| Suffering is a very old phenomenon incontrovertibly | | | | is clearly reflected in the songs, slogans and posters |
| affects everyone. Ever since Eden's gates closed | | | | advertising for breakthrough. A popular chorus in |
| upon the heels of our former ancestors, Adam and | | | | Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria (three West African |
| Eve, man has been a sufferer. Fergusson aptly noted | | | | nations geographically apart) is "Mi a nor go sufa, a |
| that "the reality of suffering, especially that of the | | | | nor go beg for bread; God of mirakul, na my Papa o". |
| helpless or innocent, is a problem for anyone who | | | | The English translation is "I will neither suffer nor beg |
| posits the existence of an omnipotent and | | | | for bread; my Father is the God of miracle". This |
| benevolent Deity" (Fergusson 1988, 667). In other | | | | tendency to avoid suffering at all cost has led to the |
| words, "there is suffering, evil, pain, grief, death and | | | | 'Prosperity Gospel' which stresses faith in claiming |
| depression in the world. It touches everyone's life at | | | | blessings as they name them. At the risk of |
| some point" (Simundson 1980, 13). My paternal | | | | oversimplification and distortion, this gospel teaches, |
| grandmother has suffered tremendously, burying four | | | | among other things that: |
| of her seven children in the order in which they were | | | | 1. Every Christian is created to be materially and |
| born at the time when they were breadwinners in | | | | financially buoyant. |
| the family. Child A, B, C and D (names withheld) | | | | 2. Christians who are in a state of prolonged financial |
| respectively died at the ages of 27, 25, 30 and 42 | | | | predicament are ignorant of God's design. |
| years in 1968, 1972, 1980 and 1997. | | | | 3. For the manifestation of the reversal of |
| THE INEVITABILITY OF SUFFERING | | | | breakthrough, the aspirant must demonstrate his |
| The twentieth century has witnessed a volume of | | | | expectancy by blessing the 'man of God' first |
| human misery and suffering of unprecedented | | | | (Awoniyi 2004, 2). |
| proportions. In the face of this enormity, | | | | Christians are therefore encouraged not to accept |
| "philosophers and theologians have continued to | | | | suffering as their portion. Anyone who is suffering is |
| grapple with the enigma of evil and suffering" | | | | either living in sin or is not standing on the promises |
| (Atkinson and Field 1995, 824). | | | | of God for his showers of blessing. Hall realistically |
| It seems understandable when the guilty suffer but it | | | | observes that "there is in fact a general distaste in |
| is a mystery when the righteous is not also immune. | | | | both society and church for interpretations of human |
| Paradoxically, "Abraham is tested, Joseph is afflicted, | | | | suffering which make use of the idea of sin in a |
| Moses is plagued, David is persecuted, Job is | | | | causative sense" (Hall 1986, 75). |
| harassed, Elijah is hated, Jeremiah is driven from | | | | PAULINE RESPONSE |
| home, Daniel is thrown to the lions, Stephen is | | | | The above misconception of the concept of |
| stoned, Paul is imprisoned" (Berner 1973, 75-76). This | | | | suffering in the contemporary church seems to be |
| frankness about suffering does not only belong to | | | | contrary to II Corinthians 1:3-7. |
| the occasional works of the collection of writings that | | | | Paul gives the praise to the Father for His faithful |
| we call the Bible. It is to be found not only in Job, | | | | provision of comfort (2 Cor. 1:3-5). This God is Father |
| Ecclesiastes, Jeremiah, Lamentations and many of the | | | | of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God who so loved the |
| Psalms but rather informs the whole story. | | | | world that He sent His Son to save rather than judge |
| Realistically, "what is from one vantage point the | | | | the world. He is the God who, among other things, |
| history of Israel's providential deliverance from evil, | | | | anointed our Lord Jesus Christ to bind up the |
| oppression and extinction is, from another, the story | | | | brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives |
| of Israel's continuous degradation of suffering" (Hall | | | | and comfort all that mourn. He is also the Father of |
