Joy in suffering?
November 18th, 2009 by Sara Verwymeren“Consider it pure joy my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James really knew how to sock it to you.
This scripture was read out loud this morning during a time of prayer and worship at our base. I have not felt more singled out by a reading than I did this morning, hearing these words that were encouraging us as staff here in Townsville.
I knew that when I chose to be a “missionary”, it meant leaving a lot behind. I knew it would be hard to leave family, I knew it would be hard to leave holidays and seasons and I knew I’d have to leave a life of comforts.
But when the going gets tough, I throw all those things back in the lap of God and say, “Isn’t this enough? What more do you want from me?” He gently takes those things off is lap, invites me to climb up and says, “Everything.”
Sheesh.
I read that scripture above and find no room in my heart at the moment to include joy in the list of things I feel. I am tired, weary, broken, frustrated and don’t know how it’s at all possible for joy to meet me.
I can’t say that I wasn’t warned. In fact, at times that seems to be all the Gospels are. A list of warnings for the new followers of Christ. The apostles sugarcoated nothing – they were explicit with new believers, making sure they were fully aware of what they were walking in to.
In one of Paul’s letters, he states this. “For you have not only been given the privilege to trust in Christ, but also the privilege of suffering for Him.” Isn’t that crazy??? When times are tough, when we’re suffering, the last thing we feel like is it’s a privilege.
But this is what makes my heart break:
Paul goes on to say that “even though Christ was God, he did not demand or cling to his rights as God. Instead, he made himself nothing, humbling himself even further to die a criminal’s death on the cross.”
He did not demand.
And that’s all I do! I demand the things back that I have sacrificed. I demand that God meets me on my time, demand that my needs are met and only in ways that I can understand.
I have no idea of what suffering truly is. But even still, He meets me in my grief, walks alongside me in my disappointment of even Him, and carries me when I can’t go on.
I don’t know about you, but that sounds like the kind of friend I want to keep around for good. So though I face this, I am going to try and consider it pure joy, merely for the fact that through it all, He’s with me.