Joy and suffering are linked

I know this sounds nuts.  How can suffering bring us joy?  I mean, we suffer when we suffer, right?

Not as Christians.

God even redeems our suffering, so great is His reach.

The Bible tells us over and over, in various Scriptures, to rejoice in our suffering and trials.  Why?  Because it brings about character and hope in us, lasting spiritual fruit and maturity.

And character and hope bring us the good stuff - the joy that does not disappoint.

Some of the most precious times I have felt the Lord's Presence the most were in times of suffering.  Remember, He is near to the brokenhearted, to bind up their wounds.

He is near to us in our weaknesses.

He comforts us in our sorrows.

It's not like we need to seek out pain and suffering!  The Lord knows the perfect dosage of suffering to mete out to each of us to bring us into His joy more deeply, awareness of His Presence, so that we grow into His likeness.  Too little, and we get "flabby" and lazy in our growth.  Too much, and we might be tempted to despair or stop trusting God. 

A friend used to say that God has a custom-designed plan for each of us.  So we know that each life is unique in its experience with suffering.

Yet when we share our tales of woe (!), we find that we have more in common with others than we thought.  People relate more to hardship and trials than they do successes and strivings.

That is more true than ever nowadays, living in the age of the pandemic which, by the way, is not over yet and may never be fully eradicated.

So we best get used to the path of suffering and face up to the fact that we are in this for the long haul.

This is hard to comprehend when most of us do everything we can to stay in a life of comfort and ease.  We do whatever it takes to make our lives more comfortable, don't we?  After all, we are not masochists, wanting more pain and suffering.

Yet Jesus promises us that we will know suffering and troubles in this world (see John 16:33).  But the tagline to that verse is, "But take heart!  I have overcome the world!" (exclamation points are my edit)

So bottom line is that we will all come face to face with suffering, in one form or another, during our earthly stay.  We can try to live in denial, but that doesn't really work because our souls know better.  

So the question becomes, how do we handle suffering?  Will we let it debilitate us?  Will we grumble and complain about it?  Will we question God about it?

Or will we see it as the gift that it is.  Yes, gift!  And it is a good gift, friends.

When I think about me, of all people, writing these words, it is a true testament to God's work in my heart, mind, and life.  For I have always preferred good times and fun over suffering.  

Yet He knows the path I take, and when He brings me through all of His various trials and testings for me, He brings me out shining like gold (see Job 23:10-11).

I'd say that's a pretty good deal. Especially when we get to experience God's beautiful, loving, joyful Presence amidst our trials and tribulations.  

This takes getting an eternal perspective.  If we suffer just for suffering's sake, it is senseless.

But when we gain God's perspective of pain, we realize that all of it is momentary, light affliction that works in and for us an eternal weight of glory! (see 2 Corinthians 4:17-18) "No guts, no glory" takes on a whole new meaning for Christians!

It takes guts to suffer well.  It takes guts to remain full of faith when life is not as comfortable as we want.

So whatever your sorrow, trial, or seemingly senseless pain may be today, please know that in Christ, it has tremendous purpose for your gain, good, and growth.

So we persevere knowing that God's ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts vastly higher than our thoughts (see Isaiah 55:8-9).  Knowing this, we have His peace and joy to carry us through.

Oh Lord.  When we are young, everything seems lighthearted and hopeful.  But as we age, we learn that placing our hope in anything or anyone else is futile.  Our hope is not in "good times," or money, or achievements any more.  Our hope is not even in a "better world," for this world is on its way out.  That is not depressing when we are in you, O Lord!  For we look forward to Your perfect, new world for us - the one that You are preparing for those who love You and belong to You.  The world where none of us really earned a right to be there, but where You paved the way for us to receive it, through Your death on the cross, dear Lord.  So in the meantime, please help us bear our trials and suffering with Your grace and understanding until You bring us Home to be with You forever.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.