Why Does God Permit Painful Experiences In Our Lives?
Beloved in the Lord, you have likely heard an individual who is experiencing affliction in their life say: “These afflictions are God’s way of disciplining because of my sin.” As if the affliction that someone is experiencing is the result of sin. However, this is not always the case (John 9:1-3). You see, God will permit painful experiences to come upon those who serve Him diligently (Deuteronomy 32:39). Maybe this has happened to you at some point in your life. Maybe this is happening in your life right now at this very moment. You have diligently sought to serve the Lord, yet the more you love and serve Him, the more burdens seem to come into your life. It is in these difficult moments of life that you may ask the question: “Why would a gracious and loving God permit such pain and affliction to come into the lives of His dear children, especially those who are already bearing fruit in His kingdom?”
If you have asked this question before, know that you are not alone. But also know, that God the Father also prunes back the branches He loves. Even those of His dear beloved children. Jesus speaks these words to us when He explains to us that as Christians, you are a branch growing out of Him (Jesus), who is the Vine (John 15:1). Even though good works are flowing from you as God works inside you (Ephesians 2:10), He wants even greater and more abundant works to flow from your life to extend His kingdom. Thus Jesus says: “Every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2). You see, not only does God prune back the dead branches (those who do not care about Him and do not bear fruit), but He also painfully prunes those who are already producing great fruit.
If you do any type of gardening or yard work, you know that to keep healthy trees and plants that will bear fruit, you must prune back the branches. Both the dead and those branches that are already bearing fruit. Through this pruning, the branch will bear even more and better fruit. God works in the same way beloved! Individuals who, perhaps like yourself, are already serving the Lord in His Kingdom, frequently experience bitter affliction. It may not seem like good news to our ears. However, through these afflictions, God prunes us to enable us to bear even greater fruit for Him and His Kingdom.
What affliction have you faced recently? What afflictions are you currently facing? Is it an unwelcome medical diagnosis? The death of a loved one? Uncertainty about your job and future work situations? Difficult financial situations? Strained family relationships? Whatever the affliction may be, know and trust that God is using this specific time of affliction to prune you, in order that you would continue to bear abundant fruit for His Kingdom. Yes, in the moment of our affliction, it is hard to see exactly how are afflictions are going to bear fruit for God’s Kingdom. But rejoice in the fact that your heavenly Father lovingly prunes you beloved.
No matter who you are, no matter how faithful you have been, no matter how fruitful God has been throughout your life, if you are now afflicted with suffering, opposition, or some other burden for the cause of Christ, rejoice! Even more, consider this as God’s way of pruning you so that, in His Kingdom, you can bear more and greater fruit. Again, “Every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2). And, as we hear in Hebrews: “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (Heb. 12:11).
Beloved, as has already been said, it isn’t always easy to understand or know why God permits affliction in our lives. It isn’t always easy for us to rejoice in the fact that God prunes back His dear children, those for whom He loves and cares about so much. It’s not always easy to see and grasp how God is working in us and through us even in times of affliction. That’s okay. But in these moments, that is when its best to take our afflictions, pain, and suffering to God in prayer and say:
Dear God, it is often difficult to see Your hand in times of affliction, burdens, and tears. Help me to understand through Your gift of faith that You use all things, even the trials that others bring into my life, to strengthen me and cause me to bear more and better fruit for You and Your blessed Kingdom. In your name I pray and rejoice. Amen.
May you rejoice in the faithfulness of our God, who loves us so much. Who prunes us, even when it isn’t comfortable for us, so that we may bear more fruit for His Kingdom. May you rest in the hope and promises, that even when we are faced with times of affliction, burdens, and tears, our God is always with us. For He doesn’t leave us as orphans. He will never leave us nor forsake us. For He is with us always. In the good times and the bad, and all of the times in-between. Thanks be God! Amen!