Suffering

The north wind made the vikings
~ Scandanavian proverb

Suffering makes us dig in, suffering shapes us like a storm shapes a tree.  Wind makes a tree stronger, and suffering makes us stronger. Suffering reveals our weaknesses, it makes us let go of self and be more reliant on God.  It makes us understand when others suffer, suffering knocks off our corners.


Sometimes suffering can be overwhelming, it clouds us, it surrounds us like a storm at sea there seems no way out, we are tossed here and there.

We know that we will have trouble in this world.  We know we ought to be cheerful for Jesus has overcome the world - but it is so hard to live this out when we are in the middle of the storm.  Hold on tight though, don't let the storm consume you. You are hidden in the cleft of the Rock. Rest in the shadow of the Almighty as the storm rages around. Rest in Jesus as he sleeps in the boat during the storm knowing that God can do anything - even still the storm.  He will carry you through.

Our God understands.  He understands because he suffered too, he suffered more than any man who ever lived.  The suffering, sin, sickness and pain of this world was laid upon him.

Does this mean, though, that we ought to just give up in trying circumstances? Not at all.

Jesus cried out to God in the Garden of Gesthemene, he asked God that the cup might pass from him.  Yes, it is OK to cry out to God, to ask him to take away our suffering...but we also need to trust that God sees the bigger picture and like Jesus say, "But only if it is in your will to do so".  He endured the suffering knowing that there was joy ahead - the redemption of mankind to God, the returning of the lost sons and daughters of God.

It is OK to try to find a way out of suffering too, we don't have to just lie down, Paul appealed to the authorities - to Caesar.  It is OK to try to escape from danger - as Paul did in that basket as, Moses did too in his own little basket.  But if the suffering still comes, if there seems no way out we can end up in despair, but don't.

God sees everything, he knows how our circumstances shape us.  You see, we are so overwhelmed by the storm that we cannot see the land ahead.  But God can, and he can turn the worst of circumstances around.

If Joseph hadn't upset his brothers by his dreams and his coat of many colours, he wouldn't have been thrown into the pit and then sold into slavery by his own brothers, if his brothers hadn't sold him into slavery he wouldn't have been taken to Egypt, if he hadn't been taken to Egypt he wouldn't have been falsely accused of attempted rape, if he hadn't been accused of attempted rape he wouldn't have been thrown in prison, if he hadn't been thrown in prison he wouldn't have interpreted the dreams of two men, if he hadn't interpreted the dreams of the two men he wouldn't have been brought to Pharoah to interpret his dream, if he hadn't interpreted Pharoah's dream, he wouldn't have been made governor.

There is more to the story of course, but here we see how a set of circumstances that Joseph's brothers meant for evil, which led to the most awful suffering, God turned around to good and Joseph's actions as governor ended up saving his family from famine and death.  Joseph must have felt in the deepest despair, how did his life that was once so wonderful turn out so badly? But God had plans for him beyond his wildest dreams.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

~ Romans 8:28