SOME time ago, I was called to a hospital
where a young member of my church had just passed away unexpectedly.
In a room filled with grieving family members and friends, I prayed
for peace and comfort.
But outside in the corridor, I was approached by one of the friends,
a member of another Methodist church. "Do you know my Pastor
so-and-so?" was the question asked, naming a well-known senior
Methodist pastor. Of course I knew his pastor.
"Well, if Pastor so-and-so had been here," this person
proudly claimed, "he would have prayed for resurrection!"
My jaw dropped open. "Did you feel the Holy Spirit prompting
you that He was going to raise the dead here?" I probed,
"because I didn't."
The friend said no.
I tried to explain that everybody dies and our hope is in the
resurrection when Jesus returns.
This person was not convinced. "Pastor so-and-so would still
have prayed for resurrection here tonight!"
Although I was very happy to see such confidence in a fellow minister,
I wondered what lay behind this person's thinking.
I may be wrong, but could it be part of the fear of suffering
some Christians have? Too many people have bought into the "health
and wealth" doctrine. They believe that God wants to bless
them physically and materially, and that all good Christians are
blessed by God. If you suffer, either you must have done something
bad, or it is an opportunity for a miraculous healing. Suffering
is a bad thing. Suffering is not of or from God. A good Christian
is free from suffering.
Let me say first off I believe God miraculously heals, having
experienced it both in my family as well as personally. I will
say it again happily: God healed me wonderfully twice. I do pray
for healing.
But is
it not a vital teaching of the church that God's power is perfected
in weakness? Does the Bible not say that those close to God do
suffer?
In the Book of Job, a blameless man really suffers badly. He is
specifically described as blameless, upright, God-fearing and
turned from evil. Job did nothing wrong, but he lost his whole
family, his wealth and his health. What did he do wrong that he
had to suffer?
In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul complained of a thorn in his
flesh, a messenger of Satan, perhaps some physical malady. In
chapter 12, we read of Paul praying to God three times that this
thorn be removed. Paul knows that this thorn was given to him
primarily to prevent him from "exalting himself" and
giving himself too much credit. In other words, the thorn was
given to Paul as a result of him doing great things for God.
But in verses 9 and 10, Paul cheerfully writes,
And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for
power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore,
I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of
Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses,
with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties,
for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Here we have an apostle zealous for the Lord. But he doesn't lead
a "good" life. He is not free from pain and suffering.
Earlier in chapter 11 of 2 Corinthians, Paul lists the suffering
he has had to endure: many imprisonments, numerous beatings, often
near death, flogged five times with 39 lashes, beaten with rods
three times, stoned once, shipwrecked three times. Paul says
he is in danger from robbers, from his own countrymen, Gentiles,
in danger in the city and in the wilderness, in danger on the
sea and among false brethren. He notes that he has been in hardship,
through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, in cold and
exposure.
That is the life of a good Christian. It can be a life of suffering:
suffering inflicted by this imperfect world, suffering because
of your work for God, and suffering to prevent you from exalting
yourself. People close to God do suffer.
If you go through the Bible, you will see many examples of righteous
men suffering for their faith and for God. Abraham, Moses, Elijah,
Micah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, James, Peter, Paul, Silas,
just to name 10. And of course there is the example of Jesus.
Most Christians know that with good fortune and perfect health,
we tend to forget about God. We are happy enjoying life. Only
when disaster strikes do people turn to Him. We pray the most
when we need something.
It is when we suffer that we turn to God for strength, when we
pray more, when we learn to depend only on God. Peter says in
1 Peter that if we suffer for the sake of righteousness, we are
blessed. He reassures those who "suffer according to the
will of God" that we shall "entrust their souls to a
faithful Creator in doing what is right". It can be the will
of God for you to suffer.
The belief that good Christians do not suffer is attractive and
comforting, but sadly not biblical. An easy life free from pain
and suffering may mean you are doing nothing for God and that
the devil doesn't have to bother with you.
Is that the kind of life you are living?
The Rev Chiang Ming Shun, a member of the Methodist Message Editorial Board, is the Pastor at Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.
QUOTE:
NOT BIBLICAL
'The belief that good Christians do not suffer is attractive and
comforting, but sadly not biblical. An easy life free from pain
and suffering may mean you are doing nothing for God and that
the devil doesn't have to bother with you.'