If I'm Suffering, Is God Punishing Me?Sýnishorn

We May Not Know the Reason For Suffering, But God is With Us

Even if we seek to honor God in our lives, the road may not be easy. We may sometimes find ourselves in the “darkest valley” (Ps. 23:4). For example, in our workplaces, this could come as the loss of a contract, a teaching assignment that has gone bad, or feelings of isolation and meaninglessness. Or it could come as a longer-term struggle, such as a toxic office environment or inability to find a job. But Psalm 23 reminds us that God is near in all circumstances. His work on our behalf is not hypothetical, but tangible and real. God will take care of us even in a sometimes-hostile world, “in the presence of my enemies” (Ps. 23:5). While we would often rather not think about this, it is through the challenges of our lives that God works out his purposes in us.

Psalm 23 concludes by reminding us of the destination of our journey with God: “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Ps 23:6b). The first half of the verse tells us directly that this is a promise for our present lives as well as eternity: “Goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life” (Ps. 23:6a). The promise that God will be with us, bringing goodness and love into whatever circumstance we face. That is a deeper kind of comfort than we can ever get from hoping to avoid every adversity that could befall us.

In many cases, we will not know the precise reason for our suffering. But the good news is that God can and will use it for good in our lives, if we let him. Hard times can draw us closer to the Lord. They can help us deal with things in our lives we’d rather ignore. They can soften our hearts and make us more humble. They can increase our empathy for others in pain. Suffering can open up new ways for us to experience God’s love and comfort. Moreover, our pain can lead us more deeply into the heart of God, who chose to bear our sorrows, who came in Christ to suffer for us that we might enjoy the fullness of life.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you that I can fear no evil because you are with me. Help me to trust in your goodness and mercy all the days of my life. Amen.

We hope this plan encouraged you. Find more plans from the Theology of Work Project at www.theologyofwork.org/devotions