Suffering . . . 

It’s not for everyone! 

 

Really?  Perhaps that conclusion deserves some investigation.  In the Bible, the word that is translated “to suffer”, or “suffering”, simply means an adverse experience.  Seems to me that, by that definition, suffering actually IS for everyone.  What isn’t always clear is the degree, or intensity, of the adversity in the suffering.  Or how to get through it. 

 

When we can’t find a parking space, we suffer.  When we don’t have that last ingredient for our recipe, we suffer.  And where o’ where is that matching sock?  Maybe not huge adversity in those experiences, but it’s suffering nonetheless. 

 

But what really gets our attention is when we are in physical or emotional pain of some sort, especially when the pain is significant.  When we don’t have enough money.  When someone we love is in peril.  When we get a frightening medical report.  When we need answers, but we don’t have any. 

 

To be sure, we all suffer to different degrees, and about different things.  And suffering can lead to disheartenment and fear.  What if things don’t improve? 

 

God is by no means indifferent to the effects of our suffering.  Even a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice.  But what I’ve observed is that His sense of urgency about relieving my suffering is often different from mine.  All too often, my praying is like the guy who stretches out his arm, then bends it to glare at his watch, meaning, “What’s taking you so long?” 

 

But through Paul’s writing in Romans 8:18, our loving Father in Heaven softens our pain with these words:

 

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

We cannot begin to fathom what He has in store for His own — you and me, who embrace the finished work of Jesus as hope, our only hope. 

 

That marvelous hope requires supernatural confidence in Him.  And no matter how we grunt and strain, we can't work that up on our own.  But we don’t need to.  Because His Spirit living within us specializes in bearing fruit in our lives, one of which is patience.  And patience is simply abiding under a load, like a donkey bears his pack. 

 

Shall we live by faith?  Shall we stop implying that God doesn’t care by constantly looking at our watch when we think He’s late?  Shall we cast all our cares on Him? 

 

After all, he cares for us.  He really, really does!! 

 

 

Pastor Terry Day