You know when you are reading the word of God and suddenly it doesn't fit your theology?

I am subscribed to an email list called Daily Manna. Today's verses are well known. They are:

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.         1 Peter 5:8-10

When I got to the words, "after you have suffered a little while" I found my spirit in a bit of unrest.

What does He mean after I have suffered a little while?

Does it mean we are supposed to suffer and God is just sitting around waiting for us to experience enough pain and then he is gonna fix us?

I can assure you that is not the God I serve. I searched out the Greek words and it gave some new light on the subject of suffering in this verse.

But now it is your turn... I want to throw out this verse to the people on this list and hear what you have to say about suffering.

Does God want us to suffer?

I look forward to hearing what you uncover from the Word of God on suffering. Search the scriptures and send in your case for or against suffering.

Blessings,

Judy

My first thoughts about suffering today are...well didn't Paul suffer?   Didn't the disciples suffer?

But then what kind of suffering was that? Was it the same as the tormenting suffering that I have had in my life or was it a different kind of suffering?

When I was growing up, the theology iwas taught was that God was the author of suffering. He made you suffer because that was the only way he could teach you what you needed to learn. I learned that I must have been pretty bad off and in much need of training because I apparently needed to suffer a lot.

How about it? Are there different kinds of suffering? If so which kind if any should we suffer?

This forum is open for anyone to respond to. So please, don't be shy with your beliefs, give me your thoughts.

Webster's definition for Suffer

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

suf·fered; suf·fer·ing \-f(ə-)riŋ\

Etymology:

Middle English suffren, from Anglo-French suffrir, from Vulgar Latin *sufferire, from Latin sufferre, from sub- up + ferre to bear — more at sub-, bear

Date:

13th century

4841 sumpascw sumpascho soom-pas'-kho

from 4862 and 3958 (including its alternate); TDNT-5:925 & 7:787,798 & 1102; v

AV-suffer with 2; 2

1) to suffer or feel pain together
2) to suffer evils (troubles, persecutions) in the like manner

with another

Sufferings

3804 payema pathema path'-ay-mah

from a presumed derivative of 3806; TDNT-5:930,798; n n

AV-suffering 11, affliction 3, affection 1, motion 1; 16

1) that which one suffers or has suffered
1a) externally, a suffering, misfortune, calamity, evil, affliction
1a1) of the sufferings of Christ
1a2) also the afflictions which Christians must undergo in behalf of the same cause which Christ patiently endured
1b) of an inward state, an affliction, passion
2) an enduring, undergoing, suffering

3805 payhtov pathetos path-ay-tos'

from the same as 3804; TDNT-5:924,798; adj

AV-suffer 1; 1

1) passible, endued with the capacity of suffering, capable of feeling
2) subject to the necessity of suffering, destined to suffer

Suffer

05375 asn nasa' naw-saw' or hon nacah (#Ps 4:6) naw-saw'

a primitive root; v; {See TWOT on 1421}

AV-(bare, lift, etc...) up 219, bear 115, take 58, bare 34, carry 30, (take, carry)..away 22, borne 22, armourbearer 18, forgive 16, accept 12, exalt 8, regard 5, obtained 4, respect 3, misc 74; 654

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lift, lift up
1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure
1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted
1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up
1b3) to be borne, be carried
1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist
1c2) to desire, long (fig.)
1c3) to carry, bear continuously
1c4) to take, take away
1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity)
1e2) to cause to bring, have brought

Suffer

01934 awh hava' (Aramaic) hav-aw' or hwh havah (Aramaic) hav-aw'

corresponding to 01933; v; {See TWOT on 2692}

AV-be 16, was 1, misc 52; 69

1) to come to pass, become, be
1a) (P'al)
1a1) to come to pass
1a2) to come into being, arise, become, come to be
1a2a) to let become known (with participle of knowing)
1a3) to be

Like Judy, I don’t believe that our Father in Heaven dumps suffering on us because we have been bad.

This is the definition of the Greek word used for suffering in I Peter -Apparently a primary verb (the third form used only in certain tenses for it); to experience a sensation or impression (usually painful): - feel, passion, suffer, vex.

I believe God did not intend for us to suffer. To our knowledge no sensations like this happened until the fall and sin entered the world. We as beings created by God have been given free will and unfortunately many people choose wrong. Their choices affect us and we suffer. Our bad choices affect us and we suffer. Our own flesh will continue to war against our renewed spirits until we step into heaven.

It is the heart of God to wipe away every tear. As I Peter says, suffering will end. For some of us, we will have seasons of peace here on earth. But for all who know Jesus Christ the day will come when all suffering will cease.

Until then, let’s respond like Rom 5:3-5 - And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; (4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope: (5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Suffer - "to submit to or be forced to endure"

I'm thinking that's where I am currently. How much suffering should one expect when experiencing natural consequences for very bad choices?

I did not have the blessing of being disciplined as a child, teen or even young adult. Oh that I had been lovingly spanked even just once!

I realized that I made some very bad choices. God, in his incredibly loving mercy is exposing those choices so that I may be presented blameless. Is the suffering I am experiencing as a result the discipline of the Lord? How much of this suffering is the non-plesant but painful part of discipline from a loving God?

Rebecca you bring up the question, Is discipline different from suffering?

Okay. Bear with me while I typographically process this.

Things I can count on about God's character:

1. He really, really loves me.

2. He desires for me to be pure.

3. Because of 1 and 2, he will discipline me...

4. His discipline isn't going to be pleasant.

OH! I just read that the word for 'painful' in Hebrews 12 really has more to do with a grieving kind of pain. I have grief!!

5. Grief is different from the tormented and shame-filled suffering I also am experiencing daily.

I can say that in this process of being disciplined by my all loving and non-shaming Heavenly Father, I have grieved over my sin, and I have felt the purifying burn of honestly looking at the intents of my heart (taking the easy way out, being selfish and not wanting to 'bear my cross', my horrific pride and perfectionism...agreeing with the enemy on issues of shame)

Testimony: I wrote everything above this last night about 3am when I was awakened from the torment and shame...by 4:30 after studying what's been written on the forums, examining God's word, and beginning to process it, I slept the kind of peaceful sleep I haven't had in two weeks. The shame and self punishment was gone when I woke up.

..... that said.....

Here's another verse on Suffering that I'm not sure how it fits. Which sufferings are the ones we are to rejoice in like Romans 5 talks about.

Strong's Ref. # 2347

Romanized thlipsis
Pronounced thlip'-sis

from GSN2346; pressure (literally or figuratively):

KJV--afflicted(-tion), anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble.

Romans 5

Results of Justification

1. Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we {Other ancient authorities read [let us]} have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2. through whom we have obtained access {Other ancient authorities add [by faith]} to this grace in which we stand; and we {Or [let us]} boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.
3. And not only that, but we {Or [let us]} also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4. and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
5. and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.