Why Do Christians Suffer?

We suffer because we live in a fallen, cursed world

Because of Adam’s sin, the earth was cursed by God (Gen. 3:17; Rom. 8:20). The simple fact is that suffering comes upon everyone—sinner and saint alike—because we all live in the same fallen world. Many times there just is no reasonable explanation why we are suffering.

Sometimes God allows the devil to bring suffering upon us (Job 2:6; Luke 13:16; Acts 10:38). The devil, Peter told us “walks about like a lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). John said, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 Jo. 5:19). But Christ prayed on our behalf, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:15). We must remember that we live in a world in which the devil has much influence (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 6:12).

We suffer because of our own foolishness

It’s a true saying that we generally reap what we sow. If we are kind to people then they will usually treat us the same in return. Likewise if we are harsh with them we will end up suffering what comes back around. Suffering in relationships many times comes from our own sinful actions (Jam. 4:1).

The Bible has much to say about poverty coming upon the lazy (Prov. 10:4, 19:15, 24, 21:25; Eccl. 10:18). Sometimes we suffer lack of provision because of our own slacking off from hard work or discipline in our spending habits. Paul reiterated the blessing of working with our hands (Acts 20:34; Eph. 4: 28; 1 Thes. 4:11, 12).

“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters” (1 Pet. 4:15). Peter taught that we must suffer the consequences for our actions. If we foolishly drive over the speed limit then we shouldn’t expect God to keep us from getting a ticket or worse yet being involved in an accident. The thief crucified next to Christ was saved yet still had to pay the penalty for his crime which was death. Most certainly God forgave him of his sin but still held him responsible under the law for his crime. We all must suffer for our own wrong doing.

“He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (Prov. 13:20). Who we associate with and where we go has much to do with our well being or lack thereof. Of course the argument can be made that Christ ate with publicans and sinners (Matt. 9:10; Mark 2:15). But this was in order to reach them with the gospel. Paul instructed the Corinthians not to company with any brother who was living in sin yet made the provision that they still needed to be around the world to reach them (1 Cor. 5:9-11). The point is that we must have a certain amount of association with the ungodly in the world but we are not to be their companions.

We suffer because it is God’s way of disciplining us

“For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:30-32). There are many who deny that God uses sickness and disease to teach His children but they are speaking in conflict with Scripture. Paul made it clear in this passage that sickness comes to us sometimes as God’s discipline. Not only does He use disease but also even death, “and many sleep.” When we are stubborn and unwilling to judge the sin in our own lives God will chasten us not because He wants us to suffer but because He doesn’t want us to be condemned with the world. He uses suffering to lead us to repentance.

“For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives” (Heb. 12:5-8), “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Rev. 3:19). God disciplines us because He loves us. What human father who says he loves his children would not discipline their disobedience? We should rejoice when we are chastened of God because it lends assurance that we are one of His.

Eliphaz the Temanite attributed Job’s suffering to God’s chastening, “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole” (Job. 5:17, 18). Now some might argue that this statement was probably not correct because Job’s friends were supposedly not speaking very accurately. But I would simply point out that even the apostle Paul quoted a verse just shortly before this, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness” (Job 5:13; 1 Cor. 3:19). He apparently had confindence in at least some of the things Eliphaz said.

We suffer because of our faith

Christ and His apostles declared that Christians will suffer for their faith (Matt. 5:11, 13:21; Phil. 1:29; Jam. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:6, 7). Peter taught us to not think of trials as being out of the ordinary, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you” (1 Pet. 4:12). Christian suffering is normal. If we are believers we should think it’s unusual to not have suffering in our lives.

Paul suffered far more compared to any of us yet he always lived with a good conscience (Acts 24:16; 2 Cor. 1:12; 2 Tim. 1:3). In other words, he hadn’t done anything worthy of what he endured yet it still came upon him anyway. If we are living uprightly, we are going to suffer, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).