Why do American/Western Christians think they ought not to have to suffer?

[James Nored]

Tim Keller has a new book out on suffering entitled, "Walking with God through Pain and Suffering."  From the review of this book from Christianity today, this looks like a great book.  

I love Tim Keller's perspective. I have often said that as Americans, we have no theology of suffering. We tend to think that all suffering is bad, and that there is no good in it.

And yet, the writer of Hebrews says that Jesus learned obedience from what he suffered. "Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered" (Heb, 5:8). Jesus was the Son of God, and yet he was not above suffering!

But we as American Christians seem surprised at suffering, and feel that suffering is not part of the Christian "deal." We believe that turning to God and following Christ should eliminate suffering from our lives. And unfortunately, so much of preaching today feeds into this concept, with self-help, "you can do it" type of sermons.

And often the gospel is presented this way, that turning to God will take away all of one's problems. Then, when bad things happen, people feel that they have received a "bait and switch" and fall away.

Suffering, though painful, can help to purify us and for us, cleanse us of our sinful tendencies as we cry out to God and place our trust in him. Suffering reminds us that we are not God, and that we need God in our lives. For me, I learn very little when things are going well and life is easy. I learn much more about humility, dependence upon God, longing for another world (the shalom/peace that God will ultimately bring about), and prayer when I go through difficult time.

What are your thoughts on suffering? Is it good? Bad? Should we expect it? What can we learn from it? Why do American Christians think that we ought not to have to suffer? 

[James Nored]

@Apostle - Good job distinguishing between suffering for being in darkness and suffering for the sake of Christ. I would add to this suffering for spiritual formation's sake. 

Thanks for sharing, and I understand your reasons when you just "listen." Thanks for reading and for your contributions!

[James Nored]

@Apostle - Thank you so much for the great compilation of Scriptures on suffering. Excellent. It is clearly there, isn't it? So why are we so surprised when it happens to us?

[Zack Blaisdell]

It seems that Christians who are Americans have a sense of entitlement. As you said above, if we become Christians then that should eliminate suffering from our lives. Only God never promised any such thing. Somewhere in John's Gospel, Jesus said that in this life we will have trouble. But we can take heart, because Jesus has overcome the world. The apostle Paul told Timothy that all of those who want to follow Jesus will suffer. And there are a host of other verses like this in the Bible Sounds to me that thinking Christians won't suffer is inaccurate, untrue, and unbiblical. Whether suffering is good or bad is all how you look at it. If suffering causes us to look at Jesus more and studying and so forth, then its a good thing.