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 remind 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 remind 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 | 11:44 AM
2 Comments:
Crazy weird!
I just wrote a small group lesson this morning on suffering and pain...and then there you go posting on the same subject and same passages.
Crazy weird!
dwhite
Here are some more thoughts...
The thing that jumped at me this AM was the idea that Philippians 1:29 indicates that Christ "granted" us, on His very own behalf, the double blessing of belief and suffering.
Grants are blessings. College students apply for grants. Non-profit organizations receive grants. The government system provides grants to things that they deem worthy and necessary. There are multiple reasons and types of grants, but for the most part--grants are blessings. All of this "grant talk" to simply say: it is suppose to be a blessing to suffer, but rarely do we ever want to taste it in that way like Paul describes in Philippians 3. I felt deeply convicted today as I quickly realized that I probably can't pray Philippians 3:10-11 with a deep sincere heart right now. Don't get me wrong, I want to "know Christ" (the beginning of verse 10), but that whole idea of "fellowship of sharing in the sufferings" stuff comes with a bigger price tag on my selfishness.
Other Scripture that helped my suffering perspectives this morning: 1 Peter 2:21-25 and all of chapter 4, Romans 8:18-21.
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