Weep with Those Who Weep

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.    —Romans 12:15

One of the greatest examples of suffering is Job. Job lost all his wealth, his family, and finally his health. When three of Job’s friends heard of his terrible misfortune, they got together and decided to go console and comfort him. “When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was” (Job 2:12-13).

Job’s friends got it right for about a week. They sat in silence and wept with their friend. When they decided they could weep no longer, Job’s so-called friends tried to comfort him with words. They tried to explain Job’s suffering with the clichés and wisdom of the day. They believed Job was suffering because he had sinned and was getting what he deserved. The book of Job gives little explanation for the meaning of suffering except it was not Job’s fault.

In the New Testament, Jesus addressed the confusion about suffering in two ways. First, Jesus taught it. In John 9, when the disciples asked Jesus if the man was born blind because of his sins or those of his parents, Jesus replied, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (9:3). Also in Luke 13, Jesus spoke about two tragic events of the day, the collapse of the Tower of Siloam that killed eighteen people and some Galileans who were executed by Pilate. Jesus teaches that those killed by the tower and Pilate were no worse sinners than anyone else.

Suffering and pain come to everyone. Frequently, it can be traced directly to stupid choices and/or the direct result of sinful behavior. Although, many times, as described by Jesus and experienced by Job, there is little or no explanation. Bad things happen to everyone. Bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people.

Secondly, Jesus addressed the issue of sin and suffering by His life, death, and resurrection. God created a world where sin, rebellion, and suffering were possible. Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, death, pain and suffering corrupted our world. God, Himself, in the Person of Jesus Christ, entered our world of pain and suffering. On the Cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Mark 15:34).  Jesus died for our sins and sin’s punishment.

God promises to filter our suffering through His screen of grace and love. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that God will not let us be tested more than we can bear and always makes a way out. The Lord told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Through His resurrection from the grave, Jesus promises a day when suffering, death, and pain will end. In heaven, all the wrongs of this world will be made right.

Until that day, how do we respond to suffering? As Christians, we are told to weep with those who weep. We do not question their morality. We simply get down in the dust and grime of their pain and weep with them. We love and support those going through suffering with the love of God in Jesus. Are you hurting today? Whether you can feel it right now or not, God really does care, and many of those around you do, too.