He delivers the afflicted by their affliction

My head has been hurting quite a lot this week, and I've returned recently to meditating on what the Word teaches us about God's purposes in our pain and affliction. The more I meditate on these things, the more I see how central they are in day to day living, even apart from my headaches. The following thoughts are not new, but God has been driving them deeper into me, so maybe I can express them more clearly than I have before.

In some places in the Bible, suffering clearly refers to persecution. Jesus tells his disciples that they will be persecuted for his sake. James and Peter encourage the churches to remain steadfast in their suffering for the cause of Christ. This is a kind of suffering that all Christians should experience at some point in our lives, albeit probably not to the extent that the apostles did. 1 Timothy 3:16 says that "All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."

But this isn't the only kind of suffering that the Bible discusses. Many people, myself included in times past, are discouraged when they read passages about suffering because they think that the only suffering that the Bible has in mind is persecution. This is absolutely not true. The book of Job is one of the best places to go to begin to understand God's purpose in non-persecution-type pain, affliction, discomfort, etc.

In Job 36, Elihu gives a theology of suffering. I believe that Elihu, the final friend to speak to Job, should not be lumped together with the other 3. His speech is true to the rest of Scripture, and God does not rebuke him like He does the other 3 friends.

First, Elihu gives God's purpose in suffering, then he gives two possible responses. Finally, he gives us the reason why we should respond the one way and not the other.

Job 36:8-9

"And if they are bound in chains
and caught in the cords of
affliction,
then he declares to them their
work
and their transgressions, that
they are behaving
arrogantly.
He opens their ears to instruction
and commands that they return from iniquity."

The purpose of affliction is to awaken us to our arrogance (which is continual), reveal to us our sin, and humble us before God. The design is so that we might turn to him and more fully live with respect to Him, obeying him from the heart as a manner of life.

The negative response is this, in verse 13:

"The godless in heart cherish
anger;
they do not cry for help when he binds them."

Their pride wells up, causing them to respond in anger. They say to themselves, "I don't deserve this suffering!" Rather than having their eyes opened to the reality of their rebellion, they harden their hearts in pride and anger, and turn further from God. In effect, they deny both their own smallness and God's bigness.

The positive response, verses 11, 15

"If they listen and serve him,
they complete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness."

"He delivers the afflicted by their affliction
and opens their ear by adversity."

We might expect this verse to say, "He delivers the afflicted from their affliction." But it doesn't say that. What then, are they afflicted being delivered from? Verse 16 gives the answer - he delivers them from closed ears. That is, he delivers them from not perceiving themselves and God according to what is true. He reveals to them their sinfulness and finitude, but God's greatness and majesty and perfection. This is the amazing mercy of God in afflicting his children.

We don't understand what life truly is. We think that life is about being comfortable, successful, and full. Even we Christians act this way, and we prove it by the way that we respond to pain and affliction.

Romans 8 gives a New Testament cap to this discussion. Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." For those who are in Christ - that is, those who have believed with their hearts that Christ's death counts on their behalf, as evidenced by patterns of joyful obedience - for these people, nothing in life should be considered 'condemnation'. 8:31 says, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" The implied answer is 'nothing and no one." For the one who has trusted Christ, no difficulty, affliction, failure, pain, or loss is the result of God's punishment or condemnation. Christ has absorbed all of the punishment that we deserve.

Then, if affliction is not God's punishment or condemnation towards me, what is the point? Paul gives the answer in 8:28, one of the most glorious verses in the Bible, "And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

Pain and affliction are God's gifts to his children, who see dimly and hear faintly. I long for God to teach this truth more fully to my heart at a young age. All of life on this earth is affliction. As I age my comfort will not increase.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." - Rom 8:18