Hi, Grace Chapel Family.

When I came to Christ over 30 years ago, I definitely noticed all the great promises my heavenly Father offered and took him up on it.  These are the promises that are the inheritance of a child of God as stated in Scripture, and I wasn’t wrong to love these very good promises.  I came to Christ because I was hungry, thirsty, and needy.  So in part I came to him not only because I was inspired by the cross, but also because I wanted to experience his goodness, through his provision, for salvation, protection, healing, ministry, home, health for myself, and for those I loved  – one verse that comes to mind that I still love and cling to is Jeremiah 29:11:  For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord – plans to prosper and not to harm you – plans to give you a future, and a hope.

So how does suffering fit into that plan?  Especially as we look all over the world and see so much suffering happen with COVID-19. 

Well, I won’t know that unless I’m willing to take a look at the cross.  When I look at the cross, I see not only the very good promises he made to me – I’m faced with the promise that I made to him.  The promise I made to him not only to live well, but to suffer well.  The promise I made not just to live with and for him, but to die to myself so that I can better reflect him.

Can I be honest with you?  Suffering well hasn’t been easy.  It hasn’t been easy at any point in my life.  I think sometimes I’m suffering well, and then life throws another hard curveball – and I’m faced with my own inability to suffer well. 

I don’t like to suffer.  I don’t like suffering in my life.  I don’t like it in any of the roles I walk in – as a mom of 2, as a wife, daughter, employee – I want as little suffering as possible.

But what God’s word tells me as a believer is not just that I might have suffering – he says I WILL have it.  In fact, he guarantees it.  Jesus said to us from the mount on the hill over 2,000 years ago – ‘In this world you will have trouble’

One place I’ve been really open about sharing my life here at Grace Chapel is my experience as a special needs mom.  I’m so thankful for the community and love that my family has been shown through the SHINE program.  On the other hand, some of the challenges we faced as a family impacted by disability is not that far behind us.  In many ways, diagnosis has become a gift to us – but we’ve also had a fair amount of suffering.  And over time I’ve learned to become grateful not only for the suffering, but for what it’s accomplished in my life. 

Now, I’m just like the rest of you - not always ‘suffering well’ but I am learning how to.  Can I share with you some of the things that have helped me to pin whether or not suffering is accomplishing it’s purpose in my life as a believer?

 How do I know if I’m suffering well?  Here are some checkpoints you may want to

Am I Wrestling?

Gen 32:22-31

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him til daybreak.  When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.  Then the man said, ‘let me go, for it is daybreak’

But Jacob replied, I will not let you go unless you bless me’

The man asked him, what is your name?

Jacob He answered

And then God blesses him.  He walks away with a limp, but after his wrestle with God Jacob gets a new name (Israel), a new ministry, and a new focus in life.

Suffering brings us to wrestling with God – so that we can become more clear about our relationship with him and our ministry to others.

Am I keeping Perspective

John 9: 1-5

Disciples ask Jesus, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?

Jesus replies:  Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him’

Suffering brings us perspective – we learn to seek God for his opinion so that he can weigh in on things that are confusing, disorienting, and not clear to us at first.

 

Is my Compassion growing?

Psalm 119:77   Let you compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight

Psalm 103:13  As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him

Psalm 103:8  the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love

Suffering gives us perspective, and when our circumstances are hard, we want compassion!  While we are longing for compassion for our hard circumstances  – we begin to see more clearly others who are suffering and also need compassion.  

Am I gaining Insight?

Our world is filled with information, resources, gurus, and readily available mentors and leadership who love giving us ‘right answers’.  But what do we do when none of them know what to do?  What do we do in COVID when no one seems to know what to do?

There is Nothing like a tough situation where we don’t have answers - to draw us back into God’s word! 

Scripture has answers for us for all of the questions we are asking right now, and suffering gives us the opportunity to ‘believe’ God and take him at his word.  Here is what he says about it:

 

2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

 

Finally – the last thing I’ve learned about suffering – is to know the difference between suffering – and grief.  And many of us are experiencing grief right now.  This grief is our way of expressing our sorrow over what we’ve lost.  And even Christ displayed his grief on the way to and on the cross, when he cried out – Father, why have you forsaken me?

Know that you have a Father who is familiar not only with suffering, but also with grief.  And that he has shown us that when you are grieving – Grief is the work.  Receiving Grace is the work.  Resting is the work.  In this case, his words direct us not to be busy – but to remember him and to abide in his presence.  For those dear ones of you who are not just struggling, but you are grieving, I want to say that God is compassionate towards you.  He creates space for you.  And His word meets you in your grief.  Here are just a few of his thoughts towards you:

Psalm 56:8  You Keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book.

Psalm 46:10 Be Still and Know that I am God

Lamentations 3:23  His Mercies are New Every Morning

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8   Remember that there is a Season for everything

 

Praying for you, and for all of us, in whatever season or circumstance you find yourself in.