Emotional aspects of suffering

Causes of emotional suffering

A sense of injustice

Psalm 119:53 ESV

Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law.

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Frustration

Job 19:8 ESV

He has walled up my way, so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness upon my paths.

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Loss

Genesis 27:34 ESV

As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!”

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Bereavement

2 Samuel 18:33 ESV

And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

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Childlessness

Genesis 30:1 ESV

When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!”

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Parting from loved ones

Acts 20:38 ESV

being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

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Spiritual loss

Luke 13:28 ESV

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.

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Great fear

Genesis 45:3 ESV

And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.

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Guilt

Matthew 27:3–4 ESV

Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”

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Emotional suffering in the Lord’s work

Jesus Christ’s suffering

Isaiah 53:3 ESV

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

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The apostles’ suffering

2 Corinthians 11:28–29 ESV

And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

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Expressions of emotional suffering

Sadness

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Weeping and groaning

Jeremiah 9:1 ESV

Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Joseph wept as he saw his brothers again:

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Covering the head and going barefoot were also signs of sorrow; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Peter wept bitterly after disowning Jesus Christ;

Anger

Jonah 4:1 ESV

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.

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Bitterness

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God’s response to the emotional suffering of believers

He comforts them

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

He has delivered them through Jesus Christ

Isaiah 53:4 ESV

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

Jesus Christ gives them rest

John 14:1 ESV

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

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There is no suffering in heaven

Revelation 21:4 ESV

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

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The proper response of believers to emotional suffering

Assessing the problem before God

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Controlled emotion before God

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Prayer

Hebrews 5:7 ESV

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

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Continuing to do what is right

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