In last Sunday's sermon, I touched on the matter of suffering and quoted Paul's words in Philippians 1:29: "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake." I pointed out that our mission in making the gospel known involves suffering.
The next day I got an email from a church member who confessed, "the anticipation of [suffering] always terrifies me and yet in my head I know it will conform me to [Christ's] death" (see Phil. 3:10). This dear sister in Christ proceeded to ask questions pertaining to the nature of suffering, the difference between suffering that comes from persecution (as a direct result of our witness) versus suffering that stems from the trials of life (through which we can still make Christ known), and how one would explain the purpose of suffering to a non-Christian as opposed to a Christian.
These are good, relevant questions we all need to consider, because pain and suffering are part of everyday life. So I took a few moments to answer these questions in light of certain Scripture passages that immediately came to mind. This list is by no means exhaustive, but I trust it is helpful in thinking through the purposes for suffering (which may be defined loosely as "physical and/or mental anguish; the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship").
- Some suffering arises from persecution. "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim. 3:12). Now, the degree and type of persecution that takes place will vary greatly among believers, depending on our culture, circumstances, etc. But the principle still holds true. There will always be a price to pay for being a Christian, because the world system is at enmity with God (see James 4:4). Suffering is our lot as followers of Christ. "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps" (1 Peter 2:21).
- Suffering for the right reasons in the right way is pleasing to God. "For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God" (1 Peter 2:20).
- Some suffering can be a form of divine chastisement for sin. "This is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned along with the world" (1 Cor. 11:30-32; cf. Heb. 12:5-11). Of course, not all suffering is the direct result of sin, which is why we must be careful not to cast judgment on others. The disciples were guilty of this very thing, and Jesus corrected their way of thinking: "As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, 'It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him" (John 9:1-3). - This leads to the next point:
- Suffering is designed to display the glory of God in and through us. Paul talks about this in relation to his own life, such as in 2 Corinthians 4:7-12, where he writes, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you." Suffering reminds us of our own weaknesses and inadequacies, forcing us to depend on God rather than ourselves. God displays his power through our weakness to accomplish his work in our lives and to produce the life of his Spirit in those around us.
- Suffering should drive people to repentance. In Luke 13, when people asked Jesus about some recent tragedies that had taken place (one the result of violence and the other the result of a natural disaster), Jesus took the opportunity to tell them, "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). When tragedy occurs, people tend to ask, "Why did those people die?" -- when the question they ought to be asking is: "Why am I still alive?" The fact is, we all deserve to die, because "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). God out of sheer grace and mercy allows people to continue living in order to give them opportunities to repent and trust in Christ. Suffering and death reminds us that one day we will all die and must prepare to meet our God (Amos 4:12). Note: Scripture also says, "God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance" (Rom. 2:4). So when witnessing to others, remember that God uses both blessings and burdens to bring people to himself.
- Suffering helps us to comfort other Christians. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who 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" (2 Cor. 1:3-4).
- Suffering on earth is preparing us for the glories of heaven. This future focus is what keeps us from discouragement. "So we do not lose heart.... For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Cor. 4:16-17). One beloved hymn conveys this truth well: It will be worth it all when we see Jesus! Life's trials will seem so small, when we see Christ. One glimpse of his dear face all sorrows will erase. So bravely run the race, till we see Christ!
