SUFFERING

Recently Rod Whitacre died of lymphoma. I had known him for many years as a student at Gordon College when I was Dean of Christian Life and as a theologian after he earned his doctorate at Cambridge University. He taught at Trinity School for ministry, where I was on the Board of Trustees, until his retirement. To commemorate his life and friendship I decided to read through his Commentary on the Gospel of John published by IVP. It is a gem that brings me closer to Jesus every day. One section that is worth sharing is his exposition of suffering in 9:1-7, the healing of the man born blind. Jesus said, “This happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” Here it is.

Jesus statement touches on the theme of suffering. There is a sense in which every aspect of our lives, including our own suffering, is an occasion for the manifestation of God’s glory and his purposes. Scripture describes four types of suffering viewed in terms of causes or purposes: first, suffering as a proving or testing of our faith (Gen. 22; Deut. 8:2; Job); second, suffering meant for improvement, for our edification (Heb, 12:5-8); third, suffering as punishment for sin (Deut. 32:15-25); Jer. 30:15; John 5:14); and fourth, suffering that shows forth God’s glory, as here in our story and later in the raising of Lazarus (John 11:4). To these should be added a fifth form of suffering, that which comes from bearing witness to Christ, illustrated by what happens to this former blind man in being cast out of the synagogue.

Suffering is connected to sin, at least generally if not always directly. But the present passage develops this connection further. Our sufferings are opportunities for God’s grace. If our suffering is indeed a punishment for sin, then it becomes an occasion for repentance and thus the manifestation of God’s grace as we are restored to fellowship with God. If our suffering is not a direct punishment for sin, then it is something God allows to happen in our lives, usually for reasons beyond our knowing, which nevertheless can help us to die to self and find our true life in God. God does not allow anything to enter our lives that is not able to glorify him by drawing us into deeper intimacy with him and revealing his glory. When we cling to self and our own comfort we are led to resentment. When we trust in God’s goodness and providence we are able to find comfort in God himself and not our circumstances. Consequently, we can genuinely “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thess. 5:18). This is not to say that misfortune and evil are God’s will in general, but they are part of what it takes to live with him and unto him in this mess we have made through our rebellion against him and his rule over us. Our rebellion has brought disorder to every aspect of our existence, and the way back to the beauty and peace and order of his kingdom leads through suffering, as the cross makes clear.  So we should not deny or avoid the reality of our suffering, but we should ask God to use it to further his purposes in us and through us. Some lessons only become ours in reality through suffering and the relationship with God that results from these tests. We can help others with the truths we learn in this way (cf. 2 Cor. 1:3-11), and we can identify with the blind man and reflect on ways the Lord might display his works in us in the midst of our own sufferings. (p. 236f.)