THE OTHER SIDE OF SUFFERING

Pastor Rick Jackson

Have you ever looked at the underside or back of someone's needlepoint? Not very attractive is it? Strings hanging down. Knots in odd places. It is really one of the most disorganized looking pieces of work you will ever see. Certainly doesn't like like something you would want hanging on your wall or being showcased in your house does it? What's the problem?

You are looking at the wrong side! So it is with life. Often some wag will say, "If God is a God of love why is there suffering?" Even Christians suffer and sometimes complain, whine, and murmur. You know what? Like the needlepoint, you are looking at the wrong side! Now just like you can sometimes get a glimpse of the front side of a needlepoint while the work is still progressing, through the Scriptures we can get a glimpse of the right side of suffering. It's not finished yet, you will not see the finished work until the day you arrive in glory, but I can guarantee you when we as God's children get there we'll understand and say, "Oh... okay. I get it. I see the need. I am glad it happened that way."

I. SUFFERING COMES WITH FREEDOM TO CHOOSE!


-parents should protect their children but wise parents do not over-protect them (make them ride that bike!)
-a world without choice is preferred over a world without pain
-there is a great danger when there are no consequences to wrong choices and actions
-Gn. 2:15-17

II. PAIN IS THE WARNING SYSTEM THE CREATOR GAVE US

-without discomfort sick/hurt wouldn't visit a doctor
-worn out bodies wouldn't get rest
-criminals/children wouldn't fear punishment
-a wounded conscience, dissatisfaction, emptiness leads people to God
-Eccl. 1-12, Ps. 78:34-35, Rm. 3:10-18

III. SUFFERING REVEALS WHAT IS IN THE HEART

-sometimes what we see is not good (pharaoh)
-like gold & silver refined by fire
-Jm. 1:2-5, I Pet. 1:6-8

IV. SUFFERING CAN DRIVE US TO GOD & HIS VIEWPOINT

-Mt. 5:10-12, Rm. 8:18-19

V. PAIN LOOSENS OUR GRIP ON THIS LIFE

-Eccl. 12:1-14, 2 Timothy 4:8

VI. SUFFERING GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRUST GOD

-Job 1-42 [God didn't explain to Job at first, He was silent, then He pointed to His workings in nature in chapters 38-39 and basically said, "If you can do all this-- can't you trust me to do right by you?] 40:1-4ff

VII. GOD SUFFERS WITH US IN OUR SUFFERING & WE CAN JOIN IN WITH CHRIST IN HIS SUFFERINGS

-God hates sin, grieves over the lost, grieves over Christians' sin [Eph. 4:30]
-I Pet. 2:21, 3:18, 4:1, 4:13; 2 Corinthians 1:5, Colossians 1:24

VIII. GOD'S COMFORT IS GREATER THAN OUR SUFFERING [II Cor. 12:9-10]

IX. IN TIMES OF CRISIS WE FIND ONE ANOTHER [II Cor. 1:3-4]

X. GOD CAN TURN SUFFERING AROUND FOR OUR GOOD [Gn. 50:20, Rm. 8:28, Is. 53:1-12]