God Always Has Something Greater in Mind!

Understanding Our Suffering

Suffering is one of the hardest subjects for many Christians to understand and explain. Many Christians deny that Suffering exists. It challenges our relationships, our explanation to unbelievers, and sometimes can cause us to doubt our own beliefs. Few offer answers, other than the standard paraphrased Scriptures like “God will use all things for his God,” which is found in Romans 8:28 or “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him” found in Job 13:15. 

The Human Experience of Suffering

In our suffering, we must learn to trust God regardless of the cause. Misunderstanding our suffering clouds our approach to prayer, comfort, and hope. When the Bible is examined human suffering manifest or presents itself in several different ways: just plain evil, results of a fallen man, judgment, or tests permitted by God. Identifying the type of suffering enables us to be more direct in our communication to God or our need. It allows our prayers to be more effective and enables us to find hope in the midst of our suffering. When the type of our suffering is identified, we better understand how to trust God and believe he will use our suffering for his good.

Satan often gets more credit than he deserves, but there is the truth that Satan is roaming to and fro seeking whom he may devour. “Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 AMP) “The Lord said to Satan, ‘From where have you come?’ Then Satan answered the Lord, ‘From roaming around on the earth and from walking around on it.’” (Job 1:7 AMP) Some today will deny the aspect of spiritual warfare and dismiss the its relevance today.

God always has something greater in mind.

  

Often in the midst of our suffering we ask, “Why?” Searching for answers. Throughout the Bible we see human suffering and how God fulfills His Promise in Romans 8:28.

“We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.” Romans 8:28 AMPC

Over and over the Bible is clear, God uses the suffering of His people for greater purposes.

Biblical Examples of Suffering

• Abraham nearly sacrificed his son, however in the end God had something greater in mind by providing a ram in the thicket for the sacrifice. Genesis 22:1-19
• Joseph was thrown in a pit and sold by his brothers and later in-prisoned, however in the end God had something greater in mind and he became second in the kingdom. Genesis 37-41
• Hagar was thrown out and her and her son nearly starved to death, however in the end God had something greater in mind and provided a well for nourishment. Genesis 21
• Job in an instant lost everything, however in the end God had something greater in mind and restored double in the end. Job 1 and 42
• David was chased by King Saul who desired to kill him, however in the end God had something greater in mind and David became the greatest king of Israel. I Samuel 19, 23 and 2 Samuel 5-8
• Zachariah and Elizabeth were barren, however in the end God had something greater in mind and late in life Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist who proclaimed “the way of the Lord.” Luke 1:5-80, Mathew 3.
• Steven was stoned to death, however in the end God had something greater in mind and translated him out of his pain into a vision of his Savior. Acts 7:54-60
• The Disciples felt lost after the crucifixion of their Lord, Savior, and friend, however in the end God had something greater in mind and Jesus is raised from the dead and later sends the Holy Spirit.
• Paul suffered greatly through prison, beatings, and ultimately death, however in the end God had something greater in mind and 2,000 years later the existence of our Christian faith can be found in our churches today where his letters and writings comprise a third of the New Testament.
• When God created Adam and Eve, He had something greater in mind. Eternal existence of love from His Creation.

These are just a few examples. No matter what we are suffering on earth, you can be confident that God has something greater in mind.

Encouragement for the Reader

“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this; therefore, from now on you will have wars.” (2 Chronicles 16:9 AMP)

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