Pastor's Corner: Our suffering hope

From The Rev. Joshua W. Seymour

This past July through the first half of August has been an interesting one to say the least, I had a month of severe pain before needing surgery to repair what was causing it. Throughout the time of pain and suffering many times we prayed that God would heal me, but He chose to allow me to suffer for a while before healing me through surgery.

I am not the only one who has been experiencing suffering however, the last few weeks and months have been excruciating for us as a Church and community of faith, as well as for those all over this world we live in. As we look at America we see a country no longer honoring God with their trust. Hell bent on doing whatever they want to do without consequences. People are killing Christians on the world’s biggest stage and Christians are leaving the faith because persecution and suffering are coming to their front door.

Why is suffering allowed by God? What hope is there in suffering? As Christians how do we respond to it? What do we do when suffering knocks on the door and calls us out to face it? There is a common idea in some circles of the faith that those who are in Christ will never face suffering and pain. That is heresy! Paul himself faced pain and suffering and prayed three times that God would remove it but God decided not to do. He decided to give him grace instead (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). Sometimes we forget that even God incarnate Jesus Christ suffered and died, and then rose again! Isaiah 53:3, 10:3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.

Suffering in the life of Jesus was the greatest suffering ever experienced, and it was the only way for us to be forgiven. Jesus had to do battle on the devil’s playground of suffering and pain to gain the victory necessary to provide freedom. You see, sin brought pain and suffering, but God redeems alll things. We know that God incarnate suffered, what makes us think we are exempt or that we have a special potion to get us out of it?

In 1 Peter 2:21-24, the Apostle Peter tells us that we are called to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, in Romans 5:1-8 the Apostle Paul tells us that suffering is necessary because it produces in those who believe a perseverance, a character, and ultimately a hope. He tells us a few chapters later in Romans 8:14-25 that the sufferings we face are not worth comparing to the glory revealed in us because of Jesus Christ. Suffering produces something extravagant in the hearts and lives of those who face it with eyes fixed on Christ.

Paul expounds about suffering even more in 2 Corinthians 4:7-18. He tells us that in our sufferings we identify with Christ, and we find ourselves in position to be witnesses set on fire by the hope of God. Our Suffering Hope is that in our suffering, hope arises and although this world may destroy our mortal bodies we stand in hope of the forever recognizing that the Word that never fails will forever sustain us. Our hope continues to shine for our God is always causing His marvelous light to shine forth in and through us! May we respond to suffering a way that reveals the hope of Jesus Christ in us and through us.