Why Do We Suffer If God Is With Us?

Devotion for Thursday May 17, 2018

Topic: Why Do We Suffer If God Is With Us?

Text: Judges 6:11 – 18

Most Christians believe that they can’t suffer if God is with them. But this is not the true case. God was with Joseph even in the prison (Genesis 39:23). He was there in the prison with Paul and Silas (Acts 16:25ff). The presence of these men in prison turned out to glorify God and grant them favour as in the case of Joseph. This is what we should understand that suffering, sickness, temptation and trials are never signs that God has forgotten us or is no more with us. When we have this understanding, it will help us to go through all storms of life in faith and optimism that our God will bring us out of them at last. Gideon queried the angel of the Lord when the angel greeted him saying, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valour!” (Judges 6:12b). The reaction of Gideon to this greeting did not come from distrust, but from weakness of faith. This is how we falter most times: yet the children of God have a true and not perfect faith, by which they are justified. Some of us react the same way too when we hear some preaching about God’s faithfulness while we are suffering from lack, sickness, bondage of Satan, etc. We easily rebuff the message that God cannot be with us and the devil will be dealing with us mercilessly. But we should always remember that God is not unmindful of what we suffer (compare Psalm 111:5). Charlotte Elliott who became invalid at about 30 years old wrote A&M 357, Abu 193 on a wheel chair. Let’s sing to get her message for us in that hymn.

Food for Thought: Do not make your life miserable by complaining because God promise us life free from suffering.

Memory verse: Judges 6:13

Prayer: Lord, grant me proper understanding of your will for me so that I will not complain over things I pass through in life.