When Hope Hurts

             The proverbial light at the end of the tunnel increased in brightness. Hope gradually increased in anticipation of finally being healed and delivered after years of horrendous suffering. But alas! Just when the light seemed to be the brightest, the light died. Darkness eclipsed light. Life returned to its customary condition – being in darkness – filled with pain and misery.

            This could be the plight of a person physically ailing for years. The ailing soul’s hope could have been greatly increased when the surgeon assured healing through a final surgery. Alas, that surgery failed too. Suffering in ailment became the typical condition for this soul.

            Hope, which was as bright as a full moon’s light, was brutally eclipsed by evil’s shadow.

            This could be the plight of a jobless soul whose latest endeavor may have offered the greatest hope and then his hope was brutally nuked when the greatest prospect of reemployment deluded him again.  

            This could be the plight of numerous individuals and families living in utter misery and pain.

            Hope loomed large, and then suddenly, when hope disappeared, hopelessness became a constant companion to the suffering soul.

            There are instances when the word hope may appear to be the greatest cuss word in the dictionary of one’s life. This would certainly resonate with those living in utter misery for years together.

            This is not to say that those living under such despicable circumstances rebel against God. No, that’s not the case always.

            In fact, those living in utter misery could be devoted disciples of the Lord Jesus because of their constant dependence on HIM and HIM alone.  

            But when it comes to hope, they could choose to be pessimistic rather than being optimistic. Does this mean they lack faith that God would deliver them from their horrendous misery? That’s an incorrect understanding of a suffering soul as well.

            In order to understand the faith of the one who is in utter pain for several years/decades, watch out for the peace that remains in him (cf. Romans 8:6). If the person in pain has the peace of God both inside and outside his home, then his faith is in the right place – in the Lord Jesus.

            Even if the suffering soul is unhappy, irritable, angry, and reclusive, do not misjudge them. Their faith in Christ could still be strong, but they may genuinely be angry with their fellow Christians, who may have abandoned the suffering soul.

            These children of God may have lost their faith in their fellow Christians, but not their faith in the Triune God.

            So would a suffering soul, after years of suffering, lose faith? Would they believe that God would not deliver them?

            They could very well believe that it may not be in God’s will to deliver them. Christ did not heal every sick person at the pool called Bethesda, HE healed only one. Thus they know that it is not God’s bounden prerogative to save and heal any and everyone.

            If it is God’s bounden prerogative to heal and save everyone, people would flock to God for material benefits such as health, wealth, sanity, and success. But God will not grant material blessings to everyone seeking them. In fact, the Bible teaches that we are to primarily seek the spiritual. When we seek the spiritual, the material blessings will follow (cf. Matthew 6:33).

            Is it possible to pray for healing, but not hope for healing? If an ailing person does not hope for healing, then does it allude to his faithlessness?

            Job remarked that he does not have the strength to hope (Job 6:11). It is true! The suffering soul needs strength to hope, but when their mind loses its strength, then their hope begins to fade. However, their prayers need not cease.

            For years, these suffering souls would have hoped and longed for healing and deliverance. But all the years of hoping would have been in vain.

            It is one thing to hope for healing and not to receive healing. But it could be catastrophic to hope for healing but only to receive greater adversity. When you hope for suffering to cease, you are not in the frame of mind to receive more pain and misery. It is at this very moment that hope hurts.

            Job experienced this situation, so he groaned, “Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness. The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me.” (Job 30:26-27, NIV).

            When we experience such a situation we tend to think that God allows a situation wherein our hope could be uprooted. Job said, “He tears me down on every side till I am gone; he uproots my hope like a tree.” (Job 19:10, NIV; cf. Job 14:19).

            You will understand this only if you have experienced horrendous suffering for years together. Only then would you empathize with Job’s words, ““My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they come to an end without hope…” (Job 7:6, NIV).

            There are situations when hope could hurt us!

            Hope that God would deliver us may fade from our lives, but the faith in God’s existence and HIS power will remain. We learn this from Job’s life when he uttered these glorious words while in utmost suffering, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27, NIV).

            Are the Christian churches geared to minister to these suffering souls? You know the answer.

            I am moderately pessimistic.

            Churches may disappoint us, but the Lord Jesus never would. Run into HIS outstretched arms. You will receive divine comfort and peace (Matthew 11:28).

            When you encounter a suffering soul, do not judge. Rather prayerfully encourage and comfort the individual and the family in Christ. Amen.

Overcoming Suffering

This blog is an attempt to help a sufferer to conquer suffering by the grace of our Lord.

        “Each major religion has its own slant on the universal problem of suffering.  Islam says we should submit and accept all that happens as God’s will…Hinduism goes further, teaching that the suffering we bear is deserved, the result of sins we committed in a previous life.  Buddhism frankly admits, “Life is suffering,” and teaches how to embrace it,” says Phillip Yancey.¹

God is merciless when he imposes suffering and orphans us without answers. God is powerless when he blames us for suffering and fails to alleviate it, so reincarnation shatters us. God is a sadist when he asks us to embrace suffering, but he will not lift his little finger to help us (God is not required to, for Buddhism is atheistic).

