Suffering and Pain

Suffering and Pain

By Sadhu Sundar Singh From ‘The Christian Witness of Sadhu Sundar Singh’, 1989

Originally Published as Chapter 4 of ‘The Real Pearl’ in Urdu

1.      In the world there are two kinds of suffering, physical and spiritual. Spiritual suffering comes through the separation from GOD caused by sin; physical suffering is due to some sickness or injury. Other creatures besides human beings experience suffering and pain corresponding to their condition and stage of development, but they do not feel it to the extent that man does. Man’s emotions, his superior intelligence and powers of discernment and thought, intensify his suffering greatly, because the more he thinks the more aware he is of his suffering.

Often predatory animals and birds have the kind of teeth, claws, beaks, etc., which make it difficult for their prey to escape. It is good that it is so, so that the prey may die immediately, rather than escape wounded and suffer all the more. And the poison of poisonous reptiles, like snakes, renders the body numb and without feeling, making death painless. Except in certain special circumstances death always occurs painlessly, because the one to whom it comes is in a state of drowsiness or sleep, or else has been numbed by some poison or injury. So there is not really as much pain and suffering in any given condition as we suppose. To be sure, pain resulting from sin, whether spiritual or physical, causes great suffering and agony.

2.      There are many kinds of pain and suffering that help us to grow and advance in the spiritual life. It is not GOD’s will that we try to escape from these. Many things with a nasty bitter taste are really very beneficial; indeed many poisons and bitter things are the cure or antidote for some illness or other. But just because we are ignorant of their real nature we call them poison; they cause harm because we do not know their right use. Actually GOD created everything to serve some particular purpose, and in its right place each is useful and serviceable. The Creator made nothing which is itself bad or is harmful to any of His creatures. Similarly all pain, suffering and misfortune is a means of spiritual progress (Romans 8:28). Poisonous and harmful effects come only from a wrong use of one’s GOD-given powers, and from disobedience.

3.      Suffering and pain and various diseases are admonitory and beneficial not only to the person who experiences them but also to those who help the afflicted, because by rendering help their spiritual power is exercised and increased, and this is essential if they are to become mature. Real success and victory do not lie in being saved from the cross, death, evil and so on and being immediately transported to Heaven, but, by the grace of GOD, in turning suffering into joy, the cross and death into life, and evil into good. This is why we have been set among conditions of conflict and strife–because, ‘To enter the Kingdom of GOD we must pass through many hardships’, (Acts 14:22).

Without suffering, bitterness, evil and death the true values of their opposites, joy, sweetness, goodness and life, cannot be discerned. Therefore it is GOD’s will that before we enter His Kingdom and go to live in eternal happiness with Him we should first experience Him under all these conditions, and learn an enduring lesson.

4.      The pearl-oyster in the sea has to endure a great deal of trouble, because anything that gets into it, such as a small fish of grub or a grain of sand, becomes a source of irritation to it; and this irritation results in the creation of beautiful pearls. It is through pain and irritation that beautiful pearls come into being. But if pearls are not properly looked after, they lose their luster through contact with greasy substances like fat, until they turn into a brown powder and mingle once more with dust. So it has been observed from some old tombs that when pearls were buried with the body they turned into dust with the body. Similarly, like the beautiful pearl, the spiritual life cannot be attained without suffering and tribulation, and if, having achieved this delightful condition, we do not continue united to the LORD in humility, gratitude and love, we shall be in danger of tumbling from our exalted position to ruin (1 Corinthians 10:12), because it is essential to keep prayerfully on the watch.

5.      Diamonds and other precious stones reach the perfection of their beauty when they have been subjected to conditions of heat and cold, underground for hundreds and even thousands of years. In the same way we must reach maturity by experiencing both pleasure and pain. Remember that rubies, diamonds, etc. do not attain to their present beauty in a single day! Though men have made artificial diamonds and the like by their own efforts, on close examination their real nature and defectiveness are immediately apparent. So we must not suppose that straightway, in a single day, we shall become so perfect that not a fault will be left. Rather, be ever continually living in the presence and close fellowship of our Heavenly Father, we shall reach a perfection like His.

