Suffering - - - Again? Thursday, March 29, 2018 The word suffer, and it s contractions like suffering, is mentioned 93 times within 90 verses in the NKJV. AND, I can t begin to imagine how many times it s alluded to without mentioning the word, by simply saying something like trials, temptations, and so on. Why? - Probably because all Christians suffer, we all suffer. Either you have, you are, or you will through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). 1 Peter 4:12 14 (NKJV) 12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. James 1:2 3 (NKJV) 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. Our boys were beginning to play for club soccer teams and we were doing quite a bit of traveling. Practices were in Anaheim Hills. I had sold my van and bought a used Jeep Cherokee (large). I called the insurance company and put the Jeep on the policy. I didn t have much on the van because it was very old and not worth much. Anyway, the boys were practicing and I got into a volleyball game with a bunch of older kids. I told them that I was a Christian and shared my faith, which seemed to only encourage a couple of them to double down on their foul language. After practice was over we piled in and attempted to start the car. A bit of smoke and then fire. The fire burned the entire engine compartment and all the wiring. The young men that I had been playing volleyball with were watching my reaction. The Lord kept me calm, joking about the time the fire department was taking, etc. Page 1 of 7
By God s grace, I kept my witness. The reality that we all share in sufferings is a stark reminder that we have not reached the new heavens and new earth; the New Jerusalem of no tears and no pain, of no mourning and no death (Revelation 21:1, 4). That, for us, simply hasn t arrived yet. But just because we do and will experience suffering as we await the redemption of our bodies, it doesn t mean that our suffering is random or without purpose. And neither does it mean that Scripture doesn t tell us how to think about our suffering in the present hour. I would like to share five important biblical truths about suffering that every Christian should have ready: 1. Suffering is multifaceted. In other words, suffering has many faces. The Bible doesn t whitewash our experience of suffering by saying that it s all the same. Rather, it recognizes the multifaceted ways that suffering can come upon us. The apostle Paul wrote, 2 Corinthians 4:8 9 (NKJV) 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed Did you get the mindset of Paul the apostle? Chesty Puller was the Commandant of the Marine Corps when I was in. Perhaps he was the most quotable of them all. One time he said, We re surrounded. That simplifies the problem! - Another time, All right, they re on our left, they re on our right, they re in front of us, they re behind us they can t get away this time When I read verses like those in ch.4, I picture Paul as the Commandant of the church. Make no mistake about it - Jesus is the Commander and Chief, but Paul sure makes a good Commandant; struck down, but not destroyed. Page 2 of 7
In those two verses, Paul lists several types of suffering mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Each of these represent different ways that we can suffer. And oftentimes, when suffering comes, several of these types of suffering are involved. Just a quick glance at our old friend Job. He suffered the loss of his family finances property loss friends turned on him so did his wife - why don t you curse God and die she said physical suffering emotional and spiritual trauma occurred almost simultaneously 2. Suffering happens in community. The church is not meant to be a loosely bound association of functional Lone Rangers. Paul confronts that type of thinking when he writes, Bear one another s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). The church is meant to be a refuge for those suffering. When a member is hurting, the church applies the bandages; when a member is down, the church encourages; when a member is in need, the church comes alongside to help. When Jesus was walking here upon the earth, He reached out and touched those in need. Now that He has ascended into heaven, we, the church are called the body of Christ. We are called that because we are to function today as He did 2000 years ago. Some time back, one of our church members came into the office and, as the conversation went on, they felt comfortable enough to mention several things that they were going through at the present time. Someone else, who was working in the office, seemed to take that as an open door to top that and went on to mention all their problems. I thought, You ve got to be kidding me! Here this sheep from God s flock is seeking a little comfort from the body of Christ and instead they get challenged with a list of more aches and pains, troubles and woes from someone else. Page 3 of 7
Keep this in mind Sometimes we re the reservoir that collects and stores all the comfort that it can for our present suffering. Other times we are the aqueduct that allows comfort to flow from us to another in need. As a matter of fact ~ YOU can be both at the same time. After a bit of storing some up, you can release some. There are two great seas in Israel. Not great because of their size but great because of their importance. They have some things in common. First they are both below sea level: Galilee, about 700 feet, while the Dead Sea is 1,400 feet below. Secondly they are connected by the Jordan River. They are also connected by a system of faults that run from Turkey to the Red Sea. There are also notable differences: While the Jordan River runs into both, only the Sea of Galilee lets it flow out. That body of water supplies about 1/3 of the water for all of Israel. Farm lands flourish all around it. Fishing industries flourish within. Now, nothing flows out of the Dead Sea. Nothing lives within it. Nothing flourishes around it. That s what happens to us when all we are, all we have time for, all we want to do, is be a reservoir. We become "Dead Seas" and it will eventually kill off any life in and around us. 3. Suffering equips us for ministry. I don t know what your first reaction to that statement is, but frankly it doesn t excite me very much. I d rather be equipped by reading a book or watching a YouTube video on DIY training on ministry. Page 4 of 7
But the reality is, firsthand experience in suffering is essential in equipping us for ministry. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:4 [that God] comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. As a matter of fact, let s turn there and read several verses. 2 Corinthians 1:3 7 (NKJV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 6 Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation. How does our suffering equip us to become an aqueduct filling the reservoir of someone who needs to be filled with comfort? And what is the link between experiencing suffering and equipping for ministry? David Powlison answers this way: When you ve passed through your own fiery trials, and found God to be true to what he says, you have real help to offer. You have firsthand experience of both his sustaining grace and his purposeful design. He has kept you through pain; he has reshaped you more into his image.... What you are experiencing from God, you can give away in increasing measure to others. You are learning both the tenderness and the clarity necessary to help sanctify another person s deepest distress. (Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, 166) Let me repeat He has kept you through pain; he has reshaped you more into his image Keeping me through pain is NOT what I m usually looking for. Not at first, at least. I m praying to be delivered FROM those pains. Page 5 of 7
When I lost my eyesight while out on a youth event because of one of those kids goofing off, something happened that took me a long time to really appreciate and learn from. As soon as Don McClure heard about it, he contacted me. You see, totally unbeknownst to me, Don suffered a stroke while working out on his treadmill. As a result he lost the sight in his right eye. He was there to be an aqueduct to fill my reservoir of much needed comfort, consolation and hope. Later on, when I was feeling the results of a full reservoir, we were kidding about taking a road trip across the nation. He had his left eye and I had my right, so we figured we could each look for cross traffic coming from our side. 4. Suffering is a battleground. Wherever there is suffering, there is a battle a battle for your soul. The book of Job shows us there can be two ways to respond to suffering: one that curses God because of suffering, and one that praises God even in the midst of suffering (Job 2:9 10). Ephesians 5:20 (NKJV) 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, We often look for healing and deliverance in prayer. Did you know that there can be healing in praise? Another battle for your soul was already mentioned, but I ll remind you again. When you become so absorbed with yourself that all you do is store up comfort like a reservoir and never become the aqueduct seeing the needs of others, you become a walking Dead Sea with nothing alive in or around you. 5. Suffering prepares us for more glory. One of the counterintuitive truths about suffering is that it prepares Christians for more glory. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:17 18 (NKJV) 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Page 6 of 7
glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. These verses are like sandpaper on our modern sentiments about suffering. We naturally try to avoid suffering at all costs. But God brings suffering in our lives for the sake of our eternal joy yes, even glory. Page 7 of 7