Hope for Suffering Christians
We live in a broken and sin-filled world. Grief, loss, pain, sickness, evil, and suffering surround us. For Christians, we are not promised an immediate escape from this world, but a supernatural power to live within it. Unfortunately, many Christians have been sold a false gospel that promises them health, wealth, and prosperity for trusting in Jesus. Those who fall victim to this false teaching often find themselves confused and angry when suffering comes, wondering if God has abandoned them.
Even for those who know that the Bible doesn't promise deliverance from pain in this life, suffering can often blind us to the spiritual truths that we have been taught our whole lives. In the midst of our pain and sorrow, we often need reminders of the goodness and faithfulness of God. It can be difficult to see the gracious hand of God upon our lives when the pain will not cease.
While the Bible doesn't promise us a life free of pain, it does give us comforting truths to carry us through our hardships. In the scriptures we are reminded of the great works of God on behalf of His people, and the continuing work of God in the midst of our suffering. These truths, when preached to our own hearts, are tools in the hands of God to strengthen us in our trials and to comfort us in our sorrows. God speaks to us in our suffering, and those who listen will be comforted. Suffering Christian, God sees you, and He draws near to comfort you in your darkest hour.
God is With You
One of the most comforting realities for the suffering Christian is the nearness of God in the midst of our trials. God describes Himself as one who is “near to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18). He doesn’t just rule over our pain from a distance, but He draws near to us in the midst of our sorrow. He doesn't keep us at arm's length, distancing Himself from our mess. He is present in the midst of our struggling attempts to hold ourselves together.
In Psalm 23, David describes the comforting presence of God in the midst of utter darkness: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4). For David, His comfort is not in God’s ability to change the outcome of His situation (although God is more than capable), but rather in God’s constant presence in the midst of the dark walk through the valley.
This comfort is even deeper for the New Covenant believer, as God has made His very dwelling place within His people:
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17)
“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” (1 John 4:15)
Not only are we promised the comforting nearness of God, but we have received the very Spirit of God, who dwells with us and will be in us, even in the valley. For many who suffer, the worst part of their suffering is the isolation. The only thing worse than suffering is suffering alone. For those who trust in Christ, we are guaranteed to never be alone. We can have confidence that every trial that we face we will face with the very Spirit of God within us every step of the way.
Even when words fail us, and prayer seems like a chore rather than an opportunity, it is the indwelling presence of the Spirit that helps us hobble before the throne of God: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). We may come to prayer stumbling, weakened by our hardships, with no words to express the depth of our need, but the Spirit knows the deep things of our hearts, and ushers us into communion with God.
If you are reading this, and you have been wondering where God is in your suffering. Let the scriptures convince you of this; that God has not left nor abandoned you. He is not distracted and He has not forgotten. His very Spirit lives within you, and He is drawing near to you in your suffering. You are not alone, nor will you ever be.
Your Suffering is Temporary
Our hope isn’t merely in a God who will be with us while we experience pain, but in a God who has plans to eradicate the pain once and for all. Throughout scripture, we are reminded time and time again that the life that we live on this earth is but a blip on the radar of eternity:
“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:8-9)
“...yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:14)
Paul goes so far as to refer to our suffering as “light” and “momentary” (2 Corinthians 4:17). The biblical authors draw us time and time again into a vision of the shortness of our lives and the vastness of eternity, often to show us that pain and suffering is but a momentary speed-bump for those destined to enjoy Christ forever.
The great hope of the Gospel is not merely a general forgiveness of sins, but a redemption of the entirety of our existence. Jesus promises to heal and restore us – body, soul, and spirit – along with the rest of the broken creation around us. Paul reminds us that all of creation is longing for the final day of God’s rescue, when creation itself is freed from the bondage and brokenness that mankind has subjected it to (Romans 8:20-22). In Revelation, John gives us a vision of what this final victory will look like for all who trust in Christ:
“‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’” (Revelation 21:4-5)
A day is coming where our pain will be no more. No more grief, no more sorrow, no more loneliness, no more loss, no more sickness, and no more death. We have a God who walks with us through the pain, on the way to an eternal future where darkness will be defeated forever. Take heart, your suffering will be ended for good.
Your Suffering is Not Meaningless
As if it weren't enough that God walks with us through our pain, and that God will one day eradicate all suffering – God is greater still than we could ever fathom in His handling of our trials. In His sovereign power, God also ensures that none of our pain is without purpose. In other words, God doesn't waste our tears, but works something beautiful and glorious out of our darkness and sorrow.
Paul explains this mysterious truth in his second letter to the church at Corinth:
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
He again describes the mysterious providence of God in our suffering while writing to the Romans:
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Putting these verses together, we see a glimpse of the sovereign hand of God ordaining the steps of our lives with purpose. What Paul is communicating here is the truth that every moment of our suffering is producing some kind of result. The result, although we may not be able to see it in the midst of our pain, is glorious and good.
We see this picture of God as a master builder, using His might and power to bring beauty out of bleak and broken pieces. In the midst of our sorrow, it may not feel like God is working. It may not feel like any good could ever come of this. But scripture is clear; God is doing a million things within you and around you to bring some kind of glory and good out of even the most dire of circumstances. For “those who love God” and “are called according to His purpose”, not an ounce of our hardship is thrown aside and wasted. Every moment of heartache, when faced with the presence of God upon us and the hope of eternity within us, is producing something for us that will make the pain meaningful in the end.
Whether this glory be the glory of patience, which is developed in our waiting, or the glory of nearness to God, which is strengthened as we depend upon Him, there is some good to be wrought out of the tragedy in our lives. We may not be able to grasp it now, but it is firmly planted in the mind of God, and He will draw it out. God truly is the one who brings beauty from ashes, no matter the depth of the sorrow that we face.
Run to the Refuge
Anyone who has lived long enough has learned this truth; that pain is inevitable. Hardships arise at the most unexpected moments. Live long enough and you will experience pain of some sort. Following Jesus does not exempt us from this pain, but it does give us comfort in it and hope at the end of it. The question that determines the course of our sorrow is this; who or what will you run to when the pain comes?
God has promised to be with His people in every trial. He has shown us a glimpse of the future; a future without mourning, loss, or heartache, where all of our pain is ended for eternity. He has even promised to harness our suffering to produce beauty and glory out of the darkness and sorrow. All we must do is throw ourselves upon Him when the pain comes, and these glorious promises can be ours.
Remember the words of the Psalmist, who gives us a picture of the care and might of God toward us:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” (Psalm 46:1-3)
What will you run to when your heart is overwhelmed? Where will you shelter yourself when the waves come crashing around you? The God of the universe offers you safety, protection, peace, and comfort. Weather the storm in the presence of the God who loves you. He is our refuge, and those who hope in Him will not be shaken.
