Purpose in Suffering
In his letters to the first-century churches, the apostle Paul was not timid in his instruction or correction. He liberally offered advice, judgment, and insight on corporate and individual matters. Paul instructed on proper behavior and function of the church, the believer’s attitude and conduct, the blessed and eternal hope through Christ, and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to be more than a conqueror through Christ. He toiled tirelessly, passionately spreading the all-encompassing good news of the gospel as he received it from Jesus (Acts 20:24, 1 Cor. 11:23).
Paul not only received the revelation of the gospel, but his message was also validated by his faithful living and ministry despite great suffering. It is hard to receive an admonition to endure through suffering if the messenger has never suffered. But Paul, who characterized human suffering as “light, momentary troubles,” was no stranger to hardship (2 Cor. 4:17). To the Corinthian church, Paul summarized the earthly suffering he encountered throughout his ministry.
I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 2 Corinthians 11:23b-27 (NIV)
I feel like I have emerged from a season of suffering. My body let me down again, so I elected to end the chronic, nagging pain by submitting to the pain of surgery and recovery. The process, however, was not nearly as expedient or predictable as I was led to believe. Instead, intense pain, weakness, and overall misery lingered far too long and required strong medication to mitigate. It certainly did not feel like “light, momentary trouble.”
Knowing that Paul suffered causes me to value his insight. This same Paul, who went from one hardship to the next, whose suffering far exceeds my own, was speaking of himself and his ministry companions when he said,
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor. 4:16-18, NIV)
Paul’s suffering had purpose. His trials achieved something that comfort could not. In the unseen world, eternal glory was being stockpiled as Paul remained constant in obedience and faithfully on mission. Paul’s suffering brought glory to God as he disregarded his personal ease and instead chose to pour his life out for the sake of spreading the gospel (Phil. 2:17).
All of us are outwardly wasting away, whether or not bodily suffering has made us acutely aware of it. Our bodies are temporary and subject to decline and death. The variable is what our earthly troubles are achieving for us. Are we, like Paul, willing to focus our eyes, attention, and effort on that which is eternal?
Through the “all-surpassing power” of God, we can be “renewed day by day” in our spirit, no matter what our natural circumstances may be (2 Cor. 4:7, 16). Today, I urge you to experience this renewal of your spirit by opening your heart to Jesus as your Savior, and as the Shepherd, Leader, and Keeper of your life. Better than gritting our teeth or shaking our fists at earthly suffering, let us allow the power of God to work something eternal, something of value and worth from it. I pray that your faith is built today and your hope is renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit to a wonderful expectation of an eternal weight of glory that somehow, gloriously outweighs all of our suffering.