Useful Bible Studies > Songs of Ascent Commentary
Last part: Psalm 129
God allows his people to suffer troubles for various reasons. Here are some of those reasons:
(1) Sometimes God’s people suffer because the devil wants to test them. The devil tries to prove that they are not really loyal to God. Or, that they serve God for the wrong reasons. This is what happened to Job (Job chapters 1 and 2). It brings honour to God when his people remain loyal to him in such circumstances.
(2) Sometimes God’s people suffer because other people are against God. That happened to many of the first Christians. Other people hated them simply because they belonged to Christ. And this still happens today.
Peter gave advice to such Christians in 1 Peter 3:14-17 and 1 Peter 4:12-19. They should be glad because of their relationship with Christ. They suffer for his honour. Jesus also taught this (Matthew 5:10-12). Their life on this earth is hard. But God has a wonderful reward for them in heaven.
(3) Sometimes God allows his people to suffer because he is working in their lives. He did not cause those troubles; that is the devil’s work. But God knows that the troubles will help his people to trust him more. He allows the troubles because he is achieving his purposes in the lives of his people (1 Peter 1:6-9).
(4) Sometimes God’s people suffer because of their own evil behaviour. That wrong behaviour allows the devil to attack them. And God allows the trouble because he wants them to become loyal to him again. There are many examples of this in the Book of Judges. See for example, Judges 6:1. An example in the *New Testament is 1 Corinthians 5:5.
(5) Sometimes God’s people suffer because of the troubles that everyone suffers in this world. God does not always rescue his people from such troubles, although sometimes he does. For example, in Acts chapter 27, a storm ruined the ship in which Paul was sailing. God saved the lives of the people on the ship. But the storm destroyed the ship itself.
Such troubles are an opportunity for Christians to trust God. Every day, they should trust him. Every day, they should ask him for the things that they need (Matthew 6:11)
Next part: A prayer against the enemies of God’s people
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© 2015, Keith Simons.