        But the Bible in contradistinction (with the other religions) speaks differently about suffering. Here are some insights from the Bible to overcome suffering.

        First, we should accept suffering. In his first phase of suffering, Job lost his family and possessions. He was in great pain. Instead of rebelling (blaming God), he grieved and then worshipped God (Job 1:20-22). Job, in his second phase of suffering, was covered with painful sores. His wife instigated him to curse God (rebel against HIM).² He chided his wife and ignored her, for he accepted suffering (Job 2:10). Similarly, we are to accept suffering, not from a defeatist perspective, but as an experience permitted by God on HIS child.

    Job worshiped God in suffering. This implies:

             God is our Sovereign/Almighty heavenly Father, HE is in absolute control. HE is our Creator.

             We are HIS creation/children. We believe HIS goodness among all HIS other attributes.

         God provides everything to HIS children. We bring nothing into this world and take nothing from it. A child gratefully accepts what he freely receives.

             If God provides, HE can take it away. HIS goodness does not change (cf. Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8).

Second, we should acknowledge our weakness (cf. Job 14:1; Psalm 39:3-5; James 4:14) to handle our suffering. Weakness can be acknowledged only in humility when we empty ourselves off our pride.

Ravi Zacharias narrates a humorous incident between the boxing legend Muhammad Ali and an air hostess. In the midst of air turbulence, the hostess reminded the great Ali to wear his seat belt. But he snapped, “Superman needs no seatbelt.” The hostess retaliated, “Superman needs no airplane!” Prides makes us think we are supermen, and supermen should feel no pain. But when we suffer in pain, we are powerless. We need God.

Suffering, a product of sin and evil, is caused by Satan. God is not the cause of suffering. When we battle suffering, we should be mindful of Satan as the adversary. We cannot defeat Satan without Christ. But Christ will enter our lives only when we open our hearts to HIM. If we consider ourselves self-sufficient and strong, we will tend to remain independent of God. So it is imperative to acknowledge our weakness.

We are inclined to grieve because of our weakness. We express our weakness through fear, grief, frustration, anger, and may even think of giving up (1 Kings 19:3-4; Jonah 4:1-3). This is a common response. Our deeds during weakness are more significant than the weakness. Elijah and Noah prayed to God when they were weak.

Third, we approach God in prayer, just as Noah and Elijah did. We pray not as if we are wronged and inappropriately treated (that is rebellion). But we pray as a child to the father. We can pour our hearts out to God. The Psalmist, in sheer pain, asks God to break the teeth of the wicked; he surely knew God as his shield and deliverance (Psalm 3). God will deliver those who believe in HIM (Job 36:15; Psalm 34:15-20). The Lord Jesus, who defeated sin and death on the cross, is the only one who can graciously deliver and offer us the power to live victoriously. It is imperative to remain in the life giving presence of our Lord. To endure suffering, we need the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which we bear when we remain in Christ (John 15: 4-5, Galatians 5: 22-23).

A man could seek help from his friend or expect his friend to be sympathetic to him during his suffering. This works, but not always. Friends may disappoint during moments of suffering. Friends are Christ’s tangible image, but when they remain deaf to pain, and even worse, if they pour more scorn through demeaning words and their absence, the one suffering is greatly mutilated. The persecution from fellow Christians is more unbearable than the pain of suffering. Job’s friends did not console or comfort him; instead they increased his pain through their harsh words. Consequently, God was angry with Job’s friends, and Job prayed for them (Job 42: 7-10). Friends may or may not help during our suffering, but God NEVER disappoints us. We are to remain in HIM.

A disciple of the Lord Jesus never succumbs to suffering. By the grace of God, he lives victoriously through it. He does what God wills him to do. He remains obedient to the Lord’s plans. Suffering is a part of the Christian life; it is a fallacy to think otherwise. Some proclaim that suffering is not a part of God’s plan. This is an utter distortion of God’s Word. If suffering is not a part of God’s plan, then Christ need not have suffered and died to bring salvation to mankind.

        ‘Accept,’ ‘Acknowledge,’ and ‘Approach’ is my suggestion to overcome suffering. We should accept our suffering, acknowledge our weakness, and approach God in prayer to remain in HIM always. Are we weary and burdened by suffering? Christ is our only hope (Matthew 11:28-30).

My next blog is “Life in Suffering,” where I will suggest how we live during our suffering.

References:

[1] http://www.philipyancey.com/archives/3689

[2] In Job 1:5,11 and 2:9, the literal Hebrew is “bless God” instead of “curse God.” The author of the book of Job employs an ‘antithetic euphemism.’ His reverence and fear of God was such that he was unwilling to use the word ‘curse’ next to the name of God.