Fear and grief crash into our lives when guardrails are left unattended.  Far too often, we cruise seamlessly through life with the sun shining on our heads and the wind blowing through our hair; until we skid off course into some ditch.  Examining the scene of the accident, we search for evidence for the cause of our demise.  Ashamed of such carelessness, blame is a convenient defender. Certainly, something bore heavy on our minds.  Maybe people let us down, divorce or death devastates the family, daily life lost its sparkle, kids go astray, jobs sink into doldrum, disease is on the chart or stress drains our batteries.  Such distractions are great justifications for our suffering, so we think.  How we view the root of our problems will serve as the rule in finding their resolution.  Have you noticed the way suffering wants to lead us?  Somehow, deep seated, suffering first turns to the intelligence for its answers. 

Suffering Requires Reasons 

When we suffer, we need facts to answer the whys.  Suffering always requires justification. A strange relief comes with answers even if the pain still exists.  Intellect craves knowledge.  In fact, the very definition of intelligence is:   

1. The ability to acquire, understand, and use knowledge.  2. Information, especially secret information gathered about an actual or potential enemy or adversary (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5^th Edition).  Webster adds: the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one’s environment.  

 Isn’t this just the carnality of humankind to reason out of problems and try to take control when hardships wheel in?  This is how believers get off course and struggle in finding God’s perfect will. Common sense needs to step aside and surrender to the Spirit.  Why? Because the 5 senses are limited to interpreting earthly problems; depending on information for which we can physically see, hear, touch, taste or smell.  Consider what the Father says about suffering. He sent His only Son, Jesus, to the cross. What happened there? He justified or made right our wrongs.  He suffered for our sins and all of its consequences such as sorrow, sickness and disease; triumphing over it all.  He was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.  This was a spiritual war He won for us.  Therefore, we can’t fight spiritual wars with natural means. This truth will prevent us from using energy on the blame game.  When we find ourselves stranded in our ditches or abyss, let us wait for true wisdom to guide us out. Be discerning, the wisdom must be derived from God’s Word.  Take a lesson from Job.  It took him three college tries before he received answers.  Why should we sit through many dissertations before gaining the truth? 

Job’s Jury of Friends 

Job too was in spiritual warfare.  He was visited by Satan who swept his family, health and wealth away.  (Read Job Chapter 1) Most of the book is spent on Job listening to counsel and of course defending himself.  In his eyes, Job did the right things in life and deserved no such devastation.  It was the youngest member of Job’s jury of friends who finally spoke up.  (Some commentators believe Elihu was the representative of the Holy Spirit.)   

Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled. And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old, wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion. I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment. Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion. Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say. Yea, I attended unto you, and behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words: Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusted him down, not man. Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches. (Job 32:4-14) 

Elihu reminds Job that he is a spiritual being.  Believers need that reminder also.  The spirit man should take precedence over the natural man.  God is a Spirit, and we are fashioned after Him.  Connection to Him need be our top priority.  When we stop adhering to human reasoning and open the Word, the Spirit has opportunity to reveal His truth.  The dust from our crashes can be cleansed as Jesus washes us with His Word.  When we avoid conforming to the world and renew our minds in Christ, we can walk in His will.  (See Rom. 12:2). It is not God’s will for His people to live in pity. As said previously, Jesus took the sorrow aroused by misfortune on Himself. It bears repeating.  The cross is our proof, sin’s consequences of grief (which is interpreted as sickness) is finished.  It is not ours to bear.  We can’t add anything to the work of Christ Jesus.  So whether we have sickness of the mind, heart or body there is hope.  Just as Elihu went to the jugular vein to release Job from his deep valley of despair, so too clarity will come for us through Christ Jesus. Our Spiritual jugular veins need a fresh flow of Jesus to revive us. This is why our carnal minds need constant renewal, ensuring we stay closely connected to God’s heart.  We see this problem of understanding God’s ways is not new.  Elihu was redirecting Job to God’s grace and away from his own righteousness. 

Self-Sufficiency Separates us from our Savior 

Furthermore Elihu answered and said, Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge: For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good. For Job hath said, I am righteous and God hath taken away my judgment. (Job 34:1-4) 

Reliance on our knowledge and great accomplishments steer us away from Jesus.  It is easy to set our cruise control on self and cancel the Holy Spirit’s guidance. How many pitfalls could be avoided if we learn to walk according to the Spirit and not our flesh. When our hearts are fixed on God, we avoid being double minded. 

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. (Ps. 57:7) 

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. (Job 33:18) 

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Gal. 5:25) 

Pride Drives us into Fear and Grief 

Pride, self-sufficiency and carnality have consequences.  Jeremiah warned the Ammonites of their forthcoming howls of grief and fear when turning from God. We can’t expect to drive into harmony when the devil’s hell is disguised as progress.  Could it be the Canaanite city of Ai also bears a message for our current era? 

