There’s suffering in this life. It’s just part of the fallen world we live in. As Christians, we suffer because it’s part of becoming like Christ. He suffered.
…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:10-11
Image Credit: Waiting for the Word
A few months ago, I learned about suffering when I had a miscarriage. Five months later, I’m still thinking a lot about it. How it was God-ordained. How God was good through it all, and still is good. I don’t think it was a coincidence that I was studying the book of Job when the miscarriage happened. Job’s example of crying out to God in suffering was comfort to me. He blessed God even though everything he had had been stripped away.
And God allows suffering for our good. His glory and our good. It’s hard. I mean, it’s really hard to see how suffering is good when you’re right in the middle of it. It takes a conscious effort at times to recognise that it’s good.
It also occurred to me that our suffering on this earth is only a moment when put into an eternal perspective. Wow. Although it’s probably not what you want to hear when you’re in the midst of suffering, it’s a truth that you need to keep whispering to yourself.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison… 2 Corinthians 4:17
Ok, I’ll leave you with this video I stumbled across today. It’s a beautiful song that expresses God’s sovereign love through suffering. There’s also a bit from one of John Piper’s messages on suffering in the video. I know it’s a long video, but it’s totally worth the 6 minutes of your time!
Yes, God still knows what He’s doing. Even in the midst of the storm.