| 1986, 32). | | | | mercies and God of all comfort. Mercy originates |
| An incontrovertible truth is that "suffering is real, and | | | | from Him and can only be secured from Him. The |
| is the lot of humanity as we know it" (Hall 1986, 75). | | | | words 'all comfort' indicates that there are neither |
| In January 2002, President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah | | | | limitations nor deductions. God's mercy results in the |
| declared an end to the decade-long civil war that had | | | | comfort He shows. |
| crippled Sierra Leone. The war, fuelled by a power | | | | He comforts us in all tribulation and intends for |
| struggle primarily between the government and rebel | | | | believers who receive the comfort to extend that |
| forces led by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) | | | | comfort to others. 'All' indicates every single one - |
| over territory, conflict diamonds and politics, brought | | | | not one Ieft out. Although Paul was referring to a |
| a decade of attacks on civilians, which resulted in the | | | | specific set of Christians, by implication or extension, |
| dislocation of over four million people who were | | | | all readers of the epistle are included. It is perhaps |
| forced either to flee to neighbouring countries or | | | | easy to mention many beautiful things about God |
| become internally displaced. The sufferings of Sierra | | | | being the God of all comfort; however, unless one |
| Leoneans during the eleven-year rebel war | | | | knows what it is to be truly comforted, it will be |
| (1991-2002) were unimaginable. In addition to hunger | | | | difficult to comfort others. God, the comforter, is not |
| and starvation, arms and limbs were amputated, and | | | | far off in a distant heaven where Christians cannot |
| babies were stripped off the back of mothers and | | | | find Him. It is realistic to state that Rick Warren's |
| thrown into burning houses. | | | | 'painful experiences' could be one way God prepared |
| The researcher has a friend (a committed Christian) | | | | him for ministry. A pastor, John Regier, who |
| who was raped by seven rebels. As Sierra Leone | | | | conducted a seminar in pastoral counseling at West |
| emerges from the trauma of civil war, its people are | | | | Africa Theological Seminary, Lagos, Nigeria in August |
| now faced with the challenges left by a decade of | | | | 2004 testified that he is now in a better position to |
| human rights abuses and the conflicts which plagued | | | | comfort someone who is depressed because he |
| the region. During the past decade, Sierra Leone | | | | went through depression for twenty years and has |
| witnessed several egregious violations of human | | | | received the comfort of God. God does not waste |
| rights, stemming from the war. Among them were | | | | pain. He therefore comforts Christians for a purpose. |
| child abuse, violence against women, and arbitrary | | | | Having received the comfort of God, they are |
| arrest, detention and execution, to name a few. The | | | | expected to be conduits of that received from God, |
| conflict in neigbouring Liberia used to affect the Sierra | | | | not storehouses. Paul in verses three and four |
| Leonean people. As Sierra Leone struggles to recover | | | | illustrates that the ability to praise God in the midst |
| from this decade of tragedy, one way the citizens | | | | of suffering therefore could only come from an |
| are suffering is the lingering effects of the past. | | | | experience of the strengthening comfort of God. |
| The sad reality is that wars, famines, diseases, | | | | Interestingly, comfort is increased when sufferings |
| natural disasters and ultimate death are never easy | | | | are increased. The fifth verse provides the reason |
| to rationalize. Cancer, kidney failure, heart disease, | | | | why suffering equips the Christian to receive God's |
| sudden infant death syndrome, cerebral palsy, | | | | comfort. Whenever Christ's sufferings were increased |
| divorce, rape, loneliness, rejection, failure, barrenness, | | | | in Paul's life, there was a corresponding increase in |
| widowhood and countless other forms of human | | | | God's comfort through the ministry of Christ. This |
