Why Do the Righteous Suffer? Part 4

4—SUFFERING FITS US FOR THE MINISTRY OF SYMPATHY

This old world is filled with suffering and heartaches. People of all walks of life are having their trials and troubles. One of the greatest needs of such people is someone who can comfort them and sympathize with them in their trouble. If the people who know Jesus Christ and follow Him do not give them comfort and sympathy, then to whom shall they turn?

Jesus wants us to be of help to such people as that. He came into this world and took upon Himself a human form and entered into all of our sorrows with us, in order that He might know how to sympathize and help those who needed help. The servant of Christ is supposed to fill up his ministry of suffering.* We are to do this in order that we might help those who need our help.

[*Colossians 1:24—"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church." Adam Clarke commented thus on this verse:—"It is worthy of remark that the apostle does not say the 'passion' of Christ, but simply the 'afflictions'; such as are common to all good men who bear a testimony against the ways and fashions of a wicked world. In these the apostle had his share, in the passion of Christ he could have none.  He trod the wine press alone, of the people there were none with him."]—(Still, when we submissively suffer afflictions in this world. Christ better enables us to comfort others who are afflicted.—DVM)

We are told to bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. We are also told that after we have suffered we are to comfort those who need it. The only way to know how to comfort others and sympathize with them is to suffer ourselves. There are some things that can be learned in the schools. We can have teacher training courses and take courses in citizenship and many other things. However, there is one thing that we have to learn by actual experience, and that is how to sympathize with other people. Jesus, because He has suffered and been tempted, is able to succor them that are tempted and tried. The same must be true of us. We have all learned by actual experience that the person who can help us most in our trials is the one who has already passed through something just like ours. When that one comes to us, he knows just what to do and say.

I can say from personal experience that I never knew how to sympathize with people properly until I had passed through some sorrow of my own. For a long time I tried to sympathize with people when they had lost a loved one; but I did not know how until death came and took one of my loved ones away. Then I found that I really knew how they felt, and since that time I have been better able to comfort those who are bereaved.

I can testify, to the glory of God, that as deep trials and troubles have come into my own life, my fellowship with Jesus has been enriched and I feel that I am better able to go out and help a sin-sick world. As my heart and life have been mellowed by the fires of afflictions and trials, I have found Jesus more precious and have had a greater compassion for other people. I find a great yearning in my heart to go out and bind up the broken hearts of people who are in distress. I realize that I could not have learned this in any other way. It has not always been easy to bear; but I do thank God for the privilege of entering into the fellowship of His suffering, and I feel that I am a better man by having passed through it. I also feel that I have a greater love and sympathy for my fellow man because I have suffered.

This leads me to say one other thing on this line. The best way to bear your own burden is to go out and help someone else bear his. As you try to help him you will find comfort for your own heart. Too many people draw aside from the world and hide away in seclusion when trouble comes to them. If you do this and spend your time in brooding over your own troubles, you will find yourself becoming morose and bitter; but if you will go out and try to help someone else you will find yourself getting more Christlike, and you will find that your life is richer by having had sorrows and trials come to you. You can always find someone else that has

a heavier burden than yours; and in helping him to bear it, you will find One like unto the Son of man, who will walk with you on the way. Presently you will find your heart burning with a new love and joy, and you will be led to say, "It was good for me that I was afflicted."