suffering

April 23, 2020April 23, 2020

Seeking God in the Face of Adversity

If you liked this post, say thanks by sharing it.

Each of us can no doubt remember a time before the COVID-19 pandemic. A time when there was no government shutdown and when churches gathered physically. In the face of our struggle against this disease, many aspects of our lives have changed. For many, the stay-at-home order and the resulting inability to gather with the ones we love is difficult. In some ways, this is a type of suffering that is not “normal” for us as Americans.

This hardship we are experiencing has disrupted our usual way of life. We are not able to go and to do the things that we would typically do. We are not able to gather with our friends and family. We are not able to corporately worship, as a body of believers, in the way we are accustomed to gathering. A suffering of this nature is not something that we, as Americans, have much experience with.

A week ago, as I was perusing YouTube, I came across a video by Francis Chan entitled “Message to the Hong Kong Church.” He read from the Psalms, specifically 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” When I heard these words, I stopped cold. It resonated with me and was like a breath of fresh air.

“Be still and know that I am God.” What a powerful statement that is and what a great reminder of Who is in control. I know that there are many different opinions about the things that are happening and how Christians should engage. As I heard these words, they reminded me of Daniel. In Daniel chapter 6, the other high officials who served King Darius deceived him into signing a law that no one could pray to any god but him for 30 days. But God’s faithful servant Daniel did what he always did – the right thing. He defied the order and continued to pray to God

Right now, as we face this hardship together as a body and as we mindfully navigate these perilous times, there are three things we should not neglect to practice. First, we need to “be still” and know that God is on His throne. Second, we need to pray for our leaders at Elim and in the Church throughout the world, and for governmental authorities. And third and finally, we need to follow the example of the prophet Daniel, who made trusting, following and pleasing God the top priority in his life, regardless of the personal cost.

Views – 230

If you liked this post, say thanks by sharing it.

November 1, 2018

God Is Sovereign in Our Suffering

If you liked this post, say thanks by sharing it.

By Bill Naron

God’s sovereignty is very weighty, and at times it can be difficult to rationalize with our emotions and hard to reason within our thoughts. We find that in the good times we can rejoice in the truth of His sovereignty. However, in seasons of suffering, the reality of this truth can be so hard to grasp.

All throughout the Scriptures, we can find references to God’s supremacy. For example, the first verse of the Bible, Genesis 1:1, says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” This speaks to God’s supremacy by showing us He is above and before all things.

Growing up in church, I have heard this concept preached so many times. However, over the last couple of weeks, this has been impressed more heavily upon my soul as something that I have just not grasped fully. It has begun to stir up a passion within me that is difficult to contain. Then, in my morning devotions today, I read the following verse:

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9.

During the sermon on Sunday, a couple of statements really caught my attention. One of them communicated that Rich and Marla knew no matter what the outcome was, God was still God, and He still had a plan and a purpose. The second statement was when Rich described rejoicing when they found out what had caused Marla to collapse originally.

I thought of these statements as I read through this verse from my devotions this morning. I thought about what an inspiration and a blessing it is to be part of a community that has so many stories of people such as Rich and Marla, who came on hard times and yet saw the sovereignty of God in their situations. This is such a great encouragement to the rest of us who have difficulty seeing this.

I have been wrestling with the idea of God’s supremacy in all of life—not just in good times, but in suffering as well. I have had to reflect on difficulties and sufferings that have happened in my own life.

I think about my son who was diagnosed with mild Dandy-Walker variant. This is a very rare condition that affects his cerebellum. While he looks and acts much like any other three-year-old, there are a lot of unknowns for him as he ages. He has overcome so many things already, from struggling with stiff muscles as a baby to balance issues as a toddler. Every milestone he has hit and exceeded what seemed to be the expectation.

As I reflect on this, I see truly the hand of God in my son Jasher’s situation, and I can see how God is glorified. At first the answers came so slowly, and there are still a lot of unknowns, but God is still God. I can see how this experience was used to bring my wife and me closer to our Father. In the storms, when we are at our weakest, when our fear of the unknown has gripped us, when we can’t see how God is present, we do not in the moment always see that there is a plan and a purpose.

The truth of Scripture, though, is that God always has a purpose for the things that happen in our lives. He cares for us, and nothing happens in this world without God knowing about it. God is never caught off guard!

In our suffering, are we going to live in the truth and perspective that God is sovereign? Knowing that God could make it so that we never suffered, are we going to trust that God is God and has a purpose for allowing this suffering to enter our lives?

God’s grace is what is sufficient, and it is not by my own strength that I live this life, but it is because of Him that we live. The purpose for our suffering is that we would grow more satisfied in the person of Jesus. That in our suffering we would choose to surrender to God and choose to say, “God, You are still God, no matter the outcome of my situation.” This is how we glorify our Father in the midst of our suffering: by relying solely on Him.

