And Concerning Suffering...

Many people seem to be under the very great misconception that when they come to Jesus- suffering vanishes. But this could not be further from the truth. Yes death and sin lose their sting- but suffering is part of the package. If you come to Jesus and expect not to suffer, then you are subscribing to a false doctrine. This week I found myself in 2 Peter 4 which says, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed (2 Peter 4:12-13). Friends, suffering is part of the call. There is no escaping it. Christianity is a call to be Christlike. To be Christlike means to endure the trial set before you. I believe one of the best examples of this calling is the example of the disciples- and Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Stephen etc. It is significant that Peter is the one making this statement in 2 Peter because he physically walked with Jesus. He PERSONALLY witnessed how people responded to Jesus with praise and then turned their back on him the next day. He saw it all happen. He denied Jesus three times and then watched in horror as his friend died a brutal death. He was there for it all. The dirt Jesus walked on- Peter treaded behind. Upon Jesus' prompting, Peter walked on water. It was his faith that kept him afloat and his faithlessness which caused him to sink into the depths of the sea. He was there in these pinnacle moments of Jesus' life. We only have the pleasure to read about them and gleam Jesus' character. But Peter was there. This very fact should add even more credibility to Peter's warning- "Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you..." He saw the same thing happen to Jesus and he experienced it personally, as did the other disciples when they died a martyr's death. So then, you may ask, where is the hope in that- I am going to suffer- why should I find joy in that? Why is this whole thing worth it? Redemption declares that he is ours and we are his. As a result, Isaiah (a book of prophesy) describes life with Christ as this, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1b). Let’s stop for a second. Through Jesus, we belong. We are treasured and adored and KNOWN. But then you may ask- what does this have to do with suffering… Let’s continue. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2). Even though we encounter suffering, Christ protects us. Through him, all things are possible! Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength.” There is no fear. There is nothing holding us back anymore from living a life of true FREEDOM. For Paul describes it best, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). But in our own humanness- we cannot grasp the concept that our sufferings are light and momentary. We see this giant mountain that we cannot move. And you’re right, we cannot move it- on our own! But Jesus came as the perfect spotless lamb so our sins no longer destroy us. The afflictions we suffer are light and momentary because this is not our home. It is a temporary space for God to exercise his divine mercy and for us to follow suit. Suffering is temporary. But we are to suffer gracefully- knowing the trials we suffer now will not last. To add context to this passage, Paul started this thought by saying, “But we have this treasure stored in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. It is written, “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflowing to the glory of God. Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (Here it comes) For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes on not what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:7-18). The unseen is our hope! So what is our hope in suffering? Our hope is the eternal glory in Jesus and the fact that every weapon the enemy forms against us are nothing compared to the power possessed by the King of Kings. When we walk through fire- we will NOT be burned! Hallelujah.