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“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
A Promise of Suffering
Many don't even bother entertaining the idea of a good God because of suffering. How can a loving God allow millions of kids to go hungry, women to get brutally raped, men to be unjustly caged in prisons, people to deteriorate in their sin, and the list goes on. It is a very logical argument no doubt ESPECIALLY if you've suffered deeply and have yet to recover. This is amongst the most debated topics ever, and I'm not so proud to think that I've got the answer all of humanity has been seeking. The reality is, believing in the Big Bang takes just as much faith as believing in the God of the Bible. Don't shake your head haha, yes it does. So if the very foundation of our beliefs take faith, then I would prefer a God who has an ultimate purpose for our suffering than a theory that suggests that my suffering is meaningless. No shade, no shade...I'm just sayin! That's as rational as I can get on this one. Everything from this point forward is faith talk. 🤷🏿♀️
For those who are hurting, and are in search for hope, look here. We do not have a God who's just twiddling his thumbs without compassion for the suffering that humanity's free will has brought upon itself. But our God literally came down as a broke, brown human being and subjected himself to social, emotional, and physical suffering for our salvation...for reconciliation...for love (Philippians 2:6-8). So when you cry out in pain, he can ACTUALLY relate and can provide divine guidance and all-satisfying comfort (Hebrews 2:5-18). I've had my share of brutal suffering, and throughout my life, God has turned some of my darkest memories around for my good and His glory. This all sounds insensitive, especially if you're currently in the thick of things, but oddly enough, the most comforting truth is that your pain, tears, and struggle are both temporary and fruitful. I saw you wince at the latter. Bare with me.
At the end of Christ's trip to planet Earth, He made one sure promise: we will suffer. Not that we would amass wealth, achieve all of our earthly dreams/desires, or have divine health, but that we would have trouble. What? That just doesn't sound glorious. I know. But any believer who's survived suffering can testify to at least one of the two outcomes.
Outcome 1: A Remarkable Heart Transformation
Hardships transform us like nothing else can. Don't ask me why God
made it so, cuz I don't know...but I do know that those who cling to Jesus are made better like gold refined by fire. Our suffering improves our love, our compassion, and empathy. Have you ever conversed with someone about an obviously painful experience and find that their every word trivialized that dark moment in your life? Imagine how deep that relationship could have been if that person actually got you because he/she had been you in a similar season? I don't mean to romanticize pain; it's certainly excruciating and I don't wish suffering on anyone. Unfortunately, though, pain is inevitable because people are sinful, so hear me out.
I remember participating in prison ministry once, and while there, I learned that nearly all of the people who volunteered in the ministry, including the founders, had been inmates themselves. We rarely think about people we cannot relate to, but suffering burdens us to. If you've been a victim of sex trafficking, you're likely the one to start a non-profit in support of ending it. If you've ever been racially profiled, you're likely the loudest protester and the most effective activist in your field. Let me be clear, you don't have to have the same experiences as others to care about their suffering, but your experiences or that of your loved ones, certainly make you a powerful force and a relentless lover. Our collective ability to become like all "men" by relating to their suffering of all kinds allow us to love like crazy and in doing so, win some for Christ (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).
Outcome 2: Homesickness
If you're a believer, that subheading shouldn't have startled you. We are only foreigners here on earth. Whenever we experience deep hurt of any sort, we are reminded of how much we need Jesus to sustain our lives and how temporary our lives here really are. In fact, suffering is healthy for our spiritual walk because it draws us closer to Jesus. Have you ever hurt so badly, that only the presence of God and the lullaby of His Word could pacify you? In the seemingly unending abyss of sorrow, my soul is lifted by His promise to "...wipe every tear from [our] eyes..." one day; and on this new Earth "...there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain...”(Revelation 21:4). Don't get me wrong, I love being alive ok and I'm grateful for the privilege of being a part of God's grand story. But I love Jesus more and would be honored to see Him one day when my time here is up.
Suffering is temporary because life here is temporary. Suffering is fruitful because it makes us better lovers of people & refines our love and yearning for Jesus.
Now some of you are like uh uh, suffering made me turn away from Jesus and made me stone cold towards people. Yes, there is a major plot twist. I'm going to drop it here and run cuz for once, I'm not in the mood to debate this topic.
Ok, you ready??
Read Matthew 13:20-21 below:
If you keep reading, verse 23 says:
"But he[or she] who received seed on the good ground is he [or she] who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Matthew 13:20-21 appears to be saying that the gospel message did not take root because the person's heart/soil was infertile; therefore, when trials came about, the person stopped believing. This person accepted the salvation message on a joy high. The question is, what did the person believe they were accepting in the first place? Did they go up to the altar after engaging in a captivating prosperity message? Why didn't the message fertilize their heart to properly receive the seed? I know there are unending debates on salvation—are you set for eternity after a genuine salvation prayer or can you lose your salvation at some point—like I said, I will not debate this with y'all here, but you can go read my first two blog posts for my stance on this hehe. Anyway, here's what verse 23 undoubtedly supports: you cannot accept the gospel without first understanding it because that's not accepting the gospel at all. Those who've accepted the gospel of Jesus with an understanding have the Holy Spirit within them. This verse also reveals that trouble can and will sift out those who've misunderstood the gospel from those who actually knew what they were signing up for and are therefore filled with the Spirit of God (Ephesians 1:13). If trouble turned you from Jesus, this should clear things up.
