Job is a book that records the life of a man who has been turned upside down. Satan has been given permission to afflict him in nearly every way in an attempt to prove he is only faithful to God because of the blessings he had received.
In the midst of this suffering, as he ponders the poor response his friends gave to his misery, he remarks on a temptation that comes with comfort.
In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; it is ready for those whose feet slip.
Job 12:5
Malice for Misfortune
When we suffer, it changes our view of life. We come to realize that comfort is not a default state and isn’t something we can maintain indefinitely. However, when people are comfortable for too long, they can begin to think that suffering is a thing that cannot reach them and if a person does experience misfortune it is only because they did something wrong.
In the book of Job, we have a behind the scenes look at the suffering Job is experiencing. We know with certainty that, if anything, he is suffering because he lived well! Satan chose to attack him specifically to prove that his righteousness was superficial, and continues to harm him more and more because he has not turned on God.
Yet because the flesh wishes to believe it can guard itself against all discomfort, it hides from the reality that all people experience pain by assuring us that we can avoid it. Each example of suffering, rather than reminding us of the evil sin brings upon us all in this world, has become an example of avoidable pain others have fallen into only because of their own personal sin.
The Half Truth
This counsel of the flesh isn’t the exact opposite of truth. All pain and suffering entered the world with sin, and will be completely eradicated with sin when Christ returns. Furthermore, it is entirely possible to heap up unnecessary pain by living a life of sin. Sin has consequences and often we pay for it ourselves.
However, we need to acknowledge that the sin of others also can cause us pain. When a thief steals, a murder kills, etc… people are hurt who aren’t the ones who committed the act! Sometimes sin makes us a victim even though it isn’t our sin.
Even with that knowledge, we shouldn’t go around blindly blaming others for the suffering they’re experiencing nor should we go around blaming others for all of our problems. There is a third way sin causes suffering, and that is simply living in a fallen world.
There are natural disasters, moths, rust, and the blessings of God which he sometimes withholds, not because we failed to earn it but because, in a mysterious way, it is for the good of those who love him (just look at Job!)
Modern Temptation
This temptation to view comfort as a default is more dangerous today than perhaps at any other point in human history. It’s certainly a temptation for a greater part of mankind than it has ever been. Many people can avoid even the basic pains that come with hard manual labor. We have early warning systems and building designs to minimize the impact of natural disasters. Even when we speak of people who “don’t know where their next meal will come from” they often have 3 meals a day, just from various programs and charities.
The violence that characterized the experiences of humanity throughout most of history is often hidden from us. Not only is war something that many people have never experienced, but even things as simple as hunting for food or butchering animals is absent. Even though death is still a part of life in this world, we have sterilized it to the point where some people only interact with it in funerals, where remarks about how it appears they’re only resting peacefully are common.
We still live in a fallen world and sin is waging it’s brutal campaign against all of creation, but we’ve build systems around ourselves to hide it from our eyes. When it does sneak through, many turn to substance abuse to numb themselves to hide when some makes it through.
Blessings are things for which we should be grateful. Having a spirit of thankfulness is a great way to remind ourselves that our blessings aren’t guaranteed, nor are they earned. Pain and suffering are things which could come at any point. They are natural in this life and often unavoidable.
Don’t fool yourself into believing others suffer only because they don’t live the way you do. Don’t think you can hide from pain by doing better than this other person who suffers. Instead, be charitable and mourn with those who mourn. Tomorrow may well be the day that person is you. Comfort is no guarantee.
Live according to God’s commands, but know that even a life perfectly lived won’t save you from pain. After all, the only man who ever lived a perfect life was betrayed and hated by many, even to the point of being beaten and then hung to death on a Roman cross. Instead of avoiding pain, thank God for blessings and help your brothers and sisters to bear their burdens. Otherwise, we may become cruel and hate those who suffer rather than recognize them for the reminder we all need.
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