For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (New International Version)
The reality of this life, for every one of us, is that we will suffer in some way. It’s not a matter of if we will suffer, but when and why. What’s more, my suffering is really not about me; it’s about him.
Therefore, let’s ensure that when the suffering comes, we know why – that it isn’t because of our own stupidity and poor choices, but because we are in solidarity with the One who suffered on our behalf and are living for him.
And in the midst of such suffering, let’s make sure that we face it and deal with it according to the example of Christ. Let’s imitate him.
Let’s also be honest from the start: We don’t like pain and suffering, and we often spend an inordinate amount of time and energy trying to avoid pain.
Yet, in reality, our own suffering weans us away from the temporal things we tend to find consolation in, and drives us to the permanent source of comfort, strength, help, and encouragement. Our consolation is ultimately found solely in him.
When the athlete goes into the weight-room, they purposely go there to suffer. There is grunting and straining and difficulty. There is a tearing-down of muscle fibers. There is pain.
That’s because strength-training needs commitment which suffers, and the pain that comes with growth. One cannot simply go into a weight-room, sit and watch other people lift weights, and believe they will then get in shape by only observing.
God will put us in unwanted circumstances we did not ask for, and would not choose for ourselves, in order to position us to know him, to know Jesus.
There are things in our lives that need to experience the suffering of death, in order for new life and growth to occur. For example, fire is an important part of Yellowstone National Park, because it brings environmental growth. According to ecology experts:
“Fire promotes habitat diversity by removing the forest overstory, allowing different plant communities to become established, and preventing trees from becoming established in grassland. Fire increases the rate that nutrients become available to plants by rapidly releasing them from wood and forest litter and by hastening the weathering of soil minerals.”
Concerning Christianity: Suffering is a necessary part of the Christian life because it creates the conditions for new life and growth and releases fresh sources of God’s grace into the church and world.
We are to put to death anger, rage, malice, slander, lying, and useless language. They are to be replaced with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, forgiveness, and love. (Colossians 3:7-14)
More pointedly: Quit fighting against your suffering. Stop kicking and screaming long enough to look your suffering square in the face and learn from it.
Your suffering is trying to tell you something. But if you keep taking the stance of a pugilist trying to punch the pain away, suffering will just keep moving forward at you and never topple.
You and I cannot beat suffering. We can only learn from it. In order to learn from it, we must embrace it.
So, here’s the counter-intuitive, counter-cultural practice that you might not like, and might think I’m off my rocker for suggesting: Submit to suffering. Yes, because in doing so you are submitting to him.
Don’t hear what I’m not saying. I am, in no way, trying to sanitize troubles, adverse circumstances, or even terrible trauma. Evil is evil, bad is bad, and no amount of saying otherwise will change the leopard’s spots.
However, only through submitting to the process of what suffering teaches us will we ever have power over it.
Fighting against suffering is about as useful as taking on a bear. Bears, like suffering, can be dangerous. We don’t blame bears if they act like bears. Likewise, we ought not to be surprised when suffering hurts.
I suggest we treat suffering like facing a bear in the wilderness of trouble:
- Calmly talk in low tones to your suffering. Speak to it. Remember who you are. You belong to God. Treat suffering as if it is curious about you. Stay calm. Doing the big freak-out only encourages suffering to do damage.
- Walk with others through suffering. Both yours and theirs. Christian community is one of the best practices of the Christian life. Suffering becomes connection within a community of persons who discern its purpose.
- Keep your eye on suffering. Don’t ignore it, or pretend it isn’t there. Don’t run. Face suffering. Keep it in front of you. It will pass, but you must be patient and calm. Once it is gone, then you can reflect on what happened and debrief with others about the experience.
For anything to change, we must stop something, and start something else. When it comes to suffering:
- Stop fighting. Start accepting.
- Stop going it alone. Start living in vital and vulnerable community.
- Stop being a martyr. Start letting the martyrdom of Christ be your center of life.
- Stop talking. Start listening.
- Stop treating your suffering as an adversary. Start relating to suffering as a companion to learn from.
Lord Jesus Christ, by your patience in suffering you hallowed earthly pain, and gave us the example of obedience to your Father’s will. Be near me in my time of weakness and pain. Sustain me by your grace, so that my strength and courage may not fail. Heal me according to you will. And help me always to believe that what happens to me here in this life is of little account, if you hold me in eternal life, my Lord and my God. Amen.
Rev. Tim Ehrhardt 