Christian Living

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Opposed To Suffering?
(c)
by

Stephen A. Peterson


I was in my second year of college at Indiana University—Bloomington and struggling trying to pay for my college education. Taking 17 hours of tough courses and having to work at two low paying jobs didn’t help my situation either. Day after day, I prayed: “Jesus is in me! Jesus is with me! Master, I need a break from all of this suffering and struggle. Help me, Lord! Help me!” In the quiet of my fraternity bedroom one day while looking for an answer, His voice told me: “I am helping you! You just have not realized my presence and blessings, My son!”

On a day when I thought I could no longer stand the pressure, my answer presented itself—selfishness, my selfishness! While watching a Billy Graham broadcast, Dr. Graham discussed the belief by many Christians, including myself, that being a Christian means being beyond suffering. Dr. Graham pointed out that suffering is merely a test of one’s faith, belief in God, a wake up call, a need to depend on the Lord. Suffering also separates the true follower from the pretender.

Several years ago, I wrote a story wherein a teenage girl thought she would help a struggling baby bird out of its shell by using a sharp object to break the shell for the little bird. Not allowing the bird to struggle through the hatching process rendered the newborn bird unable to hold its head up subsequently causing its death. Struggling and suffering through pain, in this instance, of hatching strengthens a bird’s neck muscles so that it can hold its head up to eat and beg for food from its parent. The teenage girl’s effort to alleviate the hatchling’s struggle and suffering was thought to be an act of mercy was, in reality, a cruel, deadly act.

In Sacred Scripture (the Bible) it is written: “My child, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him. For, whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every person whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deal with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? (Hebrews 12: 5-9) In spite of what Christians and non-Christians may believe, the Christian life is, as Saint Paul the Apostle states is like a long distance race. Any person who has ever been a long distance runner knows that running a competitive race involves and requires one to be disciplined, have courage, endure pain and have a willingness to listen to correction by her or his coach.

One of the mysteries of humanity is its willingness to believe that it is beyond the need for discipline, suffering, struggle and correction. To be with the camp of persistent complaint and opposition to struggle and suffering is to be a hedonist, soft on God and opposed to the Christian way of life. Timely instances of struggle, loss, correction is what humankind needs to become what God intends humankind/us to be or become.

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