The purpose of suffering

We like comfort.  No one likes to hurt, be in pain.  We want to avoid it at all costs. 

Yet as Christians, we are called to suffer as Christ did.  What does this mean in day to day life?  It's not like we're looking to get hurt - that would be masochism.  No.  But we are on a different path from the world, to say the least.  Our tastes have been transformed, if we have progressed with Jesus to any extent.

What the world finds fulfilling, we do not.  We are no longer attracted to sin.  We have renounced our pride, even though it may still rear its ugly head now and then.

We have renounced "making our own way."  We follow Christ, His way.

How is this diametrically opposed to the unbeliever's lot in life?  Simple.  Christ calls the shots.  We follow and obey.

This is not giving up our adulthood, our responsibilities, and following without our faculties.  No.  It is a decision we make.  We choose to trust Christ more than ourselves.  We choose to trust Christ more than the mores of our times.  We choose to believe His Word above all other philosophies, religions, and popular ways.

This costs.  And part of the cost is suffering.

We suffer when we are misunderstood.  We suffer when we are rejected for our beliefs and ways.  We suffer for doing the right thing.  "No good deed goes unpunished" is not Scriptural, but it can ring true nonetheless!  

Our good deeds will most assuredly be rewarded in the next life - the eternal one, the one that believers look forward to more than anything.  But down here, our good deeds will be scrutinized, mocked, criticized, and even made to look evil. 

Yes, when we follow Christ wholeheartedly, suffering will be involved.  Guaranteed.

Dying to self, crucifying the flesh - do I have any takers?!  Who in their right mind would "sign up" for these?

Yet this is what we do.  And how we do it  - how we endure suffering - will either add to our suffering or help us bear our suffering.  

We've all "been there."  We've all been in a difficult situation and complained about it.  What does the complaining do?  It adds to our suffering!  But that's our natural tendency.  

"Why me?"  "Haven't I been through enough?"

These questions and others like them may seep into our thinking and cause us to focus on our situation more than the beauty of Christ.

How does suffering make us more like Him anyway?  It humbles us.  It makes us rely on God more.  We admit our need of Him and dependence on Him.  These are good things!  Why?  Because His power inside us has a chance to come to life.  Our weakness, His strength.   That's the purpose of all suffering when we belong to Christ.  His glory.  

This is not some sort of masochistic journey but a way to live life that gets Him noticed more than us.  People sense when we are either full of self or full of Christ.  There is a humility that shines through and yet at the same time, an undeniable substance or power.  But we can't get at that power unless we get out of the way!

We need to place a higher priority on going through the pain instead of covering it up or trying to escape it.  We need to accept it as part of the Christian life.

We come to know Christ more this way because Christ's life was full of suffering and rejection, being misunderstood and wanted dead!  You see, the pride in humans just can't stand the power of Christ.  Human pride wants to be god - it's that simple.  "No one's going to tell me what to do!"  Really?  And just what sort of human does that produce?  

So we don't go looking for ways to suffer.  That would be madness!  But when it comes our way, we pray for grace to bear it.  We pray that Christ would be glorified in it.  We ask Him to teach us what He wants us to learn by it.  We come to know Him more deeply.  We relate to Christ in our suffering.

The payoff?  Too huge to elaborate on!  Let's just say it will all be worth it.  Here, we grow into the likeness of Christ.  Later, we reap eternal rewards beyond imagination that will never spoil or fade.  

So if you've fallen prey to the prosperity "gospel" that is so rampant today, snap out of it!  Ask God to lead you to true teaching and preaching that will grow you up, not mess with you and lead you astray.  

Be willing to "go there" with Christ - through suffering.  He will provide grace, strength, might, courage, and joy through it all.

Lord Jesus, You suffered more than any of us ever will.  And You were the only One who had the power to escape it, yet You went through it.  For the Father's sake. For our sake.  Thank You for this truth!  Help me suffer well, Lord, as You did.  Use all suffering and pain in my life to draw me closer to You, make me more like You, and grow me up.  For You are worth it!  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.