The Bible, Pain, and Suffering

What the Bible teaches concerning pain and suffering.

This is the hard blog to write because I am certain it has great potential to be misunderstood, and also the hardest to accept. 

People often wonder why there is pain and suffering in the world.  Why does God allow people to suffer?  Why is their pain?  What is God’s will concerning pain and suffering?  What does God’s Word say concerning this topic?

Many people suffer in life with physical and emotional pain.  Pain is defined as agony, horrors, sufferings, and the pain associated with child birth.  Suffering is defined as afflictions, trials, tribulation, persecution, suffering, and trouble. It means the pressure of crushing affliction. It means troubles, hard circumstances, distress, pressure, strain, tension that comes both from within and without.  You get the picture.

1.         Why is there pain and suffering in the world?

According to the Bible pain and suffering entered into the world when sin entered.

Genesis 3:16-19 (KJV) ¹⁶ Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. ¹⁷ And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; ¹⁸ Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; ¹⁹ In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Romans 8:18-21 (KJV) ¹⁸ For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. ²⁰ For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, ²¹ Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Prior to the original sin there wasn’t any pain or suffering.  Sin has consequences and consequences that only God controls.  The 9^th principle of Reformers Unanimous states; We lose our freedom to choose when we give in to sin. The consequence are inevitable, incalculable, and up to God.  Sometimes this is hard to remember, but you do not control the consequences of your sin, God does.  Adam and Eve did not dictate what would be the result of their sin, God did and God still does today.

Why is there pain and suffering in this world?  There is pain and suffering in this world because it is the God given consequence of the original sin of Adam and Eve.  These consequences are passed on to every person.

Romans 5:12 (KJV)¹² Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

According to the Bible pain and suffering is a common human experience.

Job 14:1-6 (KJV) ¹ Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. ² He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. ³ And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? ⁴ Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. ⁵ Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; ⁶ Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.

Psalm 116:3 (KJV) ³ The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.
Jeremiah 10:19 (KJV) ¹⁹ Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.
Jeremiah 4:19 (KJV) ¹⁹ My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
Jeremiah 15:18 (KJV) ¹⁸ Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?
Psalm 55:4 (KJV) ⁴ My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
Psalm 48:6 (KJV) ⁶ Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
Isaiah 26:17 (KJV) ¹⁷ Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.

As you can clearly see in Scripture, pain and suffering is a direct result of original sin and is a common human experience for all of mankind.

2.         What is God’s will concerning pain and suffering?

According to the Bible the wicked will suffer.

Job 15:20 (KJV) ²⁰ The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
Jeremiah 30:23 (KJV) ²³ Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.
Romans 8:22 (KJV) ²² For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

According to the Bible the Godly will suffer.

1 Peter 3:17 (KJV) ¹⁷ For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
1 Peter 4:19 (KJV) ¹⁹ Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

These verses clearly state that for some it is the will of God to suffer and that it is better for the suffering to be because it is God’s will than our own poor choices.

Acts 9:16 (KJV) ¹⁶ For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Acts 14:22 (KJV) ²² Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
2 Corinthians 11:27 (KJV) ²⁷ In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Philippians 1:29 (KJV) ²⁹ For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
1 Thessalonians 3:4 (KJV) ⁴ For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

I know we want to believe that coming to Jesus Christ will remove all pain and suffering, but that just isn’t the case and it isn’t the will of God.  The Bible clearly teaches that both the wicked and the Godly shall suffer and that it is better for the suffering to be the will of God.

3.         What instruction does the Bible teach concerning our pain and suffering?

First of all, our response to the pain and suffering we endure in life matters to God.  

According to the Bible there are spiritual benefits of victoriously enduring pain and suffering.

1 Peter 5:10 (KJV) ¹⁰ But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

In this verse God promises several spiritual blessings to those who endure victoriously.

·         Perfect:            Complete thoroughly, to prepare, to restore, to repair.
·         Stablish:          To turn and strengthen in a right direction.
·         Strengthen:      In spiritual power.
·         Settle:              To lay the foundation

Wow, God is able through suffering to repair our imperfections, to turn us around and head us in a right direction, to give us the spiritual power to continue, and lays the foundation for the remainder of our lives.  Does pain and suffering have purpose in the life of a dedicated Christian?  You better believe it!

According to the Bible there are eternal rewards for those who victoriously endure pain and suffering.

2 Timothy 2:12 (KJV) ¹² If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
James 1:12 (KJV) ¹² Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
1 Peter 5:4 (KJV) ⁴ And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Revelation 2:10 (KJV) ¹⁰ Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Isn’t God good?  The suffering we endure because of the sin of man God, through Jesus Christ, rewards those who endure it for His sake! 

4.         Three responses to pain and suffering found in Scripture.

Worship:
This was the response of a man who suffered immensely.  Job continued to live for God, to worship God, and to praise God.  All of us during a time of pain and suffering would do well to read the book of Job.

Doubt:

Jeremiah 15:18 (KJV) ¹⁸ Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?

Jeremiah, on the other hand, doubted God.  Please note that despite Jeremiah’s doubt, he did continue to serve the Lord with the remainder of his life.  Many people who are living for God have moments of doubt as did Jeremiah.  The lesson learned here is to continue serving, believing, and loving our God.

Curse:
Revelation 16:11 (KJV) ¹¹ And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

Many people choose this response to their pain.  Let us blame God, curse God, reject God and continue living our lives as we so choose. 

Conclusion:

You are never alone in your pain and suffering.  The Bible teaches us that Jesus Christ also suffered.
Hebrews 5:8 (KJV) ⁸ Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Hebrews 2:10 (KJV) ¹⁰ For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Not only did Jesus suffer and suffer for us on the cross, but He also understands our feelings as we are tried, tempted, and suffering.
Hebrews 4:15 (KJV) ¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
It is important that you face the pain and suffering you are experiencing or have experienced from a right and Godly perspective.  God does know.  God does care.  God can forgive. God can heal.  God can enable you to endure. God loves you.