The Justification of Sufferings!

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How can we justify sufferings in this civilized world? I guess it’s difficult to compromise pain or sufferings as it drains. But bible has something different to talk about when ‘pain or suffering’ strikes in the midst of God’s people.

In the book of ‘Job’ from the Old Testament, Elihu, one of the mentioned characters, describes and speaks about the sufferings of his righteous friend Job! Though Elihu was not mentioned in the prologue, the speech he has given contradicts with some renowned fundamentals of Christian righteousness – which is, “impracticality of the righteous people to suffer”. Elihu further explains that suffering may be decreed for the righteous people as a protection against greater sins; as it meant for warning and then learning the Lord’s precepts, to trust Him in the midst of adversities. Yet, not a single bone of the righteous is broken says the bible – which is a great declaration as well to trust in the Lord unconditionally!

It is written in Job 36:22-33, NIV-Bible; “God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’? Remember to extol his work, which people have praised in song. All humanity has seen it; mortals gaze on it from afar. How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out. He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind. Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion? See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea. This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance. He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark. His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach”.

The Bible also states that we glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5). Therefore, submit and trust in the Lord, by living a life acceptable to Him. And believe in our hearts that God is the only teacher whom we learn from. Those who have ears, let them hear, Amen