Welcome Suffering

As mentioned last week, the verse of the blog is 2 Peter 1:5-7. This verse highlights how spiritual growth can begin to manifest in our lives.

Now hear this, to efficiently grow in our faith we have to understand that it is a process of being purified and consecrated. This process is one that comes with pain, “growing pains” as they call them also referred to as suffering.

Jackie Hill-Perry mentioned that a reason why there is stunted growth in the faith is because we are not willing to suffer and as a result we are not suffering well. Okay, let me pull back a little back, I’m getting into your business saying you are not suffering well.

I guess first and foremost what is suffering:

Suffering looks different dare I say it always will. The general consensus is that illness and health failures are suffering no matter who you are. For some suffering is passing up opportunities because they do not line up with your faith. For others suffering looks like exercising self control when a family member hurts you time and time again.

I would like to comfort and remind you that your suffering does not need to look like anyone else’s to be considered suffering. I feel sometimes we gaslight and invalidate our suffering because someone out there has it worse. On the same day Jesus died someone else somewhere was dying, did the grief of the loved ones cease to matter because Jesus died? No! Your pain and suffering matters to God not over or under anyone else’s. Pretty fair no?

Why aren’t we suffering well:

I think a part of not suffering well is not understanding the truth about our salvation. When I got baptised and rededicated my life to God, I was in the midst of a visa rejection appeal, basically my whole life at that point was stripped from under me. The process was for about 6 months, during that process I was the most alive in my faith, I was in a church I loved, I only listened to worship and I served zealously in the church. I was “killing it” in my faith! Most times my faith kept the fear and anxiety at bay.

Spoiler alert. The appeal was rejected too and I had to pick up my life and return home (I had my degree though, don’t play with me!). Did my rededication, my zealous pursuit of God’s face save me from the pain of what I dreaded? No. So it happened to me, it will happen to all of us, time and time again. However, if you remember, what I mentioned, in the midst of my suffering I felt most alive in my faith. I was living the most obedience I could be at that point in the midst of my suffering.

“Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Suffering helps perfect our faith in God because it helps us obey. However we are not suffering well because deep down we believe following Christ although may not be sunshine and roses will mean a 95% chance your life going according to plan by way of prayer. I can’t statistically prove if that’s true or not, but it is fundamental that we do not base our faith on the probability of something happening, or not. It’s not enough. I understand that scripture tells us that faith is the reality of what we hope for and evidence of what we cannot see but the object of your faith is not the job, the money, the boyfriend or the grades.

The object of your faith is Jesus, the one who is, has always been and always will be.

Jesus suffered so well, He was crucified, His Father didn’t answer Him when He asked for help and He died, yet He still forgave and was raised from the dead and continued to minister even after that! Let’s give a hand to Jesus for being a stellar sufferer.

How to suffer well:

“So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Scripture says “trust your lives to God”, which God, the one who created you and has never and will never fail you.

Suffering well is suffering with God.

Suffering with God is looking at your pain and staying at the feet of His throne. Remember it is impossible to please God without faith, suffering well requires you to pray the Holy Spirit enables you to look at your terrifying reality and trust that even if the reality does not change, God is true, honest, loving and His will is above yours. Tough right?

Maybe as you read this you are thinking it is not enough. That this is not enough to keep you strong, that’s okay. The Lord says:

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

He was not lying or bluffing when He said this. There is something about your suffering, pain and weakness that God desires. Show the Lord your scars, your fears, your let downs. In natural human fashion we expect to receive something for our vulnerability, so He says:

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In closing, I know at whatever point in life, we are all battling something, the Lord is with you. I fear if we do not suffer well with God, we are at risk of leaving the faith and worse misrepresenting the faith to those who want to know Him.

Lord, thank you for your unceasing goodness and the truth that is unchanging in the word. I pray that to those reading this, in their suffering may they be comforted. You heal the broken hearted and bind up their wounds. It may not all get better, but our growth and purification is far more important than any comfort. Although some comfort would be nice from time to time :). We love you.