Contemplating pain and suffering

Reading through Job brings me once again face to face with pain and suffering. No one can predict the future. I certainly do not wish for any serious suffering. But seeing what some of my patients go through it is hard not to ask myself what if I were in the same situation? How well would I fare? How would it affect my relationship with God? Would it draw me closer to him or would I be so angry with him that I would (as Job's wife would suggest) "curse God and die" (Job 2:9)? Here in these verses, even though Job felt abandoned by God (and abandoned even by his closest friends), his faith in God prompted him to say these precious words:

I know that my redeemer lives,
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him
    with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
Job 19:25-27

I know for now when things are going well I need to nurture that kind of faith by reading and committing to memory Bible verses like these, trusting that they will provide comfort in times of need. I also believe that it is by studying scripture that I become more familiar with who God is and his purpose for me, even through suffering.

Through years of reading scripture two books in the Bible bring much delight and comfort when I think of suffering. Both were written by the apostle Paul and I think they highlight a few important principles when facing pain and suffering.

In 2 Corinthians and Philippians, Paul was writing to the churches he founded. He was showing them by example his attitude towards suffering:

(1) Suffering is the path to experience God's comfort, both for ourselves and for others.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. (2 Cor 1:3-7)

(2) Suffering causes us to hope in God (and not ourselves) and to pray
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. (2 Cor 1:8-11)
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. (2 Cor 1:20)
"Amen" means "so be it"!

(3) Suffering reveals the power from God (and not from us)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. (2 Cor 2:7-12)

(4) Suffering puts earthly accomplishments in perspectives (when compared with knowing Christ)
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Phil 3:7-11)

(5) Rejoice in the Lord always, pray with thanksgiving in every situation, put into practice everything we learned - that's how we have God's peace through times of trouble
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Phil 4:4-9)

Lord, teach me these things now... that I may have the strength to face whatever the future may bring.