Given the search term “books on suffering,” Amazon lists over 3000 results.  This vast number does not even include articles, blog posts, sermons, or videos.  Needless to say, it is human nature to seek a reason for our suffering, whether it be death, illness, financial, relational, etc..  Not one person reading this post has not experienced or will not experience suffering in one form or another.  For the Christian, the search can begin and end in the scriptures.  

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

We Will Suffer

Suffering should come as no surprise to the followers of Christ. The Bible promises that the life of a disciple will be marked by trials. In the first chapter of James, we are told, “when you meet trials of various kinds, not if but when! Even Jesus tells us that in this world we will have tribulation (John 16:33). Jesus suffered, so why would we, as disciples, assume that we would not? Even with this knowledge, it is difficult to know how to respond when we are in the depths of a sudden or enduring season of pain – physical or mental.

Comfort From Scripture

While we may not be able to explain suffering or know the exact reason for each episode, the scriptures provide comfort and guidance. During some of my trials, especially the times that seemed unbearable, there is one passage that has given me strength, understanding, and the will to persevere.  The passage is found in 1 Peter, where he (Peter) was writing to Christians to encourage perseverance in their faith while suffering persecution. He wrote that they should be joyful because of “a living hope,” which, due to the death and resurrection of Christ, promised future eternal life as well as enjoying God’s promises during their lifetime. 

While the entire book is profitable for the suffering Christian and will provide readers with many key themes, the passage that continues to speak to my heart during painful circumstances is 1 Peter 1:3-7.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (ESV)

Peter begins by expressing the great mercy that God extends to believers through His Son, Jesus Christ, resulting in a living hope that comes with being born again and the promise of an inheritance that is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.” “Imperishable” is defined by Merriam-Webster as “not subject to decay or enduring forever”. This means that there is nothing that can destroy this living hope, which is our salvation. Paul testifies to this fact,

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:38-39 (ESV)

“Undefiled” means pure, and “unfading”, according to Merriam-Webster, means “not losing color or freshness, value or effectiveness”. This highlights the promise that our “living hope” cannot be destroyed, tainted, or lose value. 

He goes on to say that this hope is kept for us in heaven and is being guarded through faith. He illustrates this great truth, which results in joyous praise for our Father. He says because of this living hope, our salvation, bought by Jesus and given to us by God’s grace, we rejoice. Of course we do!!! But do we sometimes forget this rejoicing, this praise? I think so, but the next point that Peter makes gets to the heart of our life on this Earth. He says that we rejoice even though we experience trials, not just daily setbacks but trials that cause grief; the Greek word here, “lypeo,” literally means to cause pain. Also note that Peter doesn’t instruct us to rejoice; he says we do rejoice, without an imperative or command, just a statement.

Can We Suffer and Rejoice at the Same Time?

Is this possible?  To suggest this to someone who has gone through the loss of a loved one, a grave illness, or significant financial loss, it seems almost flippant to indicate to the hurting person – hey, just rejoice.  I think this is why Peter didn’t phrase this as an imperative. He was aware that his readers were going through tremendous turmoil, and when someone is hurting, it is impossible to just muster up some praise. No, this is a gift from God.  Peter qualifies the trials by saying they will only last a short time. Even if one’s life is continually dealing with some type of pain, our lifetime is minute in relation to Eternity.

Now we get to the two words that gave me an “aha” moment, “if necessary”.  Did you catch that? Our trials are not for nothing. Our pain is not futile! Only a loving God would give us only necessary trials; there is a reason! This has made all the difference to me, not necessarily in the immediate period of my greatest tragedy of losing my teenage daughter, but in the long aftermath when I was left picking up the pieces and desperately trying to make sense of what had happened. 

Suffering is Necessary

‘If necessary” continues to remind me that every little thing that I go through or that one of my family members goes through is ordained by God. This is a good opportunity to discuss God’s sovereignty. This means that God is in complete control, has all authority over heaven and Earth, including every event and person. In the book “Trusting God” by Jerry Bridges, the author says that “the sovereignty of God is asserted, either expressly or implicitly, on almost every page of the Bible.” To praise God in suffering, we must believe a few truths and take them to heart:

If we believe these truths, we can learn from this passage, as well as others, that God gives us trials or allows us to go through trials for many reasons.

Sanctification

This passage tells us that the trials are for our sanctification. This is a churchy word that means we are set apart, we are groomed and molded to progressively become more and more like Christ. The genuineness of our faith, which is more precious than gold, is tested to result in our praise, glory, and honor on the day of Christ. This does not mean that we become equal to Christ, but it means that we are revealed to be the person that God created us to be.  This is not something we gain because we “try real hard”; it is a gift given to us through the work of the Holy Spirit. This work is accomplished through trials, which force us to acknowledge who God is and recognize our need for Him, not only His saving grace but also His power and strength every day of our Earthly life.

Ministering to Others

Our trials also prepare us to minister to others. A person who has experienced the loss of a child can uniquely comfort another parent because they understand first-hand the pain, questions, and sorrow that come with such a life-changing event.

“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. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-6 (ESV)

Trusting God

However, we are not God, so we do not always have the answer to the question of “why”. We can see the changes in our relationship with God, we can find joy in the answers that only God can give, we can find a sense of purpose when we are alble to minister to another brother or sister in Christ, but even if we have no answer at all, we must trust that God knows what he is doing and that he has a reason, it is necessary.  When I was grieving the loss of my daughter during the first few months, I was obsessed with trying to discover the reason that it had happened. I believed in the sovereignty of God; I thought that he had a reason, but in my desire for control, I wanted to know what that reason was. God brought to my attention to stop the “vain reasonings”. This is the hardest thing to do: to come to terms with not knowing. The “vain reasonings” can cause bitterness and prevent us from being used by God in our relationships or whatever ministry he calls us to. It takes time, prayer, and spending time in the Word to give way to God’s strength, allowing us to let go of the control we so desire, the answers we want, and trust in God. It’s hard, but there is a quiet peace that comes from knowing that he holds us in his hand and cares for each tear that we shed.

God is love, yet he allows us to suffer. He has a reason for every trial that we experience. We can be certain of his love in the fact that he sent his son to die for our sins so that we could have a living hope, eternal life one day, and his presence every day of our Earthly life. He comforts us through His word, He carries us through the roughest periods of heartache, and He uses every grief that we encounter to draw us closer to Him, to use us to minister to others, and for unknown, Eternal reasons that are beyond our comprehension. In our sorrows, he asks us to trust him, to praise him, and to allow ourselves to be molded into the person we were created to be. To be joyful in pain:

• Journal all of the things that you are thankful for, especially the gift of Christ.
• Remember that the trials we experience are necessary; there is a reason.
• Pray that God will shine a light on the things that he wants you to understand and help you to accept the things that are hidden.
• Spend time in His Word, especially if your struggle is new. The scriptures are given to us not only to educate, but also to reveal God and His character. In the early stages of grief, His Word can speak to our hearts even when our brains cannot understand.

If you are hurting and need a safe place to talk, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Everyone’s trials are different, but we can bear one another’s burdens. To learn more about my testimony, please read it here.

May God bless you and comfort you both in mind and spirit!