The Christian Approach to Suffering
The Bible does not teach that as long as you have enough faith you can live a life of health, wealth, and prosperity. If that was true, I guess Jesus, Peter, Paul, and the other Christian leaders in the first century didn't have enough faith, because their lives were filled with hardship and suffering! Instead, the Bible teaches that suffering is a universal human experience for both the righteous and the unrighteous.
But the Christian response to suffering is very unique. The apostle Paul exemplifies it in Philippians 1:20. Paul is in jail for preaching about Christ. Already that's proof that devotion to Jesus doesn't lead to prosperity, or Paul would be in a palace rather than a prison. And Paul says clearly that his deepest desire is to honor Christ. His deepest desire is not to get out of prison. His deepest desire is not that people would come and visit him and cheer him up. His deepest desire is not to avoid execution. His deepest desire is that he would have the courage necessary to honor Christ, whether by life or death.
That's the Christian response to suffering. The Christian's primary focus in times of difficulty is to honor Christ, whether things get better or worse. Our primary focus is not relief, rescue, escape, or healing. Our primary focus is to honor Christ no matter what happens.
If we are facing cancer, our primary focus is not survival, but to honor Christ. If we face unemployment, our primary focus is not finding a new job, but to honor Christ. If we face failure and rejection, our primary focus is not to point the finger or fix the problem, but to honor Christ. If we face loneliness, our primary focus is not to find companionship, but to honor Christ. If we face peer pressure, our primary focus is not to be accepted, but to honor Christ. If we face persecution, our primary focus is not to fight for religious freedom, but to honor Christ. When people hurt us, our primary focus is not to protect ourselves, but to honor Christ. If we face depression, our primary focus is not to find happiness, but to honor Christ. When our loved ones die, our primary focus is not to mourn, but to honor Christ.
Hardship and suffering will come. If you are not facing difficulty right now, just wait. It'll come. Just remember. Everybody faces hardship, no matter how much faith they possess. But what sets Christians apart is how we approach suffering. Our main goal is not deliverance, but to honor the Deliverer. And while it may not be His will to deliver us from our present hardship, He has already delivered us from sin, Satan, and death. And when we die we will wake up in His presence and be delivered from all suffering for the rest of eternity.
That's the Christian response to suffering. The Christian's primary focus in times of difficulty is to honor Christ, whether things get better or worse. Our primary focus is not relief, rescue, escape, or healing. Our primary focus is to honor Christ no matter what happens.
If we are facing cancer, our primary focus is not survival, but to honor Christ. If we face unemployment, our primary focus is not finding a new job, but to honor Christ. If we face failure and rejection, our primary focus is not to point the finger or fix the problem, but to honor Christ. If we face loneliness, our primary focus is not to find companionship, but to honor Christ. If we face peer pressure, our primary focus is not to be accepted, but to honor Christ. If we face persecution, our primary focus is not to fight for religious freedom, but to honor Christ. When people hurt us, our primary focus is not to protect ourselves, but to honor Christ. If we face depression, our primary focus is not to find happiness, but to honor Christ. When our loved ones die, our primary focus is not to mourn, but to honor Christ.
Hardship and suffering will come. If you are not facing difficulty right now, just wait. It'll come. Just remember. Everybody faces hardship, no matter how much faith they possess. But what sets Christians apart is how we approach suffering. Our main goal is not deliverance, but to honor the Deliverer. And while it may not be His will to deliver us from our present hardship, He has already delivered us from sin, Satan, and death. And when we die we will wake up in His presence and be delivered from all suffering for the rest of eternity.
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