The end of a year can bring a sense of closure to difficult times.
But we all know that the next year will hold more, different ways to suffer.
The most comforting thing for me to remember as I reflect upon this unpleasant truth is that God, too, has suffered.
We are not alone in our pain. Therefore, we can face it.
One of the most famous and important descriptions of Jesus is found in Isaiah 52:13-53:12.
Jesus’ suffering is described in great detail.
In Proverbs 11:15, we’re told to be wary of lending money and cutting deals with strangers.
Good advice!
Leviticus 24:20 is notorious. People complain that, followed through to its logical conclusion, “the whole world will go blind.”
But nobody denies the necessity of a criminal justice system, and this law was intended to limit punishment, not perpetuate it.
If you allow one comparable punishment for a crime, then the felt need for justice is fulfilled. It is appropriate to suffer through a proportional human consequence for sin.
The first time the word “suffer” appears in the Bible, God is standing up for Cain, first murderer in history.
It doesn’t describe Adam and Eve’s pain, and it doesn’t refer to Abel’s murder.
Rather, God is reassuring Cain that his enemies will suffer if they take vengeance on him. It’s a word of caring in an impossibly difficult situation.
Surprising that the next topic in the Navigator series is a one-week study of suffering.
I have a worse headache than usual, but I’ve had a great day with family. Christmas this year has been fantastic.
Maybe there’s value in considering this topic at the end of an old year.
Because we’re guaranteed some type of pain in 2012.
A bit awkward for an optimist like me, but I’m curious to see what suffering insights are in the Bible this week.
In verses 12-19, Peter tells us not to be surprised by our suffereing. It is to be expected.
In verses 1-2, Peter writes that suffering can lead to more godly living.
In verses 3-9, we read that we can rejoice in suffering, because it is always temporary.
