On Pain and God

Pain is inEvitable

When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. Numbers 22:25

I’ve read a few books on the subject of Pain of recent and often wondered why people point fingers at God. 

Some people confuse tribulations and persecutions with avoidable physical pain. 

Of course tribulations and persecutions can cause pain. For example, when Paul and Silas were beaten in Acts 16, there’s no doubt that they experienced some pain. Also, when he said thrice he was beaten with rods, surely he must have suffered some broken body or bones. 

The Bible never promised us a life without tribulation. Starting with Jesus, very early in his teachings he said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10). Persecution can come with pain. And toward the end of his journey here on earth, he told the disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). 

The Apostles of the Lord also added their voice to this subject. Apostle Paul said: “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). James admonished those going through trials in his letter, saying, “count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (James 1:2). 

From all their writings, it seems persecutions, tribulations and trials is part of the requirements for entering into the Kingdom of God. And if anyone want a list of what persecutions and tribulations entail, please see below:

Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 2 Cor. 11:23-28

However, most of the pain the believers of our days suffer, with the exception of our brothers and sisters in troubled zones, is not as a result of any persecution . Like Andrew Wommack once remarked, if many of us are charged for being Christians, there will be no evidence to prosecute us. Our christianity is too lame to provoke any persecution. Our faith is too weak to cause any stir. 

So where do most of our pain come from? It is self-inflicted. Like the story in Numbers above, Balaam pain is caused by his greed. Yet if you asked him, he would say God sent his angel to afflict him. 

That is why I’m bold to say this: Pain is evitable. Pain is avoidable. 

On Paul’s list above, you won’t find any sickness or disease mentioned. No. Cancer is not tribulation. Hepatitis is not persecution. Leukemia is not part of the package to enter the Kingdom of God. Most of the life-threatening diseases that is killing us today come as a result of our lifestyle and bad eating habits. Our fast food culture is inflicting a number of health hazards on us. So also our sedentery life style. Some of us have also engaged in some dangerous lifestyle before we finally surrendered to Christ, and we are reaping the fruits of those habits right now. It’s like the old adage: Curses are like chickens; they always come home to roost.

Two great helps God has given us to protect us against pain: the word of God and the Spirit of God. If we would pay attention to those two, we can live free of pain. We don’t have to go through pain. 

Problems come when we disregard these two agents. For example, Proverbs 4:4 says: My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live.” Jesus came to give us life, and life more abundantly. We can’t talk of abundant life when we are groaning in pain of sickness and disease. 

The good news is this: Whatever the source or cause of that pain, there is healing in the name of Jesus. We don’t have to rationalize, philosophize or even theologize it, pain is not of God. God does not tempt anyone with pain (James 1:13-14). That is why we can confidently approach Him for healing and deliverance from whatever we are passing through. 

When God says: Have your way!

Numbers 22:1-20

What else do we need to know when the will (mind) of God on an issue is already made clear in His word? 

All that is left is obedience. 

God had already made it known to Balaam, the prophet, not to go with the messengers of Balak to put a curse on the Israelites. It couldn’t be clearer than that. 

Num 22:12  But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”

But then the king came up with a brilliant idea; an offer that is too much to be resisted. 

Num 22:16-17 “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”

And so Balaam had to go back to God. 

That was where he missed it. 

Don’t we also do the same? 

When God has already said: Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Don’t get into partnership or relationship with them (2 Cor. 6:14-18); we begin to rationalize; we begin to play smart; we ask people to pray about it for us. 

When the mind of God is already known, there’s nothing to pray about again. 

And if we insist on praying about it, guess what God would say to you: Go ahead! (Num 22:20). 

So I came to this conclusion: You will always hear whatever you want to hear from God. 

If God has already told you to stay in a particular place and you keep on bugging him about how they are (mis)treating you, and how the place sucks, God will tell you to “Go ahead” and do whatever you want to do. 

If God has already said to stay in a particular ministry, church, business, organization, or even relationship, and you keep praying about it, very soon, you will hear “Go ahead, get a new partner, start a new church, join another organization. 

So I’m not surprised when people say God told them to do it; to go ahead and divorce their wife/husband, and marry another person; to marry an unbeliever; or to start their own church or ministry. No surprise at all. Balaam also heard it from God to go ahead. But really, did God? 

If God would not have His way, He would let you have your way! 

Friends, let the word of God, whether written or spoken, settle every issue in your life. There’s nothing else to know once the mind of God is made clear on an issue. His word is settled in heaven; let it settle in your life also. Let it settle with all finality every issue in your life. 

Once God has spoken, let it keep echoing in our mind. The Psalmist said: Once God has spoken; twice he heard it. Let’s keep hearing the same thing. 

May I suggest a better approach to relating with God: If God wants you to do it, He would be the first to tell you, rather than you asking him. 

On Confession and Forgiveness

"We don’t have to confess our sins in order to be forgiven. Forgiveness is not dependent on what I do, but what Jesus has done. … Fellowship with Him is not broken because our forgiveness is not contingent on what we do."

        Excerpt From: Joseph Prince. “Destined to Reign”

When we sin, I believe fellowship is broken but our relationship with God is not broken. 

If your child does something bad and you knew it or heard about it but the child didn’t say anything about it. And he keeps doing or going as if nothing has happened. In your heart, you will be thinking this child thinks he’s smart. 

But when he owns up and confesses to you, the matter is cleared. If you need to rebuke him you do that and the fellowship is restored. 

It is one thing for forgiveness to be provided; it is another thing for it to be received. In Christ, forgiveness is already provided; for past, present and even future sins. But how do we receive the forgiveness? 

The way we receive forgiveness is through confession, just like we receive our salvation (1 John 1:9). 

How did we receive Salvation? 

Salvation is already provided, but is everybody saved? Of course NO! Salvation has to be received before it can be appropriated (enjoyed). Otherwise those who claim universal salvation would be right. That is, everyone is saved, they just don’t know it. 

And how do we receive salvation? When we confess, not our sins, but that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart. 

Same way with forgiveness. Forgiveness has to be received before it can be appropriated (enjoyed). How? By confessing what we have done wrong. 

The word "confession" comes from the Greek word, homologeo; which means, to say the same thing. And in this case, to say the same thing that God has said concerning that situation. When we miss it, we shouldn’t keep going as if nothing has happened. No! Let’s pause and say: Father, I’ve missed it. Have mercy on me. To keep going and say we are in the light and so we are continually being cleansed notwithstanding what we do is tantamount to wilful disobedience. 

As Dr. Robert Jeffress noted: Grace (or Salvation) erases the eternal consequences of our sin but does not exempt us from the temporal consequences of it. I believe when we confess our sin, then we are cleansed from “all unrighteousness” (the effects) caused by our sin (1 John 1:9). This is exactly what Proverbs 28:13 says: He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.