Moment of Truth: Casting Down Lies #20

“There’s nothing worse than an unhappy Christian.”

Are you believing this lie?

Where do I begin with this one? Everyone suffers in this life, including and especially Christians.
Please, if you have a digital Bible, search the word suffering in the New Testament.

No one immediately equates suffering with joy. However, if we endure, we are joyful that we endured it. Yet, to say “unhappy Christians are the worst” is to stab every afflicted Christian in the heart of their pain.

What does the Bible say about how we treat those who suffer?

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. ~Romans 12:15 KJV

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. ~James 5:13 KJV

Instead of looking down on those that lack joy, consider walking in their shoes with empathy and prayer. Then, read the about Jeremiah, who is called the weeping prophet, and then read about Job, the afflicted righteous one.

[32] And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: [33] Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, [34] Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. [35] Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: [36] And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: [37] They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; [38] (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. ~Hebrews 11:32-38 KJV

The apostle Paul was needy, rarely supported, often alone, loved less, and he made these statements,

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: ~Philippians 3:18 KJV

[18] And when they were come to him, he said unto them, “Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, [19] Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:…”~Acts 20:18-19 KJV

Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. ~Acts 20:31 KJV

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. ~2 Corinthians 2:4 KJV

Paul showed his anguish with passion in the gospel and that is not a bad thing for any Christian. It really makes you wonder why we don’t see enough of this in today’s pastors.

Throughout the Old Testament, God punishes the Israelites with suffering to cause them to turn wholly to Him. God does this us again in the New Testament.

[5] And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him: [6] For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. [7] If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? [8] But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. [9] Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us , and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? [10] For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. [11] Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. ~Hebrews 12:5-11 KJV

But… perhaps the people who think an “unhappy Christian is the worst” are referencing an angry or rebuking Christian. Let’s look at that. Were any of the Christians in the New Testament angry or rebuking?

Jesus:

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. ~Matthew 23:15 KJV

Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? ~Matthew 23:33 KJV

Paul

[8] But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. [9] Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, [10] And said, “O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? [11] And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.” And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. [12] Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. ~Acts 13:8-12 KJV

[46] Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” ~Acts 13:46 KJV

Stephen:

[51] Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. [52] Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: [53] Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. ~Acts 7:51-53 KJV

This is righteous anger. The Bible tells us to be angry and do not sin. Therefore, sometimes a Christian may show sadness or anger pertaining to the hypocrisy of their brethren or their own or others sufferings, so it is a false assumption to make Christians feel as though they must put on a continuous happy face to be an authentic Christian.

Want to understand how to abound in grace? Start here:

“Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.”