John 16:33 CSB – Jesus said, I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

Romans 8:1 CSB – “There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus….”

Romans 8:37 CSB – “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Overcome Suffering– Understand Root Causes

“Why am I suffering?”

  • All suffering is not directly caused by God
  • Some suffering does come from God

Hebrews 12:7,10,11 CSB – Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?

For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness. 11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

  • Some suffering, we bring on ourselves

Numbers 32:23 CSB – be sure your sin will catch up with you.

  • Some suffering is the result of OTHER’S sins
  • Some suffering is the result of spiritual warfare

1 Thessalonians 2:18 CSB – So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 CSB – so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

  • Most Suffering is the result of living in a broken, fallen world

Romans 8:22 CSB – For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now.

Luke 13:4 CSB – Jesus asks, those eighteen that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed—do you think they were more sinful than all the other people who live in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well.”

Overcome Suffering– Focus on Eternity

Romans 8:18 CSB – For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 CSB – Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Romans 8:22-23 CSB – For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. 23 Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:24-25 CSB – Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? 25 Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.

Romans 8:23 CSB says, we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies

Romans 8:24-25 CSB – Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? 25 Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.

Overcome Suffering– Finding Strength from the Holy Spirit

  • The Holy Spirit comforts us in our weakness

Romans 8:26 CSB – In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness

John 14:16 CSB – I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.

Philippians 4:7 CSB – “….a peace that transcends understanding.”

Philippians 4:13 CSB – I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.

  • The Holy Spirit prays for us in our weakness

Romans 8:26-27 CSB – because we do not know what to pray for as we should,

but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.

27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

v.26,    ….the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.

Ephesians 4:16 CSB – I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit

Overcome Suffering – Trust God’s Leadership

Romans 8:28 CSB – We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

God Uses Sufferings for Our Good

Romans 8:29-30 CBS – For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

1 Peter 1:6-7 CSB – You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

God Uses Pain for our Good—To Make us like Christ

He knows how to give us the life we’re made for.

1 Peter 1:6-7 CSB – …even though for a short time, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that [your] proven character—more valuable than gold which—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

James 1:2-4 CSB – Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. 

Romans 8:28 CSB – We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

God Allows Suffering for His Purposes

By the goodness of God we mean nowadays almost exclusively His lovingness . . . by Love [of God], most of us mean kindness — the desire to [be happy]…not happy in this way or in that, but just happy.

What would really satisfy us would be a God who said of anything we happened to like doing , ‘What  does it  matter, so long as they are contented?’

We want, in fact, not so much a Father in Heaven as a grandfather in heaven — a senile benevolence who, as the y say, ‘liked to see young people enjoying themselves’ and whose plan for the universe was simply that it might be truly said at the end of each day, ‘a good time was had by all.’

I do not claim to be an exception: I should very much like to live in a universe which was governed on such lines. But since it is abundantly clear that I don’t, and since I have reason to believe, nevertheless, that, God is Love, I conclude that my conception of love needs correction. C.S. Lewis—The Problem of Pain

John 9:2-3 CSB – Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,”

Jesus answered. “This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him.

Genesis 50:20 CSB – You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.

Romans 8:35,37 CSB – Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Proverbs 27:10 CSB – better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

Romans 8:38-39 CSB – For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews 4:15-16 CSB – For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.