This is Part 4 of 5 parts answering the question, “Suffering: Are there forms of suffering God allows we will never understand?” in the larger question, “Why does a loving God allow suffering?” Part 5 will be posted tomorrow.

Your Choice Is To Trust Him

God continues to work in the life of every believer (Phil. 1:6). And He has given us all we need to accomplish His will (Phil. 4:19) We are not able to understand or do His will on our own, but He has given us the sufficiency of His Word for life. Paul wrote,

⁵ Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, ⁶ who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Cor. 3:5-6 NKJ)

You might want more tangible measurements than faith in obedience to His Word. Yet, your faith dependence upon His Spirit is the victory for life. Your faith at salvation was the victory that overcame the world as John wrote, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world– our faith.” (1 John 5:4 NKJ) That faith dependence in the Lord Jesus continues to be the overcoming victory, “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:5 NKJ) Both the verbs “overcomes” and “believes” are present participles, which means that while the Christian is believing, he is overcoming. When he is not believing and walking with the Lord Jesus, he is not overcoming. Do not confuse this or be presumptuous. It is a practical matter. If you are not overcoming, it is because at that moment, you are not depending by faith on the Lord Jesus. You may intellectually believe the Lord Jesus is the Christ and He is your Savior, but you are not allowing Him to rule in your life.

So how do you trust Him? Believe and do what the Bible says. James wrote,

²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. ²⁵ But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (Jam. 1:23-25 NKJ)

When the Word exposes dirt on your face, clean it off. Do not just ignore it. Receive conviction from the Word and let the Holy Spirit make changes in your life. As you trust Him and allow Him to conform you to His image, you’ll be blessed. Now, is the Word perfectly clear? Paul skillfully stated, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” (1 Cor. 13:12 NKJ) No, the Word may not be as clear to tell you what person to marry, what college to choose, what clothes you should wear, but it does give many principles and guidelines of Truth that will guide you in your decision to trust Him. He gives you freedom to choose within his Holy Will for living. God is good and His Word is always True. You need God and you are loved by others who will walk with you through your suffering.

Part 5 will be posted tomorrow.