Suffering.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume II, Issue 2, 1 August 1911, Page 27

Suffering.

"How can God be a God of love and yet permit us to suffer?" Such is the question which constantly exercises the minds of men and women, and which constitutes one of the real difficulties of 'thoughtful, as well as thoughtless people. But to the real Christian, it is hard to see where the difficulty comes m, unless he forgets the helpful words of S. Paul, "For now we see m a mirror, darkly ; but then face to face : now I know m part ; but then shall I know even as also I have been known." Forgetful of the fact that "we walk by faith and not by sight," we are impatient of mysteries, impatient bf the higher reaches of Fatherhood, impatient of the Divine purposes of a God who is eternal and working for eternity. It may be helpful for sufferers to know what has helped one who for twenty years as chaplain to a hospital, has been brought into constant touch with sufferers, and the difficulties of sufferers.

Perhaps tlie most suggestive passage m the New Testament is Romans viii, 18-26, "For I reckon that sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with, the glory which shall be revealed to uswards, etc." The writer of those words was a sufferer, and yet suffering was evidently no difficulty to him. But S. Paul was a thinker,, a deep thinker, and a Christian philosopher. He knew the meani» gof suffering, both physical and mental, as probably few have known it, and his strenuous life was lived m the midst of constant sufferings. We know not for certain what he meant by his "thorn m the flesh," but his noble words on the subject must ever he a,n iji-

spiration to us. "And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations — wherefore that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn m the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee : for My power is made perfect m weakness. Most gladly, therefore i will I rather glory m my weakness, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I take pleasure m weaknesses, m injuries, m persecution, m distresses, for Christ's sake : for when I am weak, then am I strong." It is surely significant that the message of the risen Jesus to the converted Saul contained the prophetic words, "For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake." The careful study of S. Paul's 11. Corinthians, will afford much information with regard to his suffering life, and yet he writes "Wherefore we faint not, for though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction which . is for the moment, w£>rketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen ; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

The great truth, which S> Paul grasped so clearly was that suffering was not an end m itself, but a means to a glorious end. Suffering was not an accident, not the outcome of the work of some evil principle, some demi-god, but God's own purpose, God's own means of discipline for producing the highest and best results. He likens the sufferings of the world to birth-pangs,, which are neither purposeless nor lasting, but the forerunners of a new and glorious life. "For we know- that the whole creation groweth and travaileth m pain together , until now." And S. I*aul does not hesitate to make the author of the universe responsible for its present groaning; "For .the creation was subjected to; vanity, not of its

own. will,- but by reason of Him who subjected it, m hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.'/ Suffering* is temporary, suffering is not apart from God, suffering is a means to an end, suffering is part of a great eternal scheme, suffering is closely allied with sonship. Suffering is closely allied with hope. He has a glorious vision (or may we call it a revelation ?) m which not oiily man but the whole creation is to share, when we shall acknowledge that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the purpose and end accomplished by them. Hope is 1 the keynote of his message.

2. It is a great comfort to know that sufferings are not purposeless, and not apart from God's will. But can we see any inconsistency between suffering and the Fatherhood of God? We believe m the Fatherhood of God on the authority of His Son Jesus Christ. Did Jesus consider that there was any want of love on His Father's part towards Himself? Was not Jesus a sufferer? He was <( a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." He knew the meaning of suffering as we can never know it, and yet after all, His suffering life culminated with His agony upon the cross, He can say confidently, " Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit." Suffering was no bar to His realisation of the love and Fatherhood of Him from whom He came, and why should it be with us? The servant is not greater than His Lord. If Christ had not been a sufferer, then we might have had some difficulty, but with the life of Christ before us we can never doubt God's love. It is well for us to remember the words from the Epistle to the Hebrews, "But we beheld Him, who had been made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, that by the grace of God he should taste death for every man. For it became Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, m bringing many souls unto glory, to make the author of

their salvation perfect through sufferings." If Jesus could m any sense be made "perfect through sufferings," can we think that God can be wanting m love if our sufferings are the means of our perfection?

3. There is another side of suffering", which we often forget. The parent who m love for his child inflicts punishment often suffers far more than the child. Does God suffer then m our suffering's? God^suffers every pang that we suffer, God suffers m us and with us. How often we misjudge God, and wrong His love and self-sacrifice. "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son." Is there no suffering there? "I could have given myself, but I could never have given my son," said a working man. "That was love." What is the cross but; the manifestation of our suffering God? God is not seated m majesty above the sufferings of His world, cold and indifferent to them, but m the very midst of them. Behold your suffering God, and take courage.

There is still another point which is often overlooked. There is no surer witness of God 3 s love than His willingness to be misunderstood. He is working for our eternal welfare ; He knows what is best; He is not a man that He should seek to please, to gain popularity, to make plans for today. He bears with His littleminded critics just because He is God, just because He is working for eternity.

4. Can you imagine what the world would be without its sufferers ? It would be absolute selfishness ;it would be hell.' Men too easily forget God altogether m health and strength, forget what they are and whither they are going', forget that they must give an account for the use or abuse of what has been entrusted to them. Suffering reminds man of His transitoriness, and of the blessings which he has enjoyed and for which he is often so ungrateful. Suffering reminds us, "Lest we forget, lest we forget." The world's sufferers are the world's purifiers, because they appeal to the best m men and women, and draw out the better side of their natures. Ho.w much love a.nd

sympathy and kindness and tenderness and brotherly feeling would there be m the world were it not for the world's sufferers? God uses no class of men and women so much as He does His sufferers. It is harder to bear than to do God's will, but the bearers are the world's lesser saviours, and their examples, their intercessions, help to bring Christ into His world which might otherwise become Christless. Christ did remove sufferings sometimes m order to teach the world that sufferings were not outside the control of God; but He sanctified all suffering, and raised it to a high and divine level. We can pray for the removal of our sufferings, therefore, if it is God's will, but we should also pray for their sanctification. Jesus, "for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, etc.," and is there no joy for the sufferer to-day m feeling that God is using him for such high and holy purposes ? ; : , 6. Trust Jesus and then nothing can separate you from the love of God ; nothing can prevent you saying "The Lord 'is my Shepherd, I shall not want." The patient sufferers will occupy a place very near to the Man of Sorrows when they exchange their cross for their crown . "Take it on trust a little whilej soon shall ye read the mystery right m the clear sunshine of His love." * A.W.W.