"Why do the righteous suffer ?.
This ancient question is very important to find an answer to. To God be the glory Who has given us the Holy Scriptures to guide and guard us on our way to His kingdom. This Manual of Life answers all questions agitating the mind of man.

It is essential to point out first, before giving the answer to the question, that by nature, no man is righteous but sinful. Any form of righteousness a man may claim to have is described as "filthy rags", Isaiah 64:6. It is only a man who has given his life to the Lord totally that can claim to have righteousness. Who is this righteousness? It is Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 1:30. It is only on this condition can any man display or manifest acceptable righteousness, 2 Corinthians 3:9.

After establishing this truth, let us now consider a few reasons why the righteous suffer.

1. It is possible for the righteous to suffer as a form of paying the price for his past wicked ways. If not why should Apostle Paul go through
"From the Jews five times I received forty strips minus one, "? 2 Corinthians 11:5.
He described himself in 1Timothy 1:13 as
"Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I received mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief."
What the New King James Version translates as an "insolent man" is what Original King James Version calls an "Injurious man".
The Lord forgives sins but not its responsibility. The Lord's message by the mouth of Jeremiah to Jacob was this:
"Do not fear, O Jacob My servant,
For I am with you,
For I will make a complete end of all nations
To which I have driven you.
But I will not make a complete end of you.
I will rightly correct you,
For I will not leave you wholly unpublished."
This is the truth. The Psalmist describes the measurements of chastisement of the righteous this way,
"He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities." Psalm 103:10.
In summary, the righteous suffers moderately for his past misdeeds.

2. Sometimes, suffering is the language that some people understand. This may look or sound funny. Do you know that there are people of God who are not aware or refuse to honor the Lord from their substances? If the Lord wants to speak in a language that they will understand, He can allow them to suffer to have a first hand experience.
For example, a brother recently experienced a serious headache which the Lord finally solved. My question to the brother was. "What will you do to someone who says "I have headache.". His answer was, "I will do everything to help him." This is because he has experienced it. So suffering can be a language that the Lord is using to instruct the righteous.

3. Suffering is also a way of training the righteous. In every suffering, there is always a lesson to learn. Let me come up here with the experience of a man of God. He experienced this last year, 2021. His landlord gave him a quit notice. He did everything to persuade him to no avail. The owner of the house locked him out for two or three days without the chance of changing his clothes. The same happened to his wife and children. Later, the landlord opened the door and he was ejected out of the house.

Lesson.
According to the man of God. He said that he learned from the landlord an important lesson. He said the landlord told him to always have PLAN B. He further said,
"You think that because we are both Ministers of God, I will heed your pleading. You are wrong. Once I make up my mind, I don't change it. Always think of PLAN B."
So it was suffering that taught him to have plan B.

4. It may be unbelievable but true that God allows the righteous to suffer for sometime for Him to manifest His power. Every suffering of the righteous has always ended in God glorifying His name. In suffering, the Lord is always a trustworthy companion Who never leaves. He guides him and lead him to glory. This is the truth. The Lord told His disciples in those days, as the same applies to us today,
"Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?", Luke 24:26.
If this happens to Jesus Christ, why will His righteous ones not suffer to enter into their glory?
The righteous can dwell on these soothing words from the Holy Scriptures.
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18.

5. Ignorance is another reason why the righteous suffer. Many righteous people are strangers to themselves, in respect of their God-given abilities and gifts as well as how to deploy them profitably. It is sad that so many righteous people are ignorant of their rights and privileges from God. Many think that the only thing God wants from them is their presence with Him alone and obeying Him. Yes, these are important and the first but the righteous is expected to be fruitful in Him, John 15-1-5.

Not only that, many righteous people are ignorant of Who God is and His great plans and purposes for them. How can they key into what they are not aware of? They are like the senior brother of the prodigal son in Luke chapter 15:25-31.
In verse 31, the father exonerated himself from any suffering or losses he may have incurred thus,
"Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours."
The foolish and ignorant son had nothing to say. So it is with many righteous people who are suffering.

6. The righteous' suffering could be as a result of previous covenant which he has entered into before he becomes a Saint of the Lord. It will require a special prayer to destroy the covenant with the blood of Jesus Christ. Many righteous people do not see any need for this. They think that after their salvation, everything will run without any hitch. Yes, it is so but there is a need to set themselves free from previous covenant by the blood of Jesus Christ. Otherwise, the spirit behind the previous covenant will continue to visit for evil.

7. A righteous man may suffer to wean him from previous lifestyles that do not glorify the Lord. God knows what these lifestyles are and the appropriate suffering that will purge him of them. This can also be seen or called, "Suffering for the purpose of Sanctification". It is good for the soul, body and spirit.

8. Idleness and laziness can be behind the sufferings of the righteous. Apostle Paul's to the Thessalonians, ditto every believer, is,
"If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." 2 Thessalonians 3:10.
One thing is to be lazy, not willing to work. It is another thing to be idle in the place of work. Idleness is failure to do what ought to be done.
Proverbs 19:15 reveales, " Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
But he who is idle will suffer hunger,"
These and other reasons are why the righteous suffer.
Stay blessed and prepared for the imminent coming of the Lord.

The Author is the set man of CTFM(WORLD OUTREACH)and Presiding Pastor of Christ Restland Gospel Church.He is a Poet and author of many books. Visit his blogsites www.4thlink.wordpress.com and www.peacelink.wordpress.com for more quality contents.