| suffering produce inevitable questions that are on the | | | | means that the greater the suffering, the greater |
| lips of both sinner and saint. | | | | the comfort and one's ability to this divine sympathy |
| Some of these include the following: | | | | with others who are suffering. Perhaps it is a strange |
| 1. If God made a perfect world, why is the righteous | | | | conjunction to juxtapose suffering and comfort. |
| suffering? | | | | Presumably this is more strange when they are put |
| 2. Does God want his people to suffer? | | | | together in the relation of cause and effect, and the |
| 3. If not, why did He allow it? | | | | latter emerges from the former as springs have |
| 4. If God is omnipotent, why can't He stop suffering? | | | | been loosened by the earthquake at Messina, as |
| 5. If God can stop it but does not, is He malevolent? | | | | volcanic influences are productive of conditions that |
| 6. How can a loving God stand by inactive? | | | | feed the most luxurious vines. Realistically, the |
| The above questions, always present in the minds of | | | | teaching that links suffering and comfort, the volcano |
| people in general and the researcher in particular, | | | | and the vine, affliction and emancipation is |
| challenged the latter to direct one to look for | | | | preeminently significant of the Christian religion. One |
| appropriate answers in the Bible. | | | | can only obtain the wine of life through the crushing |
| One can safely assert that "we live in an epicurean | | | | of the grapes. Affliction introduces one to the juices |
| age where nobody wants to suffer" (Airiohuodion | | | | and manna. |
| 1996, 54). Consequently, "we often regard suffering | | | | Christ is the leader and sublime Example of suffering. |
| as if it's to be avoided at all costs, yet it's often the | | | | Christians are not expected to always have very |
| best display of a life transformed by Christ" | | | | easy lives since Jesus Himself knew titanic suffering. |
| (MacArthur 1991,12). | | | | It is possible to evade a multitude of sorrows by the |
| There is another dimension to suffering. In Paul's day, | | | | cultivation of an insignificant life. However, when one |
| when a man became a Christian, he knew what he | | | | wants to fulfill Christ's purpose, sufferings will then be |
| was getting into. To choose Christ meant to choose | | | | increased. |
| trouble. It's still that way although many Christians | | | | The central idea in verses six and seven (part of |
| today don't seem to realize it. From about A.D. 100 | | | | which is in the fourth verse) deals with suffering and |
| with Emperor Nero until A.D. 12, "the church | | | | the Christian community. Paul, after experiencing an |
| experienced ten periods of intense persecution at the | | | | overflow of Christ's suffering, knows the |
| hands of Roman emperors" (Horton 1993, 11). These | | | | strengthening of His comfort. Experiencing suffering |
| included Nero (A.D. 54-58), Domitian (A.D. 81-96), | | | | itself is the basis for assisting others. Suffering is |
| Trajan (A.D.98-117), Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 161-180), | | | | therefore not necessarily an accident. God designs |
| Septimus Severus ((A.D. 193-211), Maximimunus (A.D. | | | | the affliction of spiritual leaders to minister to the |
| 235-238), Decius (A.D. 249-251), Valerian (A.D. | | | | affliction of the flock. The welfare of the Corinthians |
| 253-260), Aurelian (A.D. 270-275) and Diocletian (A.D. | | | | would be promoted by the example of the apostles |
| 284-305). Eusebius account could be realistically | | | | in their own trials and the resulting consolations they |
| applied to nature of the suffering of the saints: | | | | would be able to pass on as a consequence of their |
| We ourselves also beheld, when we were at these | | | | afflictions. Christians shall therefore rejoice together if |
| places, many all at once in a single day, some of | | | | they suffer together. |
| whom suffered decapitation, others the punishment | | | | A clear understanding of the Pauline concept of |
| of fire; so that the murderous axe was dulled and, | | | | suffering as contained in the passage examined, (II |
| worn out, was broken in pieces, while the | | | | Corinthians I:3-7) and an examination of the |
