Why Christians Suffer: Hope Beyond the Pain

Suffering Entered the World Through Sin

All of us suffer in our lives, some unimaginably, others in more mundane ways, but loss and grief come to everyone. In the Christian faith, suffering is viewed very differently than most other religions. As Christians our suffering is never alone because God is with us in it. Because Christ suffered, those who belong to Him should not be surprised when they suffer as well. Our task here is to love and care for those who suffer. But why must people suffer at all? Why Christians and non-Christians alike suffer is the same reason, for the most part, but our response is very different.

Sin brought suffering into an otherwise perfect world. The world of Adam and Eve was a good world. God was their companion. But then when Adam and Eve fell to temptation, everything changed. Suffering came into the world through sin, and it would be through Christ's suffering that God would one day provide the way to overcome sin and death. Sacrifice would be the solution.

We first read about animal sacrifice in Genesis 4:4. Abel, the brother Cain murdered, offered a sacrifice of the firstborn of his flock to God. We have to wait until Leviticus 17:11 to learn that the blood of the offering brought atonement for sin. This showed the people that sin was serious business. But animal sacrifices could never fully pay the price for sin.

It would require more, not only would sin bring death to the world, but death would be required to save us from it. This all pointed towards the ultimate payment for sin, Jesus' death on the cross. Hebrews 9:22 tells us,

"without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins."

Christ's Victory Over Sin and Suffering

Jesus' death and resurrection were the ultimate defeat of sin and Satan. Although he is still active in the world, the Devil's fate was sealed that day on Calvary. Now we can accept Jesus and live forever with Him. But while Satan can, he tries to convince as many people as possible that God doesn't really care for them.

Why Christians Suffer

Satan delights in causing sorrow and pain because he is a liar who wants to make people doubt that God loves them. But Christians know they have hope when they suffer. God doesn't stop loving us, ever. Suffering is not purposeless. Suffering causes us to rely on God, not ourselves. Suffering teaches us patience and humility. It helps us to grow in holiness and love. In the midst of it, we can know that God is our source of peace and nothing in this world can take that from us.

As Christians we may never know until eternity the reason why we suffered, but we know there is a plan in it. We don't see the bigger picture of life that God sees. When terrible things happen, God can work good from them. Not that the thing that happened was good, no, but if we love and serve Him, He can produce good from that sorrowful moment (Romans 8:28). Everyone suffers because sin entered the world, but Christians know that God can use suffering to draw us closer to Him and prepare us for eternity.

When a Christian suffers, it unites us with Christ's suffering. He was betrayed, he was grieved by loss, and he was tormented physically and spiritually. In this way we can be like Him; experiencing similar emotions and learning to accept them as He did.

When we suffer for our sin, it can bring us to repentance and forgiveness, but when a non-Christian suffers it may cause them to feel shame and guilt, with no way out. Many non-believers, will even blame the God they won't accept for their pain. Others will see suffering as proof that no loving God could possibly exist that would allow this kind of pain to be in the world.

They do not accept that suffering entered the world through humanity's rebellion against God. Instead, many see suffering as evidence against God's goodness rather than as the consequence of sin. Even Christians begin to have their doubts sometimes about the purpose of suffering when they see evil people being blessed.

God's Promise to the Faithful

A Christian may look at those in the world and see them being favored, treated with honor, and seemingly living the good life and they wonder, "Why, should I try to do good when the evil people seem to be rewarded and I suffer?" God's people asked this very question in the days of the Old Testament prophet, Malachi. This was God's response,

"Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name. “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” Malachi 3:16-17

For those faithful ones who fear Him and think on Him he has a Book of Remembrance written for them and they will be spared. This blessing will not be given to the world, only to those who know and serve Him. We may suffer more than non-believers but in the next life their suffering will be eternal.

Suffering for Discipline, Righteousness, and the Gospel

As believers we suffer in ways the lost never will. We suffer at times because God is correcting us as a loving Father does to His children. Sometimes we suffer for the sake of righteousness. And sometimes our suffering is required until His gospel reaches every nation that should hear it (Colossians 1:24, Revelation 6:11). Suffering however, must go hand in hand with love.

Love Gives Suffering Its Purpose

As 1 Corinthians 13:3 reminds us, even if we die for Him, if we do it without love in our hearts for others it is for nothing. Our suffering offers us nothing spiritually if we do not love. If we die for Christ while cursing the ones who kill us, then it is all in vain. Even in the smaller pains and losses we experience, if we don't have true love in our hearts then it is also for nothing. We have to be careful to think about our motives and our desires when we suffer loss.

God's plan in suffering for us is that we should seek God's will and not our own, just as Jesus did. Will your suffering bring hope to someone else? Will they see Jesus in this path of pain that you must walk? Do they see a faithful follower of Jesus who stands with Christ in life and in death?

Learning to Trust Christ in Suffering

When I was diagnosed with Stage III cancer, I did not know what the future held. Like many people facing serious illness, I had questions and fears. Yet throughout that season I learned that my hope could not rest in a doctor's report or a treatment plan. It had to rest in Christ and in the peace He gave me. Looking back now, nearly a decade later, I can see how God used that trial to deepen my faith and teach me to trust Him in ways I never would have learned otherwise. As we grow closer to Jesus' return, that faith and trust becomes even more important.

Looking Beyond Present Suffering

So many people are convinced of the Lord's imminent return. Have they thought about what that might mean for their future? As His people we need to be ready to face a hostile world who will blame us for all the terrible woes that will come upon it. They will seek to destroy us and then whom will we stand with?

Even today in parts of the world hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Christians are paying the ultimate price for their faith. They know Jesus did not promise them worldly peace and safety. They are showing many of us what real love can endure.

In our hearts, when we think about the cross, remember Jesus' great sacrifice. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us," (2 Corinthians 5:21). On that day, no one has ever endured suffering like the sinless Son of God bearing the sins of the world. Whatever suffering awaits us, we know that because of His endurance of the cross and His resurrection He has set us free from sin. Jesus has given us a home where there will be no more sorrow and no more pain. Praise be to God.