Sorrow with a Purpose: Equipping You to Serve Presented by Julie Ganschow, MABC, ACBC Certified Counselor
I. The Bible Speaks A. The Origin of Suffering: Genesis 3 1. We are born to suffer sorrow because of the Fall. 2. Suffering and sorrow are Normal. (Genesis 3:16-19; Job 14:1, 5:6-7; Psalm 78:38-39, 106:43-46 ; 1 Corinthians 10:11 B. Suffering and sorrow are Common. 1. Suffering happens to everyone. (1 Cor. 10:13) 2. Suffering comes in all forms. (James 1:2)
3. Suffering is wrenching and anxiety creating, (Job 9:16) 4. Suffering causes us to fear. (Psalm 105:38) 5. Sorrow causes us to lose faith or gain faith, to doubt or have hope; to trust or to flounder. (Job 3) 6. Suffering and sorrow will cause you to either look to God or be angry at Him. (Job)
7. Suffering will cause you to run to Him or run away from Him. 8. Suffering causes us to evaluate what is truly important to us. (Phil. 3:7-10) 9. Sorrow causes us to be self centered and self-pitying. (Ps. 25:16, 17) 10.Sorrow causes us to isolate. (Ps. 6:6)
11.Sorrow causes us to wonder if God loves us. (Ps. 22:1-2) 12.Sorrow causes us to wonder if God has forgotten about us or hears our cries. (Ps. 27:7-9, 56:8) 13.Suffering causes us to wonder if God is punishing us or is unhappy with us. (Ps. 51:11) 14.Suffering causes us to feel sorrowful, sometimes to sorrow without hope. (Ps 22:1 2)
15.Suffering causes us to lose heart. (2 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 3:13; Heb. 12:3) 16.Sorrow causes us to have a downcast spirit. (Ps. 42:5, 6; Lam. 3:20) 17.Sorrow causes us to wonder if it will ever be ok again. (Ruth 1) 18.Sorrow causes us to wonder what our future holds (Ps. 35) 19.Suffering causes us to grumble and complain against God and our circumstances. (Ruth 1:20 21)
II. Where do I go in suffering and sorrow? A. Friends and family - sharing our pain B. Drugs and alcohol - escaping our pain C. Counseling understanding our pain D. Work - ignoring our pain E. Bible - maturing through pain
III. Maturing Through Suffering and Sorrow A. However we feel about suffering, it is good for us. (Psalm 119:71) 1. Our theology is revealed through suffering. 2. Suffering identifies us with Christ. (1 Peter 2:21; Philippians 2; Hebrews 4:15; Isaiah 53:3; 2 Corinthians 11:23; Hebrews 12:1-3) 3. God is working in our sorrows. (Romans 8:28,29)
4. Suffering Increases our Faith a. God s desire: A complete and perfect faith in the life of a believer. James1:2 4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith (subject of the sentence) produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect (a faith that is not lacking anything in any respect) and complete, lacking in nothing. b. Faith like this can only be produced by testing and trials. i.e. suffering.
5. Suffering reminds us God is sovereign. a. What we suffer under or with is under God s sovereign authority. He is managing it; He is in charge of it. He has a purpose and a plan for it. b. Jesus Himself affirmed God s sovereignty in calamity. (John 19:10 11) c. Because God is sovereign He is completely aware and in control of the composition of the suffering that brings us sorrow.
6. Suffering humbles us. 2 Corinthians 12:7 (NASB) Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me to keep me from exalting myself! a. Suffering and sorrow bring you to the end of yourself. b. The humility that is developed is a characteristic found in godliness.
7. Suffering and sorrow increase our dependency on God 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NASB) And He has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
8. Suffering builds character Romans 5:3 5 (NASB) And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. a. As our view of suffering and sorrow changes, we will begin to see God s hand in it. b. Our sorrows cause us to examine what is most important to us, thereby revealing what is contained in the heart.
9. Suffering and sorrow can reveal idolatry
IV. Addressing the Suffering and Sorrowing Heart A. Biblical Response 1. Don t deny you are sorrowful. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-14) 2. Seek spiritual guidance. (Proverbs 19:20) 3. Seek wise counsel. (Romans 15:14) 4. Accept the humbling experience. (Proverbs 11:12) 5. Be transparent. (Proverbs 19:1)
6. Keep the centrality of Jesus Christ and the supremacy of Christ on the forefront. (Colossians 1:18) 7. Keep your focus on who you are in Christ. (Ephesians 1 2) 8. Fix your eyes on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:2) 9. Develop a Godward outlook rather than fixing on the present. (2 Corinthians 4:18) 10.Believe that God is sovereign. (Psalm 115:3)
11.Keep the supremacy of Christ in constant focus. (Colossians 1:15-16) 12.Christ is our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. (1 Corinthians 1:30) 13.He will meet you where you are. (Philippians 4:19) 14.Don t trust your feelings. (Proverbs 28:26) 15.Ask others to pray for you. (James 5:16)
16. Immerse yourself in Jesus. Matthew 11:29 Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
17.Remember your sorrows are light and momentary. (2 Corinthians 4:17) a. They are producing for you an eternal weight of glory you cannot fathom. (Romans 8:18) b. Set your mind on what is to come. (Hebrews 12:2)