Suffering

In my last devotional, I wrote about the medical challenges I have had in my family, particularly with my wife and daughter. As we have gone through these trials, I started pondering about suffering. Theresa of Avila once said, “In the light of heaven, the worse suffering on earth will seem to be no more than one night in an inconvenient hotel.”

For Christians, perspective is everything. God sees the past, the present, and the future. Though God knows everything that happens, he lives outside of time and sees the end from the beginning. We Christians only see what affects us now. God, in his kind obeisance, allows or causes things to happen to us that may be difficult or painful because he sees things from an eternal perspective. Therefore, God allows suffering to bring about our highest possible good. Romans 8:28 ESV says, And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Now, it does not say all things are good, but they work together for our good. We live in a fallen world, and evil exists, and Christians are not exempt from it. Yet God can take those painful things and, in this life or the life to come, work them for our ultimate good. Remember, in heaven, every wrong will be made right.

In Romans, the Apostle Paul reveals his perspective on suffering. Paul suffered more than most Christians, yet those sufferings could not compare with the glory he would experience in heaven. My dear brothers and sisters who may be going through various types of trials and tribulations, keep your eyes on the prize: the Lord Jesus and all his glory. It may be short-term pain now, but if we keep the right perspective, it will lead to long-term gain.

As the saying goes. God never promised us a rose garden. But if we keep our eyes on
Christ, he can turn those thorns into roses.