Suffering...never should be a surprise!!

Suffering...never should be a surprise!!

It is interesting to see how God gives a different dimension for suffering in a believer’s life. Well, God never promised a life that has paths filled with roses. But, he did promise certain things that make our journey worthwhile even with the sufferings. Let us discover those promises!!

In Psalms: 107: 23-29 we can see that there was huge storm middle in the sea and the sailors lost their courage, they stumbled and all their skill was useless. Now, who commanded the storm? God Himself!

Yes, God does allow some storms in our lives to re-build our faith, to remind us that He is still in control of things.


We should remember that not every storm is something that God He himself creates in our lives. Some are because of the things that we do and some or because of the devil who wants to take us away from God. No matter what the source of the suffering, it is important for all believers to remember this: It is God who delivers us from that suffering!!

We can see that the psalmist mentions that the sailors’ skill was useless in that storm. Friends, we might be good at hundred things in the world, we might be the best in our teams, best in our company, best in anything that the world has. But, when we are facing a suffering in this world, there comes a day when all out skills, education, money etc fails. Only God can deliver us from that suffering.

It is human tendency to run for help, look out for people whom we think can help us in trouble times. In this whole process, we should not forget that it is God who is in control of our lives and He is the one whom we have to first approach. Like that psalmist says, they have called to the Lord and He saved them from distress. Sometimes, God keep some people, some support group to help us with the problems, but, all in all, we should look for God to guide us. If we do that, He can calm the raging storms and keep the waves quiet.

In I Peter: 4: 12 - 13, peter says, ‘do not be surprised t the painful test you are suffering, as though something unusual were happening to you’. Yes, it is definitely not unusual for a believer to face suffering, rather it is expected.

Let us look at few instance Israelites were facing when they were being led by Moses through the wilderness.

In Exodus: 14 12 - 13, people were questioning Moses about why he has to bring them all to be killed by Egyptian army. Moses said “Don’t be afraid. Stand your ground, and you will see what the Lord will do to save you today; ...The Lord will fight for you and there is no need for you to do anything.

Friends, sometimes, all we have to do is ‘Stand our ground’. God takes care of the rest.


After that incident, people could not find water for three days and when they find water in Marah, it was bitter. Moses prayed to God earnestly and God showed him a piece of wood that turned water to sweet.

It is interesting to know that, God had kept the solution ready even before they asked. Friends, the deliverance is kept ready even before a suffering is allowed in our lives.

Sometimes, we need to exercise the kind of faith that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego exhibited in Daniel: 3: 13 – 178, when they were threatened to be put in blazing fire – “We will not try to defend ourselves. If God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing fire and from you, then he will”.

James puts in beautifully when he writes to all believers in the world in James: 1: 2 – 4, “consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

While we are at this point of trusting God, we should also look at the aspect of trusting in other people in times of suffering. In Jeremiah: 17: 5 – 8, God says that he will condemn one who puts trust in the strength of a mortal man. It is very important for us to understand that our rescue should always come from God.

Sometimes God punishes to keep us right. We can see that in Psalm: 119: 67, 71.

I know that this topic will be incomplete if we do not discuss about the suffering that Job goes through when God allows Satan to test Job. I think it is just necessary to see the end of the whole suffering that Job had gone through, Job: 42: 10, “The Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before”.

With this note of promise, I would request all of us to see sufferings as gateways of blessings of God.