You Are Not Alone.Намуна

Day Two: Suffering Well

“Well, how am I supposed to do that? That’s a pretty stupid title.”

I don’t know what you’re specifically going through, or how it feels, but I do know what it’s like to suffer. Oh, you don’t believe me? In the matter of 3 months, not too long ago, my grandma passed away in an unexpected and gruesomely traumatic way, then, not too long after that, I found out that one of my friends had passed—weeks after he passed—via a text message, and then that same week I was notified that a beloved lover of the Lord from my old church passed away unexpectedly and was found in a closet. Meanwhile, my car was stolen from right in front of my apartment building, all while I was dealing with a nagging and embarassingly visible skin issue, and in the midst of continual familial drama that never should’ve happened in the first place... all in the matter of 3 months. So yeah, I don’t know what you’re going through, but I do know what it’s like to suffer. My suffering matters to God and so does yours.

“Well, then, what does it mean to suffer well?”

I believe that to suffer well means to acknowledge God’s goodness in the midst of all your troubles—both privately and publicly—while choosing to seek first the Kingdom of God above all else—even when you don’t feel like it—and choosing daily to put on the joy of the Lord to be your strength—even when you feel like you have none. To choose to praise before the breakthrough, as if it has already occurred.

Suffering is inevitable... but you can’t suffer well without Him. You're not that strong on your own. You need Him to suffer well. Invite the Righteous Suffering Servant who faced all of the same testing we do (yet without sin) to suffer well with you. He loves you more than you will ever know.

"Well, why do I need to suffer anyway?”

While we don’t have enough time to deep dive into the depths of this very important topic, I’ll try to sum it up in short: we live in a fallen world. We are unfortunately susceptible to our sinful nature (which is not an excuse to sin), the sin of others, and the realities of living in a fallen and sinful world. Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people. It is what it is. God sends rain on the just and unjust alike. In my flawed and imperfect mind, I can't comprehend it. But I do know that if I’m in Christ, which I am, that He will without a doubt, guaranteed, take it to the bank and cash that check. It won't return void—God causes everything to work together for my good, because I love Him, and because I’m called according to His purpose for me. If you are in Christ, then that applies to you as well.

"But what if that doesn't include me?”

Well, let me ask you this: are you in Christ? If you are in Christ, you are included. If you’re not in Christ, you can be included. Drop to your knees right now and freely, willingly, surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ -- the One who died on the cross for all your sin—that sin too, yes, that one—the One who rose from the dead, the One who ascended on high and is seated in Heavenly Glory at the right hand of God the Father—that One—surrender your life to Him. If you don’t, I can’t guarantee you that it’ll all work out. In fact, if you don’t surrender your life to Christ, He won’t even guarantee that it’ll all work out. However, if you surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ... His Word is true, you can be guaranteed that God will work all things, yes that thing too, together for your good, and all for His glory. You can take that truth check to the bank. It’ll hit your account in God’s perfect timing. His way is better. Oh, you better believe it.

Scripture reading:

• Romans 8:28
• Psalm 34:8
• Psalm 136:1 - 26
• 1 Chronicles 16:34
• Romans 5:3 - 6
• 1 Corinthians 13:13
• Isaiah 52:13 - 15
• Isaiah 53:12