LETTER FOR OCTOBER 1991
*****

Dear Friends,

We are all afflicted with trials, sufferings and difficulties in life. Sometimes they are very severe. Paul speaks of his experience in this respect in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 and verses 8 and 9. So severe was his trial that he could say "we despaired even of life, indeed in our hearts we felt the sentence of death".

Such suffering often creates in our minds the question WHY? Why is there such suffering? Why do Christians have to suffer? Why am I suffering like this?

The problem of pain and suffering is a difficult one and with no easy answers. However, Paul does tell us in these verses -- 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 -- what his sufferings meant to him, and what purpose they had for him. Thus he gives us reasons why God allows suffering for his people and something of the blessing it brings.

Firstly, and the Apostle Paul says in the verse nine, "but this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God". Suffering teaches us our own frailty and weakness, and how dependent we are on God. This is a lesson very difficult to learn, but one very important to learn. Until we learn our frailty and weakness we tend to think that it is by our strength and wisdom we achieve things in the spiritual realm and in God's work. The truth is that human wisdom and cleverness, be it ever so great, can achieve nothing in the spiritual realm. Only God gives grace and blessing. He uses the natural gifts he has given to us, but he can work amongst the ungifted too, and unless he works our gifts are valueless.

Paul was saying too that he had proved God's power and goodness. He came to the end of his tether. All was lost. Failure stared him in the face. His life was in danger. But God stepped in and gave the blessing. God's power worked the deliverance. So Paul proved God's power. He proved that God's power achieves everything in his church. He proved also God's love and care. Suffering is perhaps the only way we learn this lesson.

Secondly, the apostle's testimony increased in power and conviction. Listen to his assurance in the verse 10. "He has delivered us from such a deadly peril and he will deliver us".

When we have proved that God's grace is made perfect in our weakness, we can then say with conviction that God is good. God delivers and saves his people. With conviction we can say that the believer can trust in God with assurance, and that no problem is too hard for the Lord, or beyond his love and care.

We learn the power and grace of God most when the suffering has stripped away all those things of human confidence which are like a mist clouding our ability to see that God is with us, and that it is his power which saves and keeps us.

Thirdly, in Paul's experience, suffering promoted praise and thanksgiving to God. He says in verse eleven that as people see the marvellous acts of God in saving and delivering his people, Christians will see the wonder of God's love and protection, and give him thanks. In a word, their mouths and hearts are filled with praise, which can't be held back and must be expressed. Indeed, as we view God's grace in deliverance on others, we are moved to praise.

Fourthly, out of Paul's experience in suffering, he grew to know God so much better. The apostle commences in verse 3, "Praise be to the God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort...". He speaks of God as he has now learnt to know him through suffering. In his trials God has drawn near to him and with great power helped and delivered him. He knows him now as the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. He can say God is his Father more deeply than before, because he has experienced his Father's love and protection. He testifies to God as one who comforts us and delivers us in all our troubles.

Suffering, when we are going through the experience, is hard, but what blessing to meet with the Lord and know him and see him as never before.

Fifthly and lastly, through suffering we become more capable in ministry to help others in their troubles. Paul can say that out of his experience and what he has learnt, and out of the blessing he has received, he can comfort those in trouble, with the comfort he himself has received from God. He goes on to imply that this is the outcome of suffering and its lessons in the love, power and protection of the Lord. We become, through these experiences, more able to minister to others.

What a privilege (v.5) that just as Christ's sufferings flow over into our lives, so his comforts overflow into our lives and on to others. Suffering may be hard to bear, but the blessings from them through Christ are glorious.

Your servant for Christ's sake,