Have you ever been in a season of suffering and asked yourself “Why me?” or “Why is God allowing this to happen?” It’s our natural human response. We are overwhelmed with a feeling that God has neglected us, forgotten us, abandoned us. But our suffering does not go without the presence of God. If we look at our circumstances through this perspective, we are able to glorify God and our question changes to “What can I learn from this?” But more importantly, “How can I glorify God in this?”
When I was younger, I prided myself on my rebellion. I enjoyed tip-toeing the line.
When I was about 8 or 9, my dad gifted me with a bike and a rule to go along with it. You can ride your bike anywhere in the neighborhood but you cannot cross the road to McDonalds. In his mind, this road was like crossing the lanes of an Indy 500 race. Inevitably, I crossed the road. And just like that, it was like God had my dad’s number on speed dial. I was only able to get one bite out of the forbidden chicken nugget before I was staring wrath, himself, in his eyes. Before I knew it I was confined to the four walls of my room.
This story reminds me of the fall of man in Genesis when God blessed Adam and Eve abundantly with the Garden of Eden, telling them to eat from any tree except this one. Of course, they ate of the forbidden fruit and from there follows the history of total depravity among all humans.
As an 8 year old, I didn’t fully understand the dangers of crossing that road but my dad did. And Adam and Eve didn’t fully understand the danger of eating from the tree but the Father did. We, both, just wanted to indulge in more; despite already being blessed. (This says a lot about our hearts.)
Being grounded for that short period time can hardly be called suffering compared to the things I have faced as years have gone by, but in that moment, it seemed like suffering. It seemed unfair. I couldn’t see past the discipline and rest in the hope that these consequences would renew me, grow me, transform me.
Hebrew 12:7-11 says “God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which have all participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this we have earthly fathers who have disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirit and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
Let me be clear in saying that not all suffering is caused for our need of discipline. Sometimes, we will never know on this side of heaven, why we have endured some of the things we’ve endured. But suffering’s result is always to glorify God. This is achieved through the growing of our faith and sharing of that faith- despite our circumstances.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 “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 in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”
This treasure is the Gospel of Christ and the jars of clay are our frail and fragile bodies. Paul exudes how our endurance is not by our own doing but by the power of God and the life of Jesus to sustain us. This is the presence of God amongst our suffering. All other “help” is vain in comparison to this grace.
He later writes in verses 14-15 “Knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.”
As believers in Christ, we can rest in knowing that our suffering will end, whether on this earth or in heaven. God will not forsake us or leave us. Full assurance of peace will come in the presence of our Savior. Until then, these afflictions are for the glory of the Gospel, so that many will see Christ through you.
There is no quick fix to suffering but we can rejoice in God in the midst of our suffering and cling to the cross knowing that Jesus has suffered the greatest of all suffering by bearing the wicked, shameful, betraying sin of our hearts to save our souls. And regardless of why we are in the midst of suffering, we know that it is God renewing us to be more like our endlessly gracious, compassionate Savior. So the next time you cry out to God, “Why are You letting this happen to me?!” Know that the answer is, “For my glory, child.”
Beggar of Grace 