What Do We Do With Suffering?

WHAT DO WE DO WITH SUFFERING?
Pastor Terry Wilcox

Psalm 128:1-6

The Hebrews had a perspective from Job.
He was tested, continued to trust God, and was restored.

FOUR RELIGIOUS VIEWS

1. The stoical champion of personal determination.
2. Buddhism – more than 400 million followers.
   Nirvana – a transcendent state without suffering, desire, or sense of self.
3. Hinduism – about one billion followers.
   The law of Karma says if you are suffering now, you have been sinful in this, or a previous life.
4. Islam – about 1.9 billion followers.
   Everything is God’s will.
   Islam means “submission to the will of God.”

   But what does a Christian do with suffering?

TWO OLD TESTAMENT VIEWS

1. The righteous are spared unmerited suffering.
   Psalm 91:8-12
   Living righteously does spare us of self-inflicted pain.
2. Another Hebrew view is Habakkuk 3:17-19

TWO POINTS OF JESUS’ “UNIQUE” VIEW

1. Jesus did not explain suffering
   John 9:1-5

   Why? is an immature question. It is answered in Genesis 3.
   The profitable questions are: what and how.

2. Jesus transforms suffering by using it.
   See Matthew 5:11-12; Romans 8:18; Philippians 1:29; 2 Timothy 3:12; James 5:13; 2 Corinthians 11:23-29

   To launch planes, an aircraft carrier must turn into the wind.

Jesus turned the tragedy of the cross into the triumph over death!

Jesus was moving toward the cross with every step of his life. Where are your steps moving you?

PERSONAL NOTES