LENT: To share in his suffering
Every time I try to articulate my perspective on suffering I get stuck.
On one hand, I know that my hardships and afflictions are relatively insignificant compared to what I see around me; much less what I am aware of around the world. On the other hand, I cannot deny that I get sick, stretched, slandered, and snubbed. Privileged as they are, I feel burdened by my circumstances and frustrated with my struggle against sin. It’s dishonest to say I don’t suffer, isn’t it?
I get stuck because something doesn’t feel right about this dilemma. It assumes that suffering is a bad thing. I don’t want to say it’s a bad thing because my salvation was accomplished through Jesus’ suffering, and if there ever was a “bad” suffering it would have been that the pure and innocent Son of God was beaten and hung on a cross. I’m not glad he suffered, but I am thankful. I can’t say I wish it hadn’t happened.
Some preach that Jesus suffered so we wouldn’t have to, but everyone suffers in a fallen world. It’s more than physical hardship. It’s also emotional pain, relational woes, soul unrest, and spiritual attack. This is why the poorest man can also be the happiest. The point is that Jesus suffered, not to preclude us from suffering, but to give meaning to it.
Whether we are talking about the common hardships of life – the seemingly random and inexplicable things – or the more acute hardships in life – terminal illness, disaster, severe spiritual attack, etc. – we can embrace and even rejoice in suffering because we know that it produces perseverance, character and hope (Romans 5:3).
It might be fair to say that we are justified by Christ’s suffering and sanctified by ours. In this way we are reminded that suffering is not merely a setback to our agendas, but rather a reorientation to the agenda of God to form the character of Christ in us.
In other words, the same hardship could be good or bad depending on your goal. Those who have their minds set on earthly things are, in Paul’s words, “enemies of the cross of Christ … But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:18-21).
Earlier in this passage Paul says he wants “to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.” That’s why the phrase “enemies of the cross of Christ” is so poignant. It indicates that those who spurn suffering and make their primary aim comfort, success, and pleasure are at odds with the cross of Christ, the very symbol of his suffering. To shun our suffering is to shun his. To embrace his suffering is to embrace our own.
I realize I have left a lot unsaid here. So poke the holes and fill in the gaps with your comments.
SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Peter 4 (and Philippians 3 for more context to the verses quoted in this post)
On one hand, I know that my hardships and afflictions are relatively insignificant compared to what I see around me; much less what I am aware of around the world. On the other hand, I cannot deny that I get sick, stretched, slandered, and snubbed. Privileged as they are, I feel burdened by my circumstances and frustrated with my struggle against sin. It’s dishonest to say I don’t suffer, isn’t it?
I get stuck because something doesn’t feel right about this dilemma. It assumes that suffering is a bad thing. I don’t want to say it’s a bad thing because my salvation was accomplished through Jesus’ suffering, and if there ever was a “bad” suffering it would have been that the pure and innocent Son of God was beaten and hung on a cross. I’m not glad he suffered, but I am thankful. I can’t say I wish it hadn’t happened.
Some preach that Jesus suffered so we wouldn’t have to, but everyone suffers in a fallen world. It’s more than physical hardship. It’s also emotional pain, relational woes, soul unrest, and spiritual attack. This is why the poorest man can also be the happiest. The point is that Jesus suffered, not to preclude us from suffering, but to give meaning to it.
Whether we are talking about the common hardships of life – the seemingly random and inexplicable things – or the more acute hardships in life – terminal illness, disaster, severe spiritual attack, etc. – we can embrace and even rejoice in suffering because we know that it produces perseverance, character and hope (Romans 5:3).
It might be fair to say that we are justified by Christ’s suffering and sanctified by ours. In this way we are reminded that suffering is not merely a setback to our agendas, but rather a reorientation to the agenda of God to form the character of Christ in us.
In other words, the same hardship could be good or bad depending on your goal. Those who have their minds set on earthly things are, in Paul’s words, “enemies of the cross of Christ … But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:18-21).
Earlier in this passage Paul says he wants “to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.” That’s why the phrase “enemies of the cross of Christ” is so poignant. It indicates that those who spurn suffering and make their primary aim comfort, success, and pleasure are at odds with the cross of Christ, the very symbol of his suffering. To shun our suffering is to shun his. To embrace his suffering is to embrace our own.
I realize I have left a lot unsaid here. So poke the holes and fill in the gaps with your comments.
SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Peter 4 (and Philippians 3 for more context to the verses quoted in this post)
posted by Will | 12:51 PM
3 Comments:
I have been wondering lately about times when God seems silent, specifically when suffering. Would you say that God is not silent, but we are looking at our suffering the wrong way?
Or can God ever be silent?
Is this a different way of suffering?
I am interested in your thoughts
Jeff, I am not ignoring your question ... just busy the last couple of days, and typing is not my favorite activity since I am without use of my right middle finger (tendon injury). But, I will get to this soon. It's a good question. Thanks for jumping into the conversation!
Will
The Christian approach to suffering is a hard concept to keep straight in my heart and in my head.
I think that one way to look at it is that the more our joy is focused on Christ and his kingdom, the less we actually suffer in our hardships. Suffering seems to always be measured in relation to something else we favor more. We suffer from thirst because we would find more pleasure in having a drink and being satisfied. We suffer from persecution because we would rather be liked by the people around us...and so on.
When my only pleasure is found in knowing Christ, being loved by him, and participating in the advancement of his kingdom (all of which cannot be taken away from me, see Romans 8:28-39), then the hardships that I experience along the way become less hard. Maybe this is what drove the apostles in Acts 5:41 to "[leave] the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name" after being flogged.
I see this truth working in me to a degree, and yet not completely. When I first began following Christ, I could hardly imagine giving up being drunk on the weekends, but it didn't take long until honoring Christ with my behavior and being a witness to my friends actually became more appealing than a six-pack to me.
That was a very small step and I have a lot of big ones to go. I still find myself desiring the approval and social acceptance of those around me over being bold and suffering disgrace for the Name.
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