100 Days of HopeSample

Treasures Of Darkness

“The Son of God suffered unto the death not that men might not suffer, but that their suffering might be like His.” - George MacDonald

Much of Scripture is oriented toward the experience of suffering. It has been my own tendency to link personal suffering with correction and discipline. But although these themes are represented in Scripture, there is another more-prevalent connection: that of suffering to blessing. We know that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34) and that those who mourn will be blessed (Matthew 5). But instinctively, too, we understand that seeking suffering for its own sake is neither noble nor even sane. In what way then can riches be stored in suffering?

The wealthy Western traveler marvels to encounter smiles in the developing world that, unattached as they may be to any measure of physical discomfort, are worn with ease and authenticity. We are surprised to find that joy springs from our own hearts in precisely those moments when our sacrifice is the greatest. These situations reveal an elegantly concealed natural law: the act of seeking one’s own happiness is a significant obstruction to experiencing it. It is in those very opposite circumstances, when we give not from our wealth but from our poverty, that we are raised above the tethers of self-sufficiency. In the midst of the unwanted gift of brokenness, we may be graciously set free to realize the total sufficiency of our Father. If we bear our suffering as He did, we participate in His limitless love. There is no treasure in the natural world that can compare with our Lord’s love.

Prayer: Father, thank you for being near to the brokenhearted and for comforting those who mourn. Teach us to surrender to you fully in times of suffering and in times of comfort.