Views – 187

If you liked this post, say thanks by sharing it.

May 10, 2018

Seasons of Trouble

If you liked this post, say thanks by sharing it.

by Brian Waple

This past Sunday, Martin spoke on a section from the Gospel of Mark, specifically, the Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed. In Mark 4, verses 5–6, we read, “Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died” (Mark 4:5-6, NLT). Later, when the disciples were asking Jesus to explain the meaning of the parable, Jesus replied, “The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word” (Mark 4:16-17).

Problems . . . suffering . . . sorrows . . . troubles. We all go through these seasons. We cry out, “God, where are You in this?” And, God is silent. As a church, we have gone through these seasons. Personally, I have gone through these seasons. “God, please show us what You are doing here. Where are You working? How are we being used in this situation?” And, God is silent. The biggest sorrow is that we start to doubt our hope and lose our joy. We understand that this journey can be a challenge . . . that we must endure the race . . . that we’re being tested and purified through difficulty. We understand all of that. But when the pain we experience causes us to lose sight of the hope and joy that comes from faithfully putting our complete trust in God, when we sense that the impenetrable underlying rock is keeping our roots from getting through, we begin to let the seeds of faith die, little by little. I used to believe that these problems were just things that happened to us. I now understand that these troubles are anything that takes our eyes off God and His promises to us.

I have recently become familiar with Psalm 62, which has given me the assurance that I need to be hopeful in the face of trouble:

I wait quietly before God,
for my victory comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken.

So many enemies against one man—
all of them trying to kill me.
To them I’m just a broken-down wall
or a tottering fence.
They plan to topple me from my high position.
They delight in telling lies about me.
They praise me to my face
but curse me in their hearts.

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:1–8)

It may seem at times that God is silent; that the trouble we experience in this world and the pain it causes are threatening to kill our hope and joy. But take heart—He continues to work on our behalf, because He loves us. Knowing that and living the assurances found in Psalm 62 will give us the refuge we so desperately seek during these seasons of trouble.

Views – 194

If you liked this post, say thanks by sharing it.

August 16, 2012August 16, 2012

If you liked this post, say thanks by sharing it.

By Tomina Sharpe

As I have processed through the news this week of my dear friend Nancy’s worsening cancer, I have really been in turmoil. I know that in light of eternity it is not going to matter to me whether I lived on this earth 1 year or 100 years. The number of years that any of us has on this earth is completely up to God and His sovereign plan. If God chooses now to take Nancy at the young age of 49, I can accept that as His plan, even though it is not what I or anyone else would choose.

What my mind has been in turmoil about and unable to accept has been seeing my friend’s pain and suffering and knowing the pain and suffering that her family is experiencing. Cancer is a horrendous disease that was never God’s intention for anyone to experience. Over the years I have seen this disease in action from afar. It has come closer to home for me recently as I have watched Nancy go through it and as I watched my grandfather die from it in February. Cancer is horrific and the pain goes on and on over long periods of time.

As I was thinking about this today, my mind went to the pain that Jesus suffered on the cross and I questioned for a while whether even Jesus suffered as much as I see those with cancer suffering. Jesus’ pain lasted a matter of days while those with cancer can suffer for years. I felt almost blasphemous even thinking the thought that someone else suffered more than Jesus. But then it hit me. The physical suffering that Jesus went through, while horrible, was nothing compared to the suffering that He went through when he took our sin upon Himself and the Father turned His back on Him.

We measure our life through the lens of time, but I don’t know that Jesus experienced this suffering within the framework of time. I cannot comprehend the suffering that my friend Nancy is going through and I pray I will never experience that suffering myself to understand it. But I know that nobody on this earth has ever experienced anything close to the suffering that Jesus felt on the cross when He took our sin upon Himself and the Father turned His back upon our Savior. This brings me to my knees before my Jesus and I can only weep at the love that He must have for me and for the whole world to willingly endure this.

As I see those around me that have suffering forced upon them through cancer or loss, I have to remember that Jesus didn’t have suffering forced upon Him. He chose it. He chose it out of love. Whatever suffering I may experience on this earth can only serve to remind me of the suffering that He experienced on my behalf. While I would never willingly choose to experience suffering such as my friend Nancy is experiencing, there is one joy that she is experiencing that I never may. She has a much more intimate knowledge of pain and suffering which gives her a deeper knowledge of the love that Jesus had in order to choose to suffer for us, a love so great that our minds will never be able to come close to wrapping around.

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

See from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
LOVE SO AMAZING, SO DIVINE
DEMANDS MY SOUL, MY LIFE, MY ALL

O, the wonderful cross
O, the wonderful cross
Bids me come and die and find
That I may truly live
O, the wonderful cross
O, the wonderful cross
All who gather here by grace
Draw near and bless Your name

Views – 145

If you liked this post, say thanks by sharing it.