Grey Winter Afternoon by Holly Cawfield
I’m not one of those people who likes surprises.
Oh, I know most people think they’re great but I suppose I’m just pedantic enough to like to have some kind of mental/emotional preparation when some form of change is coming. Perhaps on reflection I should revise that and say I don’t like unpleasant surprises and then I would imagine almost everyone would agree with that.
Suffering often comes as a surprise although I would venture to say there are many times when the Lord prepares the listening heart for rough seas ahead. Nevertheless, we’re usually taken by surprise by bad news which is probably why Peter told us NOT to be surprised at the firey trials that come our way. In other words, it really isn’t unexpected that as Christians in this life we will find legs of this journey where the path becomes quite bumpy.
While everything in us wants to cry out, ‘just make it go away’ there is the pained voice of reason that wants to know why. It would be impossible for me to count the number of times I’ve heard people say we’re not supposed to ask why but that doesn’t make sense to me. A rational, thinking person obviously wants that question answered and I think God does want to answer it. I’m not referring to the whining ‘why me’ sort of query but rather the question that asks ‘what is Your purpose for this Lord?’ It’s a fair question after all.
So perhaps it’s necessary to consider different types of suffering because they’re not all created equal. For instance, there’s the suffering that comes from sin and disobedience. That is the kind we practically invite on ourselves because we move out from under the protective shield God provides when we step out of His will.
Then there’s the type of suffering that comes in the form of discipline or chastisement from the Lord when He is lovingly correcting us. I have found this is actually one of the easier types to face because when the Lord brings His discipline He does it in mercy. When the discipline has done its work of bringing us back into the centre of His will, the discipline stops. It’s a way of keeping us from other more tragic forms of suffering.
Sometimes we suffer in empathy for others who are in pain and our feelings of helplessness become almost overwhelming.
Then there’s the suffering that comes prior to a revelation of God in the form of a deeper understanding of His ways and is used to help others in their own struggles.
When this occurs it creates a time of anguish to the soul that seems inexplicable for a season. The person coping with circumstances beyond their control and for no apparent reason sits in a dizzying disorientation wondering what he’s done to deserve the mess his life has become. He repents of everything he ever did or ever thought of doing. He summons up every ounce of faith and begins to rebuke the devil and claim peace, healing, deliverance or whatever it is he feels he needs to resolve the problem.
And still he sits in the middle of a mess.
Why?
First of all, ask yourself if you believe things happen in life randomly. If you do then questioning why isn’t really pertinent. However, if you believe there are no coincidences and there is nothing random in the life of a believer, then your ‘why’ question might better be “what is Your will and purpose in this Lord?”
God may not immediately reveal what His purpose is and sometimes His still, small voice will simply say, “I have a purpose in what is happening to you” or " Just trust Me." Believe it or not, that’s enough if you trust God. If you honestly believe He is smart enough and strong enough to orchestrate all the circumstances of your life for your good and He tells you He has a purpose for that with which you’re dealing, then it’s enough.
It’s enough because it means He WILL work it out for your good and very likely for the good of others which becomes the point of this form of suffering. Through the trials of difficult circumstances a person learns to make God their treasure, His glory their pursuit and His wisdom becomes as necessary as breathing. The result of which is a new and deeper relationship with Him and a greater understanding of His ways which in turn becomes the basis for genuine love for others.
This is our cross. This is what it means to identify with the cross of Jesus Christ….to take up our cross and follow Him. He died on the cross for the redemption of the world and of course, He is the only One who could literally do that. However, we take up the cross in our lives when we allow Him to use our suffering to transform us into His image which makes us conveyers of His love to those around us.
It’s the crucified life. The one that lives out the concept that He must increase and I must decrease. When there’s less of ‘me’ then more of Jesus Christ can be seen. When more of Jesus can be seen then those who don’t know Him will actually want to know Him.
He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with His comfort through Christ. So when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your benefit and salvation. For when God comforts us, it is so that we, in turn, can be an encouragement to you. 2 Corinthians 1: 4-6
Holly
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