6.      Tempestuous wind and rain storms appear to be destructive, yet they are really beneficial, because they carry away destructive germs of various diseases and pestilences and become for us a physical health and blessing. So the breath of the Holy Spirit (John 3:8) and the gusts and storms of suffering and misfortune are par excellence a means of blessing and of spiritual health for us. Through the warmth of the sun water evaporates and forms clouds, to bring rain, and winds arise from the desert and hot areas. Just so the water of the rivers of life flows from the Sun of Righteousness to bestow life on us.

7.      There are some people who do not know that the demand of the spirit is satisfied by communion with GOD, so, not seeing this demand met in the world to come, nor even in the life of this world, in their stupidity they are prepared to commit suicide. Not only immoral and guilty people, but even philosophers commit this sin.

In contrast true spiritual Christians endure many afflictions in the world, because the fact that they make spiritual progress means that their troubles, misfortunes and difficulties increase proportionately, something ordinary worldly people are unable to understand. Therefore instead of helping and sympathizing with them they oppose them, and yet such Christians do not destroy themselves, because they have ‘denied themselves’ and found true joy and peace in communion with GOD. Although his spiritual need is fulfilled by GOD, still man, being human, wants the sympathy and fellowship of his fellow-man as well, and when this desire is unfulfilled Christ, who is both GOD and man, fulfills both these human needs. He knows, not only theoretically, but through His own personal experience, the difficulties and troubles of humanity, because He Himself became a man, endured suffering and pain, and can now fully sympathize with and help those who are afflicted (Hebrews 2:18).

8.      The good and spiritual man will always endure suffering in the world (2 Timothy 2:12), because people cannot understand him; and as their conscience and feelings, by means of which they should find the truth and value it, are desensitized and deadened through sin, whenever they come across a good man they discover that his nature and his ways are incompatible with theirs, and so are compelled to persecute him. But those whose spiritual sensitivity and conscience are alive and alert uphold the truth, and are influenced by the upright man’s fragrant and winsome life. The life of a true Christian is like sandalwood–instead of harming in any way the axe that cuts it imparts its own fragrance to it.

What GOD showed Henry Suso in a vision has been experience by countless Christians: ‘Your good reputation will be publicly destroyed, and wherever you expect to find love and faithfulness you will meet with deceit, suffering and affliction.’

In the world, where all GOD fearing people, prophets, apostles, even our LORD Himself, have been persecuted, to expect an easeful life is to go against the facts, turn one’s back on GOD, and ally oneself with the world. On the other hand, it is a great privilege to ‘share the sufferings’ of the LORD (Philippians 3:10). Then at the appointed time we shall also share with Him in eternal glory, and reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12).

9.      Before reaching his final goal man has to go through suffering, afflictions and temptations in the world; and it is GOD’s will, too, that we should experience all those conditions that are highly beneficial for our spiritual life and future good. If GOD had not wanted it this way we would not have been subject to these conditions; and if He wants it so, then who are we to object and question it? So it is essential that we gladly accept whatever befalls us, and not allow room in our hearts for anyone’s doubtings, because doubt turns away for GOD, rendering it worthless and useless, that spiritual inclination and aptitude by which man becomes reconciled to GOD, and enters full enjoyment of His fellowship.

As long as we are in the world we have to undergo both joy and sorrow. The bee not only gathers honey; to serve a particular purpose it also carries a sting. It is not without reason that beautiful fragrant roses are accompanied by thorns; and Paul’s ‘thorn in the flesh’ too (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) contributed to the fulfillment of a lofty objective. In the same way it is absolutely necessary, for us too, to go through such experiences for the fulfillment of a final eternal purpose.