Killing Floor

Lord knows, I should'a been gone

Lord knows, I should'a been gone

Then I wouldn't be down here on this killin' floor

Howlin' Wolf

For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:10-11

I have often heard the atheist say that there is no God because "what kind of a God would allow bad things to happen?" The foolishness of the non-Christian places the impetus of "bad" things at God's doorstep while they indulge in the gross sins against a holy God. I've heard the atheist say that if God were a loving God, He wouldn't allow suffering. Once again, they ignore the sins that brought condemnation into the world and blame God for not making us all millionaires. What they fail to realize is that prosperity does not equal happiness. If such were the case, the suicide rate among the rich would be zero instead of being among the highest in the world.1 To the fool, the question to the elect would be, "If God be so merciful, then why do we suffer?" This question is really of insignificance. Because of sin, we live in a broken world among broken people. It is our nature to devour one another. But this is not the reason I write this.

A troubling trend within churches is that we should escape from suffering. While they concede that God uses suffering, their prayers are for escape from affliction. In the American church, affliction is an inconvenience. We pray selfish prayers for healing, deliverance, and an end to the affliction. How often, when afflicted, do we pray for the revelation of the lessons being taught during affliction? Do we really know why God causes His people to suffer? I think if we did, we wouldn't be so quick to pray for it's end. Here are 7 reasons why suffering is God's method of growing his people.

1. God uses suffering for our profit and advantage. To the world, this seems foolish. The fact is that we cannot grow close to the Lord if we live in sin. Afflictions are God's tool to purge and clean us. In John 15, Christ says that the Father prunes the branches that bear fruit. This pruning is God's way of cleansing the saints from their sins so that we may bear more fruit. We should rejoice in this instance. The great Puritan writer Thomas Brooks says, "afflictions serve to revive and recover decayed graces."2 It is these afflictions that soften our hearts and our remembrance of them draws us closer to our Lord.

2. Our afflictions may kill our bodies, but they will not kill our souls. It is this type of kingdom thinking that is lacking with the American church. 1 Peter 3:13 says, "Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled." If we believe we have eternal life, then let not the fear of bodily harm keep us from straying off the path. Socrates said, "O Crito, if it thus pleases the gods, thus let it be. Anytus and Melitus may kill me indeed, but hurt me they cannot."3 Afflictions may kill us, but they will not hurt us. As the stones rained down on Stephen, he saw Christ, and his soul rejoiced. How much more should we rejoice when we get the flu?

3. Our afflictions are short and last only a little while. In the realm of this world, our life on earth is but a mist, but eternity is forever. It was King David who wrote, "For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime."4 A lifetime for us is but a day for the Lord.

4. Our afflictions and sufferings come from God's dearest love. "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent."5 It would be a scary proposition to be left by God with no discipline as Paul describes in Romans 1. To be left to a debased mind. To have no help to conquer sin. To have sin multiply in your heart daily. I am thankful to my parents for disciplining me as a youth. I would shudder to think where I would be now had they tried to be my friends instead of being my parents. Their discipline helped shaped who I am. God's discipline transforms my heart and mind so that I am no longer conforming to the ways of this world.

5. It is our duty to not measure the affliction by the means, but by the ends. Consider Job. He went through more than any of us could have ever imagined. He remained faithful and came out more glorious than we could ever imagine. Consider Joseph. Sold into slavery by his brothers. Falsely imprisoned by Potiphar. Yet, in the end, he was the ruler of Egypt. I recently lost my job. I consider it pure joy. This consideration has helped me to not harbor ill will and bitterness and has given me excitement at the possibilities that will come my way in the future. It isn't easy to be in a place of financial insecurity, yet I do not wrestle with God over His provision. My prayers are not for a high paying job or an easy job or even a comfortable job. My prayers are for God to prepare the hearts of those that I will meet in the workplace and to prepare my heart to be a bold witness. It is an exciting thing to rejoice in the Lord and wait on Him. In my past experiences, I would always lose my patience with the Lord's timing and flee from Him. This is allowing Satan to have victory. This is the epitome of foolishness.

6. Our afflictions are not to wrong us or ruin us, but to try us. If we were prosperous always, why would we need to rely on God? "And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not."6 It is through afflictions and the testing of us, that God sanctifies us.

7. Our afflictions are nothing compared to the afflictions of the reprobate. The reprobate have no peace, no joy, no comfort in times of suffering. Their suffering is not water that is meant to grow them but judgment meant to punish them and condemn them.

In closing, remember that suffering and afflictions are blessings from God. Thomas Brooks wrote, "God had one Son without corruption, and no son without correction."2 When trials come our way, do not flee them. As the early church prayed for steadfastness when the Jews persecuted them, remember the words of the Apostle James. "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."7

1. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,843096-2,00.html

2. Precious Remedies Against Satan Devices 1652

3. Crito and Apology' by Plato

4. Psalm 30:5

5. Revelation 3:19

6. Deuteronomy 8:2

7. James 1:2-4