Also, as mentioned in previous posts, love is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). So if loving is hard, you are absolutely correct. No one has the capacity to really love without God because God is love. If, by the mercy of God, you've still got breath in your lungs, and though bitter, you want to come to know Jesus for real this time? Talk to Jesus. Get the tantrum, the tears, and the wailing out the way and talk to Him. That's what raw prayer is all about! Then, read the whole book of John. Yes, all 22 chapters. Finally, check out my first two posts for more details on how to get on this moving train to eternal life.
A Deadly Pursuit
"...to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21
Trouble in your day-to-day life is slightly different from persecution as a result of the gospel, but when y'all told me to write this, I knew you were referring to human suffering. Nonetheless, here's something on persecution. I used to think it was insulting to Stephen, Paul, John and the rest to say that I've experienced persecution, but I now believe that any kind of pain or tragedy as a result of being a follower of Jesus is legitimate. Some of the common forms of persecution in the U.S. include getting fired due to your unpopular biblical beliefs or receiving outright death threats for loving the way Jesus did. Trials and tribulations for the sake of the gospel prune us to the point of perfection, which will ultimately be achieved on the great Day of our Lord! This is why James, Jesus's earthly brother, said to consider it pure joy. Check out what I'd like to call the "Job effect" illustrated by James 1:2-4 in a nutshell below:
Surviving persecution earns you a badge of honor like a decorated five-star General of the Army! Though the Holy Spirit is always the one working in you, God is kind enough to grace those of us who endure, with the crown of life at the grand awards ceremony to come (James 1:12).
Has extreme persecution gone extinct? Noooo... there are people who don't live in the U.S. who are persisting through fatal persecution for the faith just as the apostles of old did. I actually know a couple and their stories are riveting. Visit Binging The Gospel✨ for my friend's recount of her mission trip to Kyrgyzstan🇰🇬 entitled "The Arrival".
Preserving Peace
Sleep:
Ok sis, how we supposed to survive suffering of all kinds? Well, last week, I was gripped in mid-thought by a bizarre observation. There are at least three instances in Scripture where prominent figures have slept through glaringly awful situations.
1. Jesus (Matthew 8:23-27)
2. Peter (Acts 12:5-17)
Their response to trouble was not "sluggish," but rather an unconventional testament of their faith! They knew God was handling it so they were able to relax, resting in the truth of God's providence. When you're in over your head, or when the gospel has placed a target on your back, know that the greatest overcomer is interceding on your behalf!
Worship:
When something bad happens, it's not intuitive to sing. Singing is for happy times only, you say. But let me mess with your mind a bit. Worshiping in the midst of a trial is also a bold declaration of your faith. When Paul and Silas were in jail, they weren't pacing back and forth in distress. They worshipped with beautiful hymns because they believed God was still good regardless of their predicament (Acts 16:16-40). Mad faith! You only need faith the size of a mustard. Let your pain flow out of your body through the release of worship and song. And you know how that story ends right? Liberation!
Pray:
Ok, now the most obvious response is to pray! No, but actually though. Even Jesus prayed asking God to "take this cup" (Matthew 26:39). It is VERY hard out here and we need to talk to a God who can do something about our situation. He will either give you grace that's sufficient or deliver you out of the lion's den (2 Corinthians 12:8-10 & (Daniel 6:1-23). It's always a win-win with prayer.
Fellowship:
Again, this is too arduous of a walk to do alone y'all. You need other believers who will bare you up in prayer, encourage you regularly and walk through the pain with you quite literally (Hebrews 3:13 & Hebrews 10:25). In fact, while Peter was asleep in jail, the church was praying for him at Mary's spot (Reread 👀Acts 12:5-17). Sooo stop being a loner. Join a Christian community and let God's people love on you during your hard time, or through your persecution. Chances are, you're not alone in your suffering so why suffer alone?
Jesus —The Victorious One!
Here's some small homework for ya. Believers, take time to study John 16:33 broken down within the grander context of the New Testament. Let the questions below guide your study. Binge! Binge! Binge! Binge! Binge! Binge! Binge! 😜
Part 1: “I have told you these things..."
What things?
Part 2: "...so that in me you may have peace."
In who?
Part 3: "In this world you will have trouble."
Why will you have trouble in this world?
Part 4: "But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
What does it mean for you to take heart? How did Christ overcome the world?
I hope your study was rich and refreshing! Don't lose heart. Keep up the faith.
Bye-bye for now...We shall binge again soon.
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