I think there is an interesting and important aspect of suffering that God’s people need to understand. The suffering that we endure most always seems to be just unwelcome, unproductive, meaningless pain and discomfort. This suffering takes on so many forms. Let me just list a few of these items so that we can hopefully be on the same page.
There is the financial stress that visits nearly all of us at one time or the other; there are the health issues that come altogether too often whether caused by accident, age or illness; there are the family issues caused by rebellion, clash of values or many other disorders; there is the dissent that comes in our relationships and then there is the disquietude of just living in a wicked world.
There are a few different ways that I see these things being handled. One common way is to moan and look for sympathy. I also see the occasional super-hero who attempts to just apply denial. It is not unusual for some to just attempt to change their relationships and surroundings in an attempt to escape it. However I see in the writing of the apostle Paul something that I think is a far better antidote for the pain of suffering.
Colossians 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
The way I understand this verse is that Christ suffered to accomplish the will and purposes of God and that our further sufferings are effective in the same. God’s work goes on forward on the fuel of suffering. I doubt that we will often be able to make the connection between our sufferings and the eternal merit and accomplishments of it, but does not that verse say it is so? Certainly it does, so take heart believer “be not weary in well doing, for in due season ye shall reap if ye faint not”.