| executioners themselves grew utterly weary and | | | | contemporary trend reveals that Paul's idea is |
| took it in turns to succeed one another (Frend 1984, | | | | unpopular. This unpopularity is seen in the various |
| 481). | | | | interpretations given to suffering by Christians today. |
| The attitude of the early martyrs is worth | | | | RECOMMENDATIONS |
| mentioning. Persuaded that neither death, nor life | | | | Although the church has responded to the suffering |
| would separate them from the love of God, these | | | | of the people in Sierra Leone, there is more to be |
| Christians obeyed the Word of God 'in spite of' and | | | | done. Programmes on forgiveness and reconciliation |
| not 'because of'. Counting every opportunity to | | | | should be on-going rather than one-sided. With the |
| suffer as joyful, they were confident that God | | | | message of Paul at the background, Christians who |
| meant it for their good. Since they did not want | | | | suffered in different ways must be instrumental in |
| Jesus to be ashamed of them in the last day, they | | | | assisting those who are suffering since they have |
| were not afraid of man who can only kill the body. | | | | been comforted to comfort. The sacrificial duty of |
| They were told that their lives would be spared if | | | | the church, its suffering, should become a work of |
| they would just reject the name of Christ. However, | | | | love and redemption. Even before comforting those |
| they were prepared to die one by one since they | | | | who are suffering, the inescapable nature of |
| could not renounce His name. At the very hour of | | | | suffering must be realized. Bhikshu is quoted of |
| death, these martyrs pledged allegiance to the lamb | | | | saying that. |
| seeking to honour Him instead. This amazed Eusebius | | | | To be born is to suffer; to grow old is to suffer; to |
| who completed his narrative with this inspiring tribute | | | | die is to suffer; to loose what is loved is to suffer; to |
| : | | | | be tied to what is not loved is to suffer; to endure |
| Thus, as soon as sentence was given against the | | | | what is distasteful is to suffer. In short, all the results |
| fire, some from one quarter and others from another | | | | of individuality, of separate self-hood, necessarily |
| would leap up to the tribunal before the judge to | | | | involve pain or suffering (Bradley 1969, 699). |
| confess themselves Christians; paying no heed when | | | | Consequently, the church must be thankful to God |
| faced with terrors...but undismayedly and boldly | | | | like Paul in the passage studied, praising God in spite |
| speaking of the piety towards the God of the | | | | of and not necessarily because of since suffering is |
| universe, and with joy... receiving the final sentence | | | | inevitable. If the Church lives and moves and have its |
| of death; so that they sang and sent up hymns and | | | | being in Jesus, then it must be ready to suffer. |
| thanksgiving to the God of the universe even to the | | | | The issue of shared comfort is very crucial to the |
| very last breath (Frend 1984, 481). | | | | church's understanding of Paul's thought and |
| Christianity however became a tolerated religion in | | | | motivation not only in the passage reviewed but the |
| the time of Constantine. Indeed, "to Constantine, the | | | | entire letter of II Corinthians. Jesus ought to be the |
| best course was not to suppress Christianity" (Noll | | | | medium of comfort and suffering as Paul suggests in |
| 1997, 51) but "restoring to the Christians the liberties | | | | II Corinthians 1:5. As Christians identify with Christ, |
| they had possessed before the persecution" (Frend | | | | they must be prepared to suffer with Him. |
| 1984, 475). This religious toleration produced several | | | | Although the church should not go about |
| changes. Constantine ordered that Sunday was to be | | | | 'witch-hunting' or searching for suffering, it must be |
| a public holiday similar to other pagan holidays. This | | | | regarded as part of the divine appointment when it |
| made possible wider development in worship and | | | | comes. This is important even in James 1:2-4 where |
| larger congregations in the churches. Realistically, | | | | 'trials' and 'testing' are used. Fellowship should be seen |
