Suffering

This week I had the opportunity to respond to some missionary friends who had written about going through a fiery trial.  A family member who had what was to have been a short surgical procedure now has a serious infection and faces a long recovery period.  Their plans for continuing in a critically needed ministry in Africa are now delayed and, possibly, significantly changed.  Our temptation is to question why God would allow this to happen, as though suffering were some foreign thing to those who strive to live an obedient Christian life.

Of course, there are consequences for walking in a way that displeases God.  According to Hebrews 12:6, He disciplines us as a good father disciplines his children.  Also, the Apostle Peter points out that when we suffer for wrongdoing and take it patiently there’s no merit in that since we are only getting what we deserve (I Peter 2:20).

But to those who are earnestly seeking to follow Jesus in their daily living suffering is no stranger.  In fact, look at Paul the Apostle who suffered greatly for the cause of Christ.  And Peter finishes the verse above by saying, “it is when you do what is right and suffer for it, you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.” 

But you say, “Yes, but isn’t this talking about persecution for your beliefs and for speaking out for Jesus.”  Very true, but there was another source of suffering that Paul mentioned, as well.  In II Corinthians 12:7 he refers to his “thorn in the flesh,” a “messenger of Satan”.  While we don’t know if this was a physical affliction or something else, it clearly was a cause of chronic suffering for him.

In the case of Job, we read about the multiple forms of suffering he endured:  physical, emotional, financial and relationally, all at the hand of Satan.  Despite the accusations of his so-called friends to the contrary, the cause of his suffering proved to be not the result of living in disobedience to God but because he was living right.

From these passages we learn that our suffering as His followers at times well may come when we are choosing to walk closely with the Lord.  Of course, that makes our adversary angry and he may be given permission to persecute us directly with illness or some other severe challenge.  Looking at it from this world’s point of view, we may be able to make no sense of it at all.  We are so focused on things that are seen that we sometimes forget that we are part of a cosmic spiritual battlefield and are not aware of the whole picture.  As I learned in my “Parallel Journey” experience, there is a parallel reality in the spiritual realm that we do not see. 

In our suffering the Lord may choose to bless us with insight into how and why it advances the kingdom of God, but He may choose for us to simply trust Him through the trial and wait until we cross into the eternal realm before we understand it.  In either case He has given us assurance of His presence through it all.  In Paul’s case the Lord did not remove his “thorn” but promised that His grace would be sufficient for him (II Corinthians 12:9).  Peter encourages believers who are under affliction saying, “to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation.” 

When I think about all the persecution, hardships and afflictions that Paul endured, I find his remark written to the Christians in Rome to be most encouraging for when the going gets really tough.  He says that what he has been enduring here is insignificant compared to the bright future that lies ahead in heaven.

For me, the bottom line on suffering is that whether we see it as a direct result of our trying to walk in obedience to Christ or not, we can turn it into an opportunity to make it count for Him by the way we respond to it.  If we complain and become bitter, we will dishonor Him and bring more discomfort on ourselves.  If we remain grateful to Him for the blessings we have and for what He has done for us, we will become channels of His grace to those around us.  In focusing more on others, our own spirits will be elevated.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” – Romans 8:18