Does my suffering mean that God is unhappy with me?
Luke Humphrey
Transcript
—
Does my suffering mean that God is unhappy with me?
This is a tough question to answer, because the truth of the matter is that “it might.”
God loves every Christian as an adopted son or daughter. And just with a human son or daughter, it is possible for God to be displeased with the way that a loved child is acting. Nothing that a Christian can do can make God love you more or God love you less. But he can be more or less pleased with your faithfulness towards him.
For example, the Bible teaches that through our sinful living we can grieve the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that our sinful actions can lead to the Lord’s discipline:
Hebrews 12:7, 10 (ESV) — 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ... 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
And in the case of the Corinthian church, some of the members were getting sick and even dying because of the sinful way in which they were treating the Lord’s Supper.
So, it is possible that your suffering means that God unhappy with you due to sin in your life. And if that is the case then you should reflect upon areas of your life that might have unrepentant sin and turn in repentance and receive forgiveness through the grace of Jesus Christ.
But often, our suffering is not a sign of God’s displeasure but of his pleasure in us. In fact, Christians are promised that they will suffer because we follow the suffering servant, the Lord Jesus Christ. And though this suffering leads to temporary pain, it leads to ultimate glory. Listen to Romans 8:
Romans 8:16–17 (ESV) — 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
When the disciples were arrested and beaten for preaching the gospel, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer with Christ:
Acts 5:41 (ESV) — 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
And James 1 calls us to count it all joy when we suffer because of what God does in our hearts and in our lives through the suffering:
James 1:2–4 (ESV) — 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Our suffering may or may not be the Lord’s discipline for sin. But either way, our suffering is an opportunity for us to glorify God and to grow in our holiness, steadfastness, and love for God. When we suffer, we should reflect upon our lives to see if there is any unrepentant sin our lives. A good way to pray is Psalm 139:23–24
Psalm 139:23–24 (ESV) — 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
And when we suffer, Christians should trust that God is working all things for good in and through the suffering. He is working in the suffering to help us share in his holiness as we grow to treasure him more. And one day our suffering will end as God holds fast to us in Christ:
Romans 8:38–39 (ESV) — 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.