Jesus told us a long time ago, and made it known to us right at the outset when we were born again---we have to pick up our cross daily and follow him. Yet, at the same time, God assured us that Jesus bore our sorrows and grief and the punishment we deserve has all been placed on him. "For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."
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Isaiah 53.5: Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering...But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
We need to have both truth in our lives. We carry the cross he assigns to us, and yet there's no cross to carry because he already carried it for us. Some see it this way--the sorrows and griefs he carried in Isaiah 53 have to do with "our transgressions," but now that we are repented, forgiven and born again, we need to carry a different cross, one from Christ that is "easy and light."
This easy and light cross doesn't always coincide with our idea of "easy and light." Often, it looks like cruel punishment. But really, it is easy and light because Jesus says so, and we can count on anything that comes from him. I believe it's like this: it's easy and light compared to eternal punishment, to what we would carry if we weren't in Christ.
And yet, mysteriously, eternal punishment is often assymptomatic. It does not show its punitive symptoms for a long time. It seems those eternally condemned live the good life. They look blessed. And those who carry Jesus' cross are condemned. They look miserable. Exactly how Job felt when he was given a heavy burden which proved to be God's approval, actually. God was so fond of him so he allowed Job's extreme sufferings.
But we go back to the question. Is pain really necessary? Could Job have known God deeper without the cruel hardship? Can God accomplish his will for us without exposing us to pain? HE CAN. Nothing is impossible to him. There's nothing God cannot do. He can strenghten our faith without making us go through sufferings. He doesn't need to test us because he knows our hearts, even what's hidden deep in our souls. He can accomplish in us everything he wants without exposing us to pain.
So, why the pain?
Here's my take. It's because of our stubbornness. We cannot know truth or admit it or surrender to it without suffering. If we just let God be God, we can grow strong and mature in Christ even without undergoing hardships. Even without carrying the cross. Sufferings are there only to break our stubbornness, our "stupidity," nothing more, nothing less. We all like sheep have gone astray. In one word, stubborn. Here's the story:
Isaiah 53.5-6: But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Few folks in the bible learned this truth about a painless life, like Jabez, Abel, and perhaps Enoch? No pain. No hardships. Jabez got the idea and asked God to get rid of his sufferings and end pain and prosper him instead. God granted him all that. He saw what life was all about as God wanted it. "I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly." We never get the idea. Church today focuses on sufferings to please God, not to demolish hard-headedness and ego.
Well, Abel was killed by Cain, and that must have been painful. But it was not due to Abel's stubbornness. Enoch walked with God for 300 years, and ordinary mortals will find this tiring and painful, but I think not if you're literally walking with God. That long walk was not about pain and suffering but about abundant life. I believe Abel and Enoch got it all right.
Pain and suffering are only there to humble us and make us submit. God needs to break us to make us pay attention. "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees," says Psalm 119.71. But if we learn to be crucified with Christ so that we no longer live but Christ lives in us, pain is no longer necessary. The pain and sufferings Paul wrote about were no longer about the cares of life but the glory of Christ. Dying now is gain. It's Christ suffering in you, not you. You're pain-free.
Psalm 119.67: "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word"
But wait....there's a second reason for pain and suffering. It's exposing the hearts of men. God calls and appoints a few, select people to be objects of disdain and hatred to let us see what really is in our hearts. And if you're appointed for this, you're often made to suffer want or even poverty. You're made to fail. People hate losers, even church people. Sometimes, you're made to suffer one woe after another so you seem accursed. Then people begin to judge you instead of help you. It's what happened to Job.
It's what happened to the guy the Good Samaritan helped but the priest and Levite avoided. Somebody has to be a victim, an underdog or a weakling in the eyes of men. Someone useless to people, or always needing help. Hearts are exposed when people meet the needy. God watches how people will react and what they will do, either help or ignore. Even with people who help, God watches the hidden intentions and motives. So, are you called to this, to playing victim, to having hearts exposed?
If people just obey Christ's new command to love one another as Jesus loves us, there will be no need for fall guys, scapegoats or victims. No need for a select few to suffer pain. If we just give up everything we have and give to the poor (especially mega churches and denominations), there will be no need for suffering. If we obey Jesus' teaching to give to anyone who asks and do not turn away those who borrow from you, there will be no need for sufferers.
Matthew 5.32: Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
But people are stubborn. So there's pain. And they build doctrines and teachings around it, telling us to be patient and endure sufferings but not doing anything to stop our pain and poverty. Jesus says the pain can be stopped. Human religion simply says endure it.
James 2.15-17: Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
1 John 3.17: If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
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