Upon deeper study of the Hebrew meaning of Ai in Bible Hub (5856 Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, Hebrew iy), it’s definition is a ruin, heap of ruins.  Will we also be crying when our inventions of Ai, robots like Optimus are working in the car industry, rearing our children and replacing us in tasks meant for humans?  Maybe our intelligence is applauded by an audience seeking autonomy, but when independent from our Heavenly Father we are driving straight into the pit of fear and grief. 

Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no sons? Hath he no heir? Why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities?  Therefore, behold the days even saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.  Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: cry ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and for by the hedges; for their king shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes together.  Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? That trusted in her treasures, saying Who shall come unto me?  Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, saith the Lord God of hosts, from all those that be about thee; and ye shall be driven out every man right forth; and none shall gather up him that wandereth. (Jer. 49:1-5) 

 HOLD ON!  THIS IS NOT A REST STOP!  

Judgment and punishment filled with fear and grief are not on the believer’s map.  Because of our rescuer, these consequences are not waiting at the end of our road.  God’s grace and mercy won’t let us alone even in our moaning and groaning.  He is the deliverer, constantly ushering us back into His arms of mercy.  Just like the rebellious Ammonites who insisted on living apart from God’s love, our Lord scoops the backslider out of pits designed for destruction and punishment. 

And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon, saith the LORD. (Jer. 49:6) 

Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. (Gal. 1:3-4)   

Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction. (Micah 2:10) 

Is It Possible to be Delivered from our Pain Today? 

Many differ in the posed question about suffering.  I myself have tossed the various theological balls around for years.  Is it really possible to be delivered from our pain today? There are Christians who believe to suffer is a righteous act. In certain areas in life, yes. The topic requires God’s light in the context of the entire Bible.  We can’t pick and choose only one verse to support our views.  

Jesus warns us of the consequences of following Him.  We will be afflicted. This affliction is housed under the umbrella of rejection.  We do know there will be division experienced in our homes, neighborhoods, cities, laws, government and nations…. all because of our beliefs. People will reject the Gospel and therefore us.  We can be put on their back shelf, imprisoned, beaten or killed for our witness.  We do serve the aftermath of political laws not supportive of God’s Word. (Matt. 10:22) (Acts 5:41) (Acts 9:16) (Heb. 11:25) (Rev. 6:9)

Suffering affliction will happen when we are backsliding in our sinful flesh. We receive correction and our conscience will not be at rest until we submit to God’s ways. (Ps. 119: 67, 71)  However, after we receive the lesson we receive rest from the adversary. The pit we were in is only for the wicked. (Ps. 94:12-13)

I haven’t seen a verse stating God chastises us with sickness. Jesus served that sentence. We do see with Job (Chapt.1) that Satan will throw illness onto our minds or bodies. So back to the question, what pain will we actually be delivered from? 

To Answer our Question 

Shall we agree to allow Jesus to speak?  Isaiah 53 tells us He took our suffering related to sin and its consequences of grief (disease/sickness). The affliction of mourning/sorrow turned into joy is seen in Isaiah 61:3.  Why would He take our sin, disease and sorrow if we are to carry them today? When we have the spirit of sorrow and sickness visit us what do we do? Jesus has given us authority over this devil who desires to keep us out of commission for God’s purposes. (Ps. 91: 13) (Matt. 10:1) (Mark 3:15) (Luke 10:19) We exercise this authority by turning to His Word which has full command over the evil one.

As far as fear is concerned, it is a no brainer.  I have read there are 365 verses telling us to fear not. (Gen. 15:1) (Matt. 10:19) (Matt. 10:28) (Matt. 10:31) (Lk. 12:17) Jesus does not want us to stay in pits when He has promises of deliverance written in black and white. He promises to give comfort whether we crash due to our own carelessness, brush against the sinful world or are the target of the devil’s schemes. God’s Word is the truth every Christian can rely on.

Believers can stand on the same path in regard to God’s promise to help.  The helper who is the Holy Spirit is closer than we comprehend.  God’s Spirit lives within us.  This is a secret from the world, revealed to believers. Therefore, when God imparts His promises from His Word into your heart, don’t expect unbelievers or even weak believers to affirm your stance.  Your decisions may not resonate with their common sense.  May we all maintain our position on His Word above any other and wait for His deliverance. 

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Cor: 4:4) 

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. (1 Jn. 2:27) 

Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1 Cor:2:12)

Abiding in His presence will keep us all out of places we don’t belong.  That is, in miserable ditches that destroy our witness of God being a divine provider.  It isn’t about us, but about bringing glory to His name.  Therefore, let us not wander onto roads destined with grief and fear. The guardrails of the Word will secure our hearts and minds into the true peace of God, surpassing all understanding.   

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Rom. 8:6) 

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7)