Is suffering ordained? In the book of 2 Thessalonians we are considering an idea that again seems not very popular in our world. It is the idea of suffering; and conversely, the idea of steadfastness and endurance in the midst of our weakness which we are born into. In reality, many don’t understand what suffering really is or understand what suffering is intended to do. Many think suffering is an anomaly; they think suffering is something that goes beyond God’s providence. They think suffering is something that happens when God is asleep or at least paying attention to somebody on the other side of the world. They don’t really understand what suffering is and what suffering is intended to do. But, might I suggest that suffering is an ordained part of God’s plan? The old-timers, the ancient divines called them hard Providences. We believe in God’s Providence, right? In the ordained blessings and goodness that we say can only come from God? Well, the Puritans believed in hard Providence; that is God’s suffering that He brings in the life of the believer. We are talking about this under the heading “What Do I Do When Things Go Wrong.” What do we do when things go wrong? Now every last one of us has had something go wrong. You may very well have had something go wrong this afternoon or today or at least sometime this week. Things go wrong; right? Things don’t always go the way we plan them or want them to go and so the question is what do we do when things go wrong. The answer is found in the truth that the gospel produces the real fruit of steadfastness and endurance in the life of the believer. That we tackle or take things when they go wrong in a way that is consistent with the gospel; we take them on and we don’t run from it. We don’t shy away from them and we are not afraid of them but we see them as being part of God’s plan for our life. In reality, many don’t understand that suffering is a normal part of living in faith. May I suggest again that many don’t understand; they don't understand that suffering is a normal part of living in the faith of Jesus Christ. That suffering is just part of the equation when we were changed by the gospel; that is, when we were regenerated by the Holy Spirit. When we are no longer the old thing but we have become the new thing; well, guess what, the new thing still lives in the old world and the old world does not like new things. Right? Now I’ll give you evidence of this. How many people don’t like change? It’s OK, you can raise your hand. In reality, we don’t like change and some of you don’t like change but you did not raise your hand. I know you don’t like change and it is not just that we don’t like change; we like things to stay the way they are, right? There is a security and stability in things staying the way they are. However; I think that when we become children of God; when we are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, we are going to experience suffering and affliction; trials and persecution which come as a world that does not like change, and certainly does not like the change of the gospel brings, lashes out at us. We need to really consider this and so, we will be looking at this truth as we go along in this discussion.
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