Different reactions to suffering (II)

 

As promised last week, here are three other possible reactions towards suffering.

3) God is causing me to suffer!

Here was Job’s reaction. Every time he opened his mouth, it was to say in short: ''I know I'm right; I did nothing; I am ready to go to court with God: I will definitely win the case. I am crushed without reason.'' We do not see any mea culpa; just a guy full of his self-righteousness: a Pharisee before the time. At the end, the Lord asked him: “Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?” (Vs. 40.8) What nerve! Yet, many of us are like that: “Why is this happening to Me?” (In other words, “why is God doing this to the righteous and innocent ME?”)

4) God is Just and Good!

This was Elihu’s attitude; he was a young man who came with Job’s friends but had remained silent out of the respect he had for his elders. He says in substance: “I don’t know what’s happening; I don’t understand everything; but at least, I know and can understand that God is Just and Good. He does everything for a purpose. He is using this ordeal to teach me something: I’d better stay quiet and try to comprehend what it is.” The bible tells us that He only has plans of peace and happiness for us and that ALL He does is to secure our future and give us hope (Jer 29:11). And also, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Ps 34.8) God doesn’t change: He is immutable: He is GOOD before our misfortunes, He remains GOOD during our sufferings and He is identically GOOD after our pains. God is GOOD!

5) It is the work of the devil!

This is the last and probably the most common reaction; it is the cheapest excuse: “I do not know what got into me, the devil made me...” We often blame him for things he is absolutely not responsible of. Curiously, neither Job nor his wife nor his friends incriminated him whereas they did have good reasons to do so!

Let us draw inspiration from Jesus; He never cursed God nor called anything that happened to Him 'unfair’. He rather discerned and judged every situation accurately. Indeed, after relieving them from their suffering, He said to some: “Go and sin no more, lest something worse happens to you.” About someone who was born blind, He said that his blindness was a result of sin but was to glorify God (Jn 9). Elsewhere, He accused Satan of binding a daughter of Abraham for 18 years and released her (Lk 13:16). Finally, at Gethsemane, though He was terrified of what laid ahead, He relied on God: "Father, I do not want to drink of this cup; I don’t see why I have to go through this terrible ordeal; however, I know that You are Good; I know Your Wisdom and I know You love me above all: not my will but Thine be done."

Job 36:21, “Be careful! Don't turn to evil, because you have chosen evil instead of suffering.”

Be and remain blessed!