I have known groups of Christians who believed that any type of suffering in the Christian’s life was punitive. That the person must have done something wrong, and God was punishing him or her. If they have a flat tire, the Lord, evidently, is chastening them for some sin they have committed. It never dawns upon them; tires get old and threadbare, and need to be replaced from time to time!
These dark-natured advisors tell the afflicted saints to scrape their insides until they come up with something, even if that something is not mentioned in the Bible as being sin. To be sure, there is a divine chastening, but God will not leave one in doubt as to the reason for His correcting.
People like Job’s friends can never see past their morbid mentality. It never occurs to them that a loving God is permitting suffering in one’s life to conform him or her to the image of His dear son. That God is whittling away on them, until He sees characteristics of His Beloved. So, let the chips fall where they may, just as long as there is a miniature image of Jesus left standing!
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