Our national women’s ministry team is putting together the finishing touches on our upcoming annual Leadership Conference. This year’s conference theme is suffering. Our goal is to provide women the Biblical tools to understand their own suffering so that they can in turn minister to other women who suffer.
When it comes to suffering, we need a solid Biblical foundation on which to stand.
Our family lived in Florida for many years and whenever I took my boys to the beach, they would build a tower out of sand and create tunnels through that tower for water to run through. Then they’d wait for the tide to come back in and watch what happens. At first, the water just flowed in and around the construction. But then the strong waves started to come in and their tower fell apart.
A Foundation of Sand
You may be familiar with the children’s praise song, "The Wise Man Built his House Upon a Rock," based on the passage in Matthew 7 where Jesus compares obeying his words to building on rock rather than sand. It makes sense: don't build a house on sand because it isn't stable. All it takes is one strong wave to knock down any construction.
But how often do we build our faith on sand? How often do we rest in teachings, beliefs, and even emotions that shift as easily as the sand with the rising tide? How often do we believe things about suffering that aren’t based on Scripture?
Our faith needs to stand on something more real and solid than what we wish and desire to happen. It needs to rest on something more constant than the latest fads of culture. It needs to to grounded in something firmer than false teachings that promise what can’t be delivered.
It needs to stand on the word of God.
When it comes to suffering, if we build our theology on anything other than God’s word, when the inevitable storms of life roll over us, we’ll sink beneath its waves. Too many believe false doctrines such as “God doesn’t want us to suffer. We just need to believe, claim promises, and expect God to change our circumstances.” Or “Your suffering is punishment for something you’ve done. Repent of that sin and it will go away.” Or “You just need to try harder and work harder.”
Because what happens when we do those things and the suffering doesn’t go away? No matter how much we pray and read the Bible, the depression looms large. Or no matter how many promises we claim, the cancer resists treatment. Or our prodigal still defies Christ. Or we lose the house to bankruptcy.
What do we do then?
Build on God’s Word
If you’ve ever read the book of Job, you know that suffering doesn’t follow some kind of “if then” formula. After Job lost everything, including each of his children, his friends assumed that he must have done something wrong to warrant punishment. They spent many chapters trying to get him to fess up to what he had done. Job’s friends lived in a world that believed if you do the right thing, you’ll be blessed; if you do the wrong thing, you’ll be punished. But we know from the introduction to the book of Job that he was a righteous and faithful man. His suffering had nothing to do with punishment for sin. His was innocent suffering.
The Bible teaches us to expect suffering (1 Peter 4:12). It is part of life in a fallen world. And for believers, suffering is inherent to our union with Christ. (Romans 8:17, Colossians 1:24, 2 Corinthians 1:5).
The Bible also teaches us that the suffering we experience can serve multiple purposes. God might use it for our discipline (Heb. 12:7). It serves to bring God glory (John 9:3). It is used to make us holy (Romans 5:4-6). Suffering often pushes us to rely and depend upon God rather than ourselves (2 Corinthians 12:9). Sometimes, we never know the exact purpose for our sufferings (Job never knew that back story we all know). But it is always used for our good (Romans 8:28).
The truth is, we might never see an end to our suffering in this life. Suffering may be in our story until the final page. But even in that suffering, we have hope and peace.
As Jesus said, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Our peace comes not because our life is problem free but because we are united with Christ. In fact, he doesn't promise a tear-free life. He doesn't say that if we follow him, life will be smooth sailing and all our dreams will come true. Rather, he says we will face heartache in this world. But he also calls us to look at the big picture: He has overcome the world. Christ has faced the worst suffering for us—sin and death—and overcome it. He redeemed us. He is our salvation. We are his and he is ours. And because of him, we have hope forever in eternity.
For some of us, we will live a life of suffering. We may always struggle with chronic pain, grief, or struggle to make ends meet. We may never be free of sorrow or conflict or struggle. If we face that suffering while standing on sand, we will be pulled under. Instead, we need to stand on solid ground. We need to understand our suffering in light of what God’s word teaches. And we need to keep our gazed fixed on the One who first suffered for us so that one day, our suffering will be no more.
. My copy is filled with underlining in various colored pens, asterisks marked off to the side, and even folded down pages. These letters were like a pastor’s blog of our day. Newton would pen responses to parishioner’s questions. Often these letters were passed around for the rest of the congregation to read (perhaps not unlike that “share” button on social media). I guess what I love about them is the pastoral tone, the gentleness with which he wrote. I appreciate his understanding of people’s struggles, their questions, and their doubts. Perhaps such compassion grew out of his own experiences of coming to faith—of knowing his desperate need for God’s grace. Like Jesus said of the woman who wiped his feet with her hair, “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:47).
