Several thousand years ago, a man named Job endured terrible personal suffering. In one devastating blow after another he lost his children, his wealth, and finally his health. As he sat on an ash heap and scraped the sores on his diseased body with bits of broken pottery, some friends came to visit. Job's condition was so appalling that at first his friends sat with him in silent comfort. But after a time, they each felt compelled to offer an explanation for Job's personal torment. Although the specifics of their explanations varied, they each conveyed the same clear message: JOB, YOU ARE GUILTY!

When it comes to the world of pain and suffering, things haven't changed much since Job's time. Many people who suffer from cancer today hear the same message from their would-be comforters: YOU ARE GUILTY! The message may be couched in a variety of terms-if only you hadn't done this, if only you had done that, if only you had more faith, if only you would confess your secret sins, if only, if only, if only-but it is the same message of guilt. Rather than bringing peace and comfort to the individual who is suffering, the condemnation of guilt only adds to the burden.

I don't think that finger-pointing comforters actually intend to hurt people who are suffering. Most of them sincerely want to help, but they lack the grace that is needed to understand the journey of pain and suffering. They are careless in the way they go about encouraging. And deep inside they may fear that the suffering they observe may happen to them, so they build up walls of false protection by thinking, I'm not like that person, I haven't done what that person has done, so I won't suffer like that.

I remember one young man who confronted me during my battle against cancer. He told me I had cancer because of sin in my life and that if I confessed that sin, God would restore my health. What a load of guilt that was! By that time, I had struggled enough with the whys" of my cancer to recognize the false guilt inherent in the young man's solution. I was fortunate to have the strength to politely, but clearly, reject that guilt. I responded to him by saying, "I appreciate what you're saying. I do have sin in my life, but I can't say that this has happened because of it. I do know that cancer has caused me to draw closer to God and that God can use this as a way of encouraging others. Who am I-or you-to say what God should or should not be doing in my life? God is in control of that. We are not."

The fact is, suffering is not only difficult to endure, it is difficult to understand. We rarely know the reasons for suffering in our lives-much less in the lives of others. Authentic encouragement doesn't come from the person who says, "I have the answer to why you are suffering." Those words often produce guilt. Encouragement most often comes from the person who lovingly says, "I don't have the answer. I don't understand why you are suffering, but I care about you. I want to stand by you as you go through this."

Those who suffer can take heart in Job's courageous response to his accusing comforters. He tells it like it is. He says, in effect, "Wait a minute! What you are offering is not comfort. It is not encouragement. Keep your guilt and let me show you what real comfort is!"

Job, although he suffered greatly and was deeply troubled by his lack of understanding of why he suffered, rejected the false guilt that others placed upon him. That is the hope we offer through this issue of The Encourager. The suffering one endures when battling cancer is enough of a burden without adding to it the weight of false guilt. False guilt is a very heavy burden-a burden that keeps hurting people from discovering the peace, hope, and encouragement that is so necessary to endure suffering. As you read this issue, I encourage you to unveil the false guilt-whether it is self-imposed or imposed by others-that adds to the burden you carry. I pray that you will be set free to discover the peace that can strengthen you, even in the midst of suffering."