In looking at the wrong ways to approach suffering, I need to start with the obvious one. This is the idea that good people do not suffer, and suffering is always connected with sin. There are many Scriptures that firmly contradict this (Job 1,2; John 9:1-3; Hebrews 11:35-38). Now we are told God can use suffering in our lives as discipline to correct us when we need correcting (Hebrews 12:5-11; 1 Corinthians 11:30-32; Galatians 6:7,8). But we must be very careful of jumping too quickly to the conclusion that we or someone else are suffering because of our sins. And even if some suffering is the result of sin, the goal is to produce repentance (Proverbs 28:13; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 1 John 1:9), not to condemn. But if we see the need to correct others, we should do it properly, with gentleness and concern for healing (Galatians 6:1; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; Hebrews 12:12,13). However, we should be very reluctant to rush to any sort of opinion regarding another's suffering. For when you are suffering, the last thing you need is someone mistakenly concluding it is a result of your sin.
Job and his friends both suffered from the false notion that bad things that happen are a direct result of sin. They merely disagreed on the issue of whether Job sinned. Job held to his innocence as his friends continued to point the finger at him.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite clear that neither side had it right and Job ends up repenting in the end. But we are told Job was more correct than his friends and I can see that. It is one thing to struggle through your own misconceptions in times of suffering and another to condemn others.
DeleteLove that Mike! Especially your last sentence.
ReplyDeleteA few things I do appreciate about Job's friends:
1) They showed up;
2) They waited a week before they spoke;
3) They wept/mourned with him over his great loss.
They started out well. Shame they couldn't have continued that way.
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