DB Clips: How Do I Rejoice When I’m Suffering?
Today we want to look at the question, “How do I Rejoice When I Am Suffering?”
I don’t want to minimize suffering or take this topic lightly. Some years back my wife went through a nearly two-year period of debilitating pain. During that time, she mainly lived in a reclining chair in our loft. At times I would have to carry her up and down the stairs. We went to a dozen doctors trying to find out what was wrong, most of the time leaving as lost as we came.
If you ask my wife now, she was never closer to God than she was during that time, despite the suffering she was going through.
How could she say this? Many times, if you ask someone what the opposite of joy is, they will say sadness. This isn’t true though; the opposite of joy is despair.
In Hebrews 11 it describes faith as the conviction of things not seen. In Colossians 3:2 it tells us to set our minds on things above and not what’s on the earth.
Now this can feel like we’re talking about a mind over matter strategy, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. So many times, in our lives we will face situations that are out of our control, and where we have no say or choice in the circumstances.
Without God we are left with empty advice the world offers like, “this will pass”, “keep a positive attitude”, or “imagine the you, you want to be.” These are in the end, hollow and empty phrases that don’t do anything to help you in the situation.
So how do we have this joy in suffering? When bills are piling up, our life is full of pain, we’ve lost a loved one, facing persecution, or any number of sufferings we will have in this fallen world, what is the answer?
Let’s go back to this idea of focusing on heavenly things or things we can’t see? In Colossians 1:24-29 Paul says that he is rejoicing in his suffering for their sake. If we want a good picture of someone who willing, time and time again endured suffering, we can look at the life of Paul. He would eventually be executed while under house arrest in Rome. In 2 Timothy, in one of the last letters of his life he says his life is being poured out like a drink offering.
In all of this he describes looking forward to a future hope. What is this hope he’s describing? It is a love that captured his life so fully, that it didn’t matter what he was going through because he knew who was watching over him.
If you’ve ever seen a child lost in a public place there is a fear in their eyes that only goes away when they are reunited. This is because they have a trust that tells them it doesn’t matter what else is going on, they are safe as long as their mom or dad is with them.
When the bible talks about salvation it tells us we are adopted into God’s family. We are called His beloved children. It routinely describes God as our father. In a world filled with turmoil and trouble, we have a Father who loved us so much, He made the ultimate sacrifice to save us when there was no other hope.
Paul is consumed with this feeling as he goes through life, so much so that any adversary in front of him he knows that it is not his battle to fight, but his Father in heaven who fights the battle for him.
Jesus once said don’t fear those who can only kill the body. No matter how bad the obstacle we face on this earth, their power is nothing compared to the God who created all heaven and earth.
We must have a strength within us if we are to face this world. It promises hardship and suffering, and on our own we have few options to face it. The Gospel tells us that Jesus routinely went away to a quiet place to pray and be with the Father.
When we take time to routinely go to our Father we will be filled with a love and hope greater than anything we face in this world. This is dependent though on us taking that time out. This is a fast-paced life that constantly demands our time and attention. So it must be with intention that we take time out to be in the Word and in prayer.
Perhaps you’ve had the difference in the morning when you have had a full breakfast before heading out verses a breakfast of coffee or an energy drink. One gives you a sustenance and energy, and the other drives you for a time until you crash.
Our life is the same way. We have a Father who loves us dearly, and when we have Him no trial or suffering we face compares. When we close our eyes for the final time here on earth, we open our eyes for the first time in the presence of our Lord. It means that even if the suffering in this life takes everything from me, I have a joy greater than anything I have ever felt waiting just on the other side.
If you’d like to learn more about this topic, go to our website at dbcc.com, click on Grow, then sermons. Look for the teaching series on Colossians and click on the sermon titled “No Greater Adventure.”
Thanks, and God Bless.