lot of people in the “Christian world” today have this idea where they categorize circumstances that happen in our lives into two:

1. Bad stuff = Devil’s doing.
2. Good stuff = God’s doing.

And that way of thinking brings us to the sort of “Biblical” conclusion where preachers basically preach and say: “Ah! You’re going through pain and misery because of the Devil’s foothold in your life! Resist him and he will flee!”

Besides, God is love right? How can a loving God be the One behind all suffering and affliction? That’s just so inconsistent. God’s into blessings and provision. Remember John 10:10? People dying? People suffering? People going through pain and heart-wrenching losses? That’s the Devil’s doing. And God? Well, He’s there to save us from the Devil.

[Btw, John 10 does not speak about blessings and provision specifically, but God's choosing of His sheep.]

Ah, but of course, all thinking and all pondering is futile unless we align it with God’s Word.

All the commandments which I command you this day shall all of you observe to do, that all of you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers. And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to prove you, to know what was in yours heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled you, and suffered you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you knew not, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD does man live. (Deuteronomy 8:1-3)

God did what? God suffered the Israelites to hunger? How can God be so cruel???

You see, we need to get our conception of God straightened out. If our theology cannot accept the fact that God is Sovereign in both blessings and affliction; if our conception of God is that He’s only into the good stuff that happen; if our conception of God is that He’s only there to take us out of trouble, then, the only explanation for a God like that is to say that God is cruel and God is capricious. Because God knew that people are going through times of trouble and pain, and yet He let’s it happen anyway.

But if we look at the issue through what the Bible says; if we align ourselves to what the Text actually says, that God actually purposes suffering, that tells us something. That tells us something very significant and wonderful. Because that tells us that all suffering has purpose. That tells us that each and every circumstance that happens in our lives has purpose.

We have to realize that there is no such thing as “accidents” or any form of randomness in God’s universe. As if God, the Omniscient One, would be surprised by anything. The problem with most Christians today, with laypeople and preachers alike is that they don’t take seriously what it means when the Bible says that God is Sovereign.

In our traditions and in our spiritual emotionalism, we would never allow such a God that has control over everything. In our flesh and pride we always want that degree of freedom where we can say: “Ha! I mustered up “my” faith to rid myself of the Devil!” But then rejecting and failing to see the Hand of the Sovereign One over all things.

People are so afraid to go toe-to-toe with what scripture says as much as they are afraid to go to the logical conclusion of their own theology. They are afraid to see that their view of God is one of a god that is actually cruel and apathetic of the events of His own universe. With all the knowledge and power in His disposal, He just let’s people die and suffer anyway?

But no, there is purpose.

Just as much purpose as there is in the sufferings of our Lord Christ Jesus.

For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10)

In our lives, we go through trouble. If you haven’t, live long enough and you will. You will go through heart-aches. You’re gonna lose people. You’re gonna lose people you love. You gonna go through so much pain and confusion and heart-wrenching circumstances that will force you to ask the question: “God have you left me?”

As Christians, as the redeemed, we must be able to know the answer to that question. Because therein lies our comfort in pain. Therein lies our comfort in disease and trials, that God is Sovereign. That should be a great comfort for us. Because things that happened in our lives, and the things that will happen, had to pass through nail pierced hands before they could get through to you and me. And if indeed you are part of God’s elect, the saints separated unto God for His glory, there is comfort in the fact that God didn’t and won’t leave you alone.

We could and should be dancing happily on our way to Hell, but every time we get off the narrow path, every time we get tempted and distracted and fall into sin, God would say: “Okay son, it’s time to learn. It’s time to beat you down and break your legs… because I love you.” To me, that’s a loving Father right there. If it would take God to give me all the diseases, pain and losses in the world to discipline me, to make me holy, to conform me to the image of His Son, I’d gladly accept it all. That’s a loving father.

You could have ran off on your way to eternal torment in Hell but still, as He ever loved you (Jer 31:3), He’ll do anything it takes to keep you, even though it means the death of a loved one, or being brought into poverty, or being rejected by those you love.

He’ll do anything it takes, because He’s God, because He’s Sovereign, because He loves you.

There’s a purpose.

God is sovereign.