If you were to research what people are trying to learn about online, you would likely find it includes Major League Baseball, weddings, and vacations. But you will also discover that people seek insight about earthquakes, death, heart attacks, and cancer. Even during our happy joyful moments, we often have that uneasy sense that pain and suffering might lurk just around the corner.
God created a perfect place without pain or suffering, but through sin, we live under the curse of a fallen world. That’s terrible news. But great news follows. Through God’s salvation plan, pain and suffering are temporary. “…Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them; they will be his people, and God will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away”. (Revelation 21:3-4 ). Here is a good video that features a short talk about heaven by Pastor Tim Keller (who recently passed away and is now in heaven!)
Keeping Perspective Is Key
How we view suffering will largely depend on our worldview: is this all there is, or does heaven await us? The Apostle Paul was no stranger to beatings and dark, dank prisons. Still, he said, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed.” (Romans 8:18). When we remember that scripture is God-breathed, God himself is telling us to keep suffering in perspective, that there is something so incredible and so beautiful headed our way to make it seem insignificant by comparison. Given the horrendous pain and suffering that some people encounter, heaven is going to be something incredible!
When we hear accounts of someone enduring overwhelming pain, the sufferer often points to the promises of faith; “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14). “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it, we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21). Check out scripture passages related to strength here (audio version included).
Pain With a Purpose?
In John 9:1-3, we learn pain and suffering can have a higher purpose. Jesus’s followers had assumed that all sin was brought on by specific sins of the person suffering (or those of his family), but Jesus taught them differently and said, “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” We think of the example of an elderly woman, in her last week on earth, in pain and confined to a nursing home bed. Her hope and faith amazed her roommate, leading her roommate to God. Millions of souls have been saved by the encouragement of those who suffer while trusting God. Since the days of Christ, evangelism has been most successful in the midst of persecution, not comfort.
Pain and suffering also serve as a test of our faith, and if we’re found lacking, it allows us to repent and change before it is too late. “In this, you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7).
Prayer: Lord, Thank you for the day you give to me. Forgive me for my sins. Help me to understand your purposes regarding pain and suffering. Increase my faith and trust in you so that I may encourage others. Let me find and express joy, even in my pain. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
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