I do understand how apostle Paul gets a bad rap on any number of "modern" issues. I also think there is far more agreement professing followers of Jesus can have with him than some would bother to notice. Shoddy intellectualism same as thin fundamentalism without a more thorough look at what's called Pauline theology will reveal some of us shoot our own feet off in harsh judgement. So... "don't judge" 'eh? Ok, have a look at this text please:
2 Corinthians 1:3-6
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation,
who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.
For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ.
If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are also suffering.
Here again some are tempted to blow Paul off, even disdain the Lord he himself suffered for in loving obedience to the mission Jesus called him to. Why?
Because, as has often be said and which he so plainly writes to the Christ followers at Corinth, in part suffering brings him, myself, us all, an understanding and empathy for others in what -they- suffer. There is zero doubt faith in God is tested by pain and suffering. There is also no doubt that while on this earth in these mortal bodies we will not always understand why.
I've experienced my share of misery in this life, a large and growing list of friends I've known have too, sometimes shockingly, unexpectedly. Yet those who have sought God's consolation are- even sometimes DURING as well as after the ordeal is over, some of the best and most gracious care-givers, mentors and companions to others in the grasp of deep pain.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure.
Of course one might rightly say nobody has to be a follower of Jesus to suffer and consequently become a fine and kind blessing to others in their suffering. And I will add there is a consolation that comes into the life of one who has a genuine, intimate relationship with the risen Lord. In fact I've seen such plenty with others and have experienced it myself.
It has also been said -and I'm sure to the rankling of those who despise the concept of Christ, His (at least supposed) followers and such, that God sometimes uses pain to get our attention and ultimately draw us to Himself when comfort seems beyond our reach regardless of what we do to self-medicate.
I've stated publicly for years that I may have never come to saving faith in Jesus had I not hit the wall so hard in drug, booze and sexual addiction. God's continual knocking on my door brought me a life I'd never imagined nor would have been able to experience without lessons that came from pain. "From darkness to light" is how scripture (including Paul) often says it.
The apostle was literally knocked off his horse and blinded before he realized persecuting the church and Christ was an affront and in fact, useless. This man who wrote so much of the New Testament was beaten, stoned, likely martyred. He truly understood rejection, affliction and the disgust of those more interested in power and economic gain than in God or His people.
In plain English, Paul knew exactly what other followers of Jesus were going through -in spades.
Because his faith and relationship with the risen Son grew IN such misery he was able to console others with the very consolation God gave him. Paul's sense of the Father's mercy REGARDLESS and even because of affliction enabled him to ultimately believe it was as much for others as for his own spiritual growth in faith.
People are (thinking of the Book of Job now) regularly tempted to take Job's wife's advice- "Curse God and die". Paul determined to follow Jesus and bless others regardless of anything or anyone. We can be sure his faith was broadsided and tested by intense suffering on many occasions- and yet he followed the Lord and looked to Him as He truly is: "the God of all comfort".
These are things to consider as we look upward and outward to the Lord and others, not merely at ourselves and our struggles in this life.
May God give us the grace to look beyond ourselves in a walk with our suffering Savior. That God doesn't know or care about it is simply not reality.
As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn