Why Shouldn't Christians Suffer?
By Gertrude Cutler*
S O much has been written regarding the subject of “Why should Chris tians suffer?” that I should like to re state the question in this way: “Why shouldn’t Christians suffer?” In attempt ing to defend God’s actions, we imply that God is being cruel. I believe He is being only merciful! When our pilgrimage is done, and all the secrets of hearts are laid bare, I am sure we will thank God most for the suffering He has allotted to us. During the course of writing this paper, I have been tested on this very matter. Did I really believe what I was saying, or were they only so many words? Would I be willing to submit to the things mentioned? Then I learned that a very dear one in our church family, who had under gone a radical cancer operation, was again suffering intensely, the growth of cancerous tissue not having been ar rested. I was on my knees for some time before I could thank God for that! But bodily suffering is only one third of my subject. Mental, suffering is fully as painful and fully as effective in the hand of the One with whom we have to do. Spiritual suffering is in a class by itself—being something rather to attain, for His dear sake. Bodily Suffering “ 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” (Rom. 8:18). At Rancho Los Amigos is a little man, living out his span of years in a wheel chair, whose legs have been amputated. One day he said to. me, “ People think I’m crazy to say it, but I thank God for my affliction. When He put me on my back, I looked up!” In the eyes of the world he is a pitiful figure; yet I verily believe he is a precious jewel in the sight of his Lord. He told me of in stances when God has put a burden on his heart to pray for events of national importance. He prayed, trusted God, and the answer came. At first I smiled a little at his “ presumption” until I realiz ed that it would be just like God to use a little, lonely, crippled man on a county farm to accomplish His purposes! Why should God allow a godly man like that to suffer? Well, he wasn’t godly until he did suffer. Isn’t this the aim of God: “ That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good * B iola ’49.
works” ? He knows how to accomplish this in each of His children—and some times He uses bodily suffering. Job is the classic example of this in Scripture. All that Job held dear, except his life, was swept away. He had lived for God to the best of his knowledge,
What a contrast to an earlier time when the Lord Himself was with them on the sea. A storm arose, lashing the waves into the boat. In a frenzy they awoke their Master. “ Carest thou not that we perish?” But now in the face of persecution and danger they ask only for boldness. Long is the list of Christians who have sealed their testimony with their blood. First in line was Stephen who died repeating the words his Lord had uttered on the cross, “ Lord Jesus, re ceive my spirit. . . Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” In the First Century, Ignatius, one of the church fathers, was brought before the Emperor, condemned to death, trans ported to Rome, and thrown before the wild beasts in the Colosseum. He feared that the Christians in Rome would try to procure his pardon, hence he wrote beseeching them to show him no such “ unreasonable kindness” . He wrote, “ Come fire and cross, come crowds of wild beasts; come tearing and mang- lings, wracking of bones and hacking of limbs; come cruel tortures of the devil; only let me attain unto Jesus Christ”. Peter wrote to the suffering Christians: “Beloved, think it not strange concern ing the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Pet. 4:12, 13). Mental Suffering “ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world . . . therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18, 19). There is a great deal more mental suf fering than physical suffering in the life of a Christian. Although we bring much of it upon ourselves by failing to trust God, a greater share of it is a tool in the hand of the Master Potter. Following a sermon on the subject of hell, one Sunday evening, a youngster of my acquaintance shifted uneasily in his seat, then whispered to me, “ There is a lot of sin at my house. When I tell them about the devil, they make jokes about it. I sing songs about Jesus and they laugh at me.” What a cruel experi ence for a ten-year-old! Yet I have noticed that his faith is more real to him
“ Our fathers, chained in prisons dark Were still in heart and conscience free.” but like a bolt from the blue—loss, be reavement and suffering came upon him. Yet he could say, “ When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold . . . Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” God’s purpose was certainly ac complished in Job, as revealed by his last words: “ I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.” To illustrate the relative unimportance of material things, Jesus said, “ And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell . . . if thy foot offend thee, cut it off . . . if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out”—Mark 9:43, 45, 47. Harsh words these! Yet when bodily suffering comes to a Christian, we won der how a loving God can allow it! When the little band of apostles en countered their first persecution, they uttered an amazing prayer. They did not ask that the hostilities cease, or that God would protect them from harm. They simply recognized God as sovereign, completely in control of the situation, causing even the wrath of man to praise Him. They prayed, “ Behold their threat- enings . . . and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.”
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