The Christian's Hope in Suffering
(written July 8th by Bryan Roe)
Can you remember a time in your life when you had to wait for something? Perhaps it was for summer to give you relief from all your school work. Or maybe it was for school to save you from the end-of-summer boredom. It could be that you’re presently waiting for something.
Now consider getting food poisoning - I’m sure many of us have been there. You know full recovery will come one day, but until then you have to suffer through it. That’s the kind of waiting that is quite difficult. It can be difficult to be patient in that kind of suffering.
Read James 5:7-12
As we consider our passage today, let’s keep in mind the persecution the early church experienced for their faith. Not only that, they also experienced poverty and other suffering. Now, when we experience suffering, what is often our response to it? Well, we can grumble, or we can take it out on other people. Can you think about how you have responded to suffering in your life? We can so easily give into discouragement, perhaps even depression. We might even be tempted to throw out our convictions to spare ourselves from the suffering.
In today’s passage James teaches us to remember three important truths to help us with our patience and endurance in suffering.
1. God has a purpose in everything (v. 11; 1:2-4)
2. God is compassionate and merciful (v. 11)
3. God will return to bring an end to all our troubles when Christ returns (v. 7)
Let’s consider the first truth first: that God has a purpose in everything. Remember back in chapter 1 when we were told to count it all joy when we experience trials of various kinds (James 1:2). We can do this because we know that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness. So again in chapter 5, we are told to remember God’s purpose and how He is at work in us. He even gives us the example of Job, who experienced great suffering, yet did not turn his back on God (v. 11). We will never know the whole picture, but we can trust that God does, and He has a purpose. Because of this, we can experience great hope in this life.
Though I may suffer for a while,
I have a hope that’s undefiled
I see the part but not the whole,
I know this world is not my home
James also reminds us of God’s compassion and mercy (v. 11). Oftentimes when we find ourselves suffering we struggle to trust in God’s compassion and mercy. We might ask, "Why would a compassionate God allow this?" or "How could God have enough mercy on me to help me out of this mess I’m in?" Friend, remember that “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end…” (Lamentations 3:22). God has not forgotten you. He sees you, and His mercies cannot run out. Remember that “the Lord is compassionate and merciful” (v. 11).
Finally, we are told to be patient until the coming of the Lord (v. 7). No matter how dark and bleak things may appear to be, we know that Christ has overcome and will bring about the end of it all. Those who trust in Him will experience life everlasting with no persecution or suffering of any kind when He comes. Also, consider 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
My question for you today is, what are you filling your mind and heart with? There is much darkness in the world today. We are fooling ourselves if we think we can remain patient and joyful through it all if we are not feasting on what brings us peace and joy. This means we need a steady diet of God's truth. Think about it, if I have nothing but Skittles and Mountain Dew, or if I feast on 75 hotdogs in one sitting (the number Joey Chestnut reached in this year’s contest!), do you think I’m going to be able to run a race with endurance? Or what if I ate nothing but McDonald’s three times a day for a month (yes, someone actually did this)? Or better yet, do you think it'd help me be cheerful if I did nothing but watched the opening scene of Bambi over and over again?
If we want to remain steadfast in trials, we must be filling up on the right stuff. What I’m getting at is that we must regularly spend time in God's word so that we can remind ourselves of His truth. He has a purpose in everything, He is compassionate and merciful, and He is coming again. Fuel your lives with these three truths and then see the fruit of patience and steadfastness as God works in and through you.
There is more to be said about this passage, but I invite you to spend more time studying it for yourself. Perhaps take up the practice of journaling if you haven’t already, and spend time writing out and then praying about your answers to these questions:
1. What does this passage teach me about God?
2. What does this passage teach me about myself?
3. How does this passage teach me about Jesus and what He has done for me?
4. What is this passage calling me to do?