The meaning of suffering

[Shiloah]

I am wondering what folks here say about suffering?

Is suffering (illness, hardship, loss) sent from G-d to discipline, or even as a punishment (for not obeying G-d"s ) or is it a consequence of the sin and the Fall, as death came to all through the sin of the first Adam?

Some in Christendom believe that Christians can claim all the blessings of obedience, without much of an understanding of what obedience looks like. Then they say that if you suffer, it is because you have sinned, or you don't have enough faith to maintain your healing.

It is an area I have struggled with. Anyone care to comment?

[Chizuk Emunah]

Some in Christendom believe that Christians can claim all the blessings of obedience, without much of an understanding of what obedience looks like. Then they say that if you suffer, it is because you have sinned, or you don't have enough faith to maintain your healing.

So by that same line of reasoning, we could say that Job was the worst sinner of all, right?

Wrong...

Job was a righteous man, yet he suffered greatly. He had everything taken from him except his life, his posessions, his sons, even his wife. And during this time of suffering, his friends came to him and told him to repent of whatever sins he had committed, yet he done nothing wrong. The whole point of his suffering was to test his faithfulness to HaShem.

So here is my position on suffering, if you are a follow of HaShem and endure hard times & suffering, then it's purpose is to test your faithfulness and draw you closer to him. If you are not a follower of HaShem and go through hard times & suffering, then it is brought upon you as punishment for not observing his .

[Mark]

Joh 9:1-3 The Scriptures '98 (1) And passing by, He saw a man, blind from birth. (2) And His taught ones asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?” (3) Yeshua answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of Elohim might be made manifest in him."

We know that all things work together for good to them who love Adonai and who are called according to His purposes, yet, we, being carnal are skewed in our understanding of what is good. When Yeshua was preparing to be sacrificed, He cried out to Adonai, "Father, glorify Me now."

Sin is destructive to us both physically and spiritually. The chastening hand of Adonai and the inevitable consequences will bring what we consider trials or suffering. Yet, David expressed amazing consternation with God that nothing ever seems to go bad or wrong for the heathen and irreverant. (Psalm 94:3). The ways of Adonai are certainly beyond our comprehension.

There are two reasons that I have found, other than sin that Adonai chooses to put unusual pressure on us- and usually they seem to walk hand in hand. The first is that He has unusual blessings in store for us: that we must get through the fire of trial in order to have what it takes to receive that blessing. The second is that our trial strengthens us so that we will be able to help others- that what we are learning in these days are things that we will be teaching in days to come.

Jenny, I can't imagine how hard things must be for you sometimes. Yes, I have my own struggles. I know people who are going through hard times. Your situation is unique even if we shared exactly the same circumstances because you are unique- what might be traumatic for me is no big deal to you, or vice versa. Yet, no matter what, I've learned that the grace of Adonai is sufficient for me, that when I am weak, He is strong. I'm saying this having lost a child. There's no way you could comprehend such grief if you have not experienced it. I understand that there's no way I can share the difficulties of your situation.

Yet, I know God. He loves you and I more than we could possibly imagine. And even in pain and sorrow there is His peaceful hand loving us in ways that we could never otherwise have known. I wouldn't ask my trials on anyone- not my worst enemies; but through the years I have learned that I would also never trade them for anything.

Blessings and love,

Mark

[Shiloah]

Oh, dear brother, thank you for your words. I have been sitting here trying to write a response but have trouble seeing through the tears.

The verse from John was given to us shortly after our son's birth 14 years ago, so that is very precious.

You have spoken the truth in such compassion, and my heart goes out to you and your family over the loss of your child. As you say, only Abba can comfort us with his tender love, and restore us, although there is not a day goes by that I do not think about how my son will never know the gift of sight, at least in this world. (Short of a miracle - he does not even have an optic nerve).

I am grateful for my life, which I treasure, as it could have been so easily snatched away at one point, and it is a gift that has been preserved by HaShem, I know.

As you said, some suffering can be preparation for greater blessing, or teaching so we can ourselves comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have received. (As you have in fact done, Mark!) I know I cannot totally understand your pain, as I have not experienced what you have, and we each have our different backgrounds, so we "filter" painful experiences differently. But there is enough in common that we can speak words of comfort. I thank you again, for yours, from my heart.

May many blessings be yours today, from Abba's hand.

Jenny