Embracing Suffering
God moved so steadily throughout 2016 that I could barely keep up with Him. I had three full journals for that year alone. Pages and pages of threads of hope, fresh insight to soak up, seeds going down deep into the prepared soil of my heart. And I had finally started praying the scary prayers. The ones over a baby not yet seen with my eyes, but held in my heart.
In July, a friend shared a sermon from Francis Chan titled “Meet the Jesus Who Challenges” and a perspective on suffering was taught that rocked my world. I grabbed a pen and started writing the words that would change my prayers about the pain of infertility. The following is portions of that message mixed with my own thoughts as I processed.
The Chinese underground church is based on five pillars:
Prayer
God's Word
Commitment to the spread of the Good News
Regular expectation of miracles
Embracing suffering for the glory of Christ
These courageous people have the mindset that suffering leads to eternal reward.
They called the apostles back in. After giving them a thorough whipping, they warned them not to speak in Jesus’ name and sent them off. The apostles went out of the High Council overjoyed because they had been given the honor of being dishonored on account of the Name. (Acts 5:41-42 MSG)
After the disciples had been beaten, they left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering for the name of Jesus.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)
Jesus talked about expecting suffering and division.
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude... (1 Peter 4:1a)
We need to arm ourselves and the church with the same mentality so we're not destroyed when hardship or persecution comes.
Jesus essentially told us: "I didn't come down to earth for people to bow down and worship me. I came to serve and give my life as a ransom for many and be crucified. Now you: arm yourself with the same way of thinking. Don't expect for people to honor and serve you. Come into all situations with the mindset to serve others and give your life for them."
If you are always aware of the fact that you will suffer, you're no longer surprised when it happens.
1 Peter 4:7 says "be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray." God wants us to know Him. So much of your prayer life and the quality of your prayers will be determined by what you do to prepare. We have to get our minds clear and focused on Him.
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)
This is a verse to memorize! If you are surprised, you've been buying into bad theology. Be prepared to suffer. Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering. Verse 13 continues, "But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed."
The Passion Translation reads: "Instead, continue to rejoice, for you, in a measure, have shared in the sufferings of the Anointed One so that you can share in the revelation of his glory and celebrate with even greater gladness!"
Who says "Rejoice!" when you're going through a trial? This is so uncommon because it's telling of our mindset toward suffering. Our word to a brother or sister who is suffering should be this: "What a reward you will have in heaven because of this time."
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Peter 4:14)
Oh that we would have this impression about those who are suffering. They are blessed. The Spirit of glory and of God rests on them.
We use the word "blessed" incorrectly. We think it applies to days where everything is going according to plan. Everything in its place and God's favor is abundant. But here we see, there is blessing in suffering. There is something eternal coming to you, and not only that, the Spirit of God and His glory rests on you.
Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1 Peter 4:19)
en·trust / ənˈtrəst / verb
to give someone the responsibility of doing something or caring for
to give total confidence to
to give authority to
In times of suffering, we can have total confidence in a Creator who cares for our souls and we can therefore, continue to do good. Your soul will live beyond this hard moment, these crushing days. And the God who created you for eternity is in control with all authority even now.
Jesus came to earth to live and die and suffer for us. It was worth it for Him and it will be worth it for us, to take on this mindset of suffering and entrusting. If we want to follow Jesus, it will be a life of suffering. With sin, with affliction, with hardship, with sickness, with insults and persecution... suffering will come.
In order to overcome, in order to see God's great glory in your situation, we must embrace suffering. When we do that, we'll be unstoppable. We will know blessing because we haven't run from suffering.
Ask God to give you such an assurance of the future and confidence in Him, that you want to suffer for His glory. This thinking goes against everything we've been taught about blessing.
Taking all this in, these prayers began to overflow from my heart to my hand: Lord give me the courage, power, love and a sound mind—not to run from suffering. Help me to embrace it and learn to rejoice and encourage others to rejoice in their own sufferings. Help me to be so aware of eternity that my desires imitate those of Christ, who came to suffer and told me to expect the same.
Lord I love the reassurance of verse 19: that You are a faithful Creator and that any suffering I encounter on this side of heaven is part of Your master plan for me. I may experience blessing here on earth, but even ultimately, in your appointed time, just as Christ suffered and entered into glory, so all people after suffering will participate in His future glory.
Thank you for the opportunity to suffer through the pain of infertility so that You will be glorified and I can receive blessing. A blessing far greater than the answer of a child, but eternal reward is being stored up for me.
As I suffer through the pain of an empty womb and continue to place my confidence in You, I am filling up my eternal storehouse with a reward far greater.
An empty womb on earth = a full storehouse in heaven!
Moreover, help me to rejoice in this time of suffering so that I may be overjoyed when your glory is revealed. Literally, let Your praise be on my lips as I share what I'm going through with listening ears. Let confidence in Your plan be evident in my speech and demeanor. Just like it was with Hannah's countenance.
Replace feelings of frustration, doubt, and worry with the correct feelings of trust, confidence, and expectation. Thank You for placing the reminder on my arm to expect miracles. I can continue doing good because my soul is entrusted to my faithful Creator and I am walking in Your will.