| greater leisure meant that Christian festivals tended | | | | as a vital relationship between Christians. They will |
| to multiply. This underscores the point that Christians | | | | rejoice together since they also suffer together. Paul |
| generally do not want to suffer. | | | | made the Corinthians understand this mutuality of |
| Queen Elizabeth I could be compared to Constantine | | | | suffering and comfort. |
| since she also did not follow the footsteps of Queen | | | | REFERENCE LIST |
| Mary (alias bloody Mary). Although "the dreadful fires | | | | Airiohuodion, Samuel. 1996. The Righteous and |
| continued for a while longer in Spain and the countries | | | | Suffering. B.A. dissertation, West Africa Theological |
| within her grasp, with the ending of the reign of | | | | Seminary. |
| Queen Mary, the history of English martyrdom was | | | | Atkinson, D.J. and D.H. Field. 1995. New Dictionary of |
| brought to a close" (Foxe 1989, 200). | | | | Christian Ethics and Pastoral theology. Downers |
| SUFFERING IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES | | | | Grove, Illinois : Intervarsity Press. |
| The researcher suspects that the relatively peaceful | | | | Awoniyi, H.O. 2003. Curriculum Response as Antidote |
| atmosphere in which Christians worship today could | | | | to the Prosperity Gospel: a Proposal. Paper presented |
| be a contributing factor to the fact that they are not | | | | at the Intellectual Forum of West Africa Theological |
| willing to suffer. Everyone seems to claim the sweet | | | | Seminary, Lagos, Nigeria on February 5, 2004. |
| side of Christianity. The word 'sweet' added to | | | | Berner, Carl W. 1973. Why me, Lord? : Meaning and |
| 'fellowship' in the grace we normally and meaninglessly | | | | Comfort in Times of Trouble. Minneapolis, Minnesota : |
| recite therefore shows how the contemporary | | | | Augsburg Publishing House. |
| Church views suffering. The theology in the church | | | | Bradley, J.P, L.F. Daniels & T.C. Jones. 1969. The |
| today is to that of prosperity. However, "... between | | | | International Dictionary of Thoughts : an |
| 'thus says the Lord' and 'it came to pass,' there are | | | | Encyclopaedia of Quotations from Every Age for |
| several bridges to cross and several mountains to | | | | Every Occasion. Chicago : Fergusson Publishing Co. |
| climb" (Madugba 2002, 50). | | | | Fergusson, S.B., Wright D.F., Palmer J. I. 1988. New |
| In the introduction of his book titled Long life : your | | | | Dictionary of Theology. Leicester : Intervarsity Press. |
| heritage, the writer observed that "this book sets | | | | Foxe, John. 1989. Christian Martyrs of the World. |
| out to show one thing: that long life is the heritage of | | | | Uhrichville, Ohio: Barbour and Co., Inc. |
| the born again. It sets out to teach that the believer | | | | Frend, W.H.C. 1984. The Rise of Christianity. |
| has a choice in the matter of his departure from his | | | | Philadelphia : Fortress Press. |
| earthly tabernacle. The believer can claim victory | | | | Hall, Douglas John. 1986. God and Human Suffering. |
| over death. It is one of his covenant rights. Even | | | | Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House. |
| though it would be a bit farfetched to disagree with | | | | MacArthur, John. 1991. Through Suffering to Trial. |
| the above, the researcher suspects that the | | | | Chicago : Moody Press. |
| suffering-free or problem-free life can only be lived in | | | | Madugba, Chinyere G. 2002. Brokenness : an |
| heaven. Besides, "to claim that God wills our | | | | Inevitable Experience for Spiritual Significance. Port |
| prosperity at all times may not always be true" | | | | Harcourt : Spiritual Life Outreach Publications. |
| (Airiohuodion 1996, 60). | | | | Noll, Mark. 1997. Turning Points:Decisive Moments in |
| The theology of suffering in the contemporary | | | | the History of Christianity. Grand Rapids, Michigan: |
| church is also reflected in song. Before the 1980s, | | | | Baker Books. |
| choruses emphasized personal confession of faith in | | | | Simundson, Daniel J. 1980. Faith Under Fire. Minneapolis |
| Christ and willingness to take up the cross to follow | | | | : Augsburg Publishing. |
| Him. The fact that people don't want to suffer today | | | | |