiet alone place crying my eyes out to Him and feeling His presence simply reassure me that it's all going to be ok and He will never leave me.  In turn He has brought countless people into my life who have been going through similar situations and I have been able to share with them how He has met me right where I was in the dark times and how He helped me through them.  "God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." Ephesians 3:20

God allows suffering in our lives because as Christians we are children of God and the world hates God so they are naturally going to hate us too.  This brings about persecution, ridicule and hate from some people.  We here in American have had it extremely good for a long time, not facing any real persecution.  I do believe that things here in our nation are sadly changing and Christians are starting to and will continue to face some real persecution for standing firm on the Word of God.   "And since we are His children, we are His heirs.  In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory.  But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering."  Romans 8:17

"For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with His comfort through Christ." 2 Corinthians 1:5

God allows trials to enter our lives to test us and to grow our faith.  If we are never tested we won't grow, because trials enable us to put our faith into action.  It's one thing to say you trust God, it's another thing to actually trust Him when things are rough and situations are scary.  "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow...God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation.  Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."  James 1:2-3 & 12

"What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions?  Can that kind of faith save anyone?" James 2:14

One such man who was tested beyond our comprehension was Job.  He was a true man of God who faced literally losing everything.  He lost his family, his possessions, his home, his friends and his health.  While Job remained faithful to God, he still struggled mightily with feelings of despair, depression, doubt and fear. But if you read the story to the end you will see that God restored to Him all he had lost and more.
"For examples of patience in suffering dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  We give great honor to those who endure under suffering.  For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance.  You can see how the Lord was kind to Him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy."  James 5:10-11
 Please know that it is natural and ok to struggle through hardships.  Trials and struggles are very real and can bring us very low. Pretending to be happy or fine through hardship doesn't do anything for anyone. When you are in the pits of desperation, depression or worry cry out to God, get real with Him because He knows how you feel anyway and don't let others think that you have it all together.  People need to see that we Christians do face problems and have normal emotions AND that in the midst of all that we can still have faith in God and trust that He will work it out and take care of us.  People need to see faith in action, in every day real situations. Our trials become our testimonies.  I am currently in the middle of a trial that I look forward to how God is going to turn it into a testimony of how He provides.  In fact He's already doing so.  That's not to say I haven't struggled during this trial, because believe me I have probably been more worried and depressed during this particular trial than I have in years.  It has been during this trial, waiting on God to show us what the next step is to take, and waiting for Him to open doors that I felt Him calling me to start this blog.  It's in the middle of the trial that I began this journey of sharing with you what it means to be still and know.  That is part of the testimony! By saying yes to this calling of using my writing to share God's truths and not allowing Satan to keep me in a dark place I have been lifted out of my pit of despair and depression that I was deeply in for almost 2 months!  That in and of itself is an awesome testimony to God's power at work and how when you do things He is calling you to do you will be lifted up spiritually.  

"Commit everything you do to the Lord.  Trust Him and He will help you... Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act.  Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes."  Psalm 37:5 & 7

I do not have the answers to all the questions of why God allows suffering and why it's seems to be more for some than others, but I do know He has a reason and purpose for everything that happens in our lives.  I know that He created us and loves us more than anything.  I know that He has awesome plans for us and that He wants us to see that what he has planned for us, that wholeheartedly serving Him is better than anything this world has to offer.  And last but not least I know that He calls us to trust Him and live by faith.  We have to trust Him when we do understand and when we don't and live out our faith day to day through our actions and words.  Be still and know God's got it all worked out!