Jeff Carter
While volumes have been written on this issue, and this short article cannot do justice to such a vast topic, there is one key idea that has helped make sense of this issue for many Christian thinkers. It is the idea that while this is not the most perfect world, it can be seen as the most perfect way to the most perfect world. In other words, the path to the heights of glory must needs travel through the valley of suffering.
Charles Spurgeon once said, “The steps by which we ascend to the place of joy are usually moist with tears.” When looking at this issue in Scripture it seems to be an inescapable truth that the path to glory leads inexorably through suffering. Such is our lot in life and such is the story of not only Scripture, but of the entire history of fallen mankind as well. That we would be unable to appreciate the good without first experiencing the bad appears to be how we humans operate.
Scripture is replete with images and examples confirming this to be true. “If we suffer we shall also reign with Him” (2 Tim 2:12 KJV). “…to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation” (1 Pet 4:13). “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22b). “But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering” (Rom 8:17 NLT). The list of verses that discusses this theme is seemingly endless.
Suffering is so rampant in this world it would be impossible to even know all the various forms it takes, let alone list them. From the unimaginably excruciating form of death our Lord experienced in His crucifixion; to the persecution of the early church, where Christians were used as human torches; to the horrors of the crusades, pogroms and holocaust; to the examples of genocide taking place even today, the world has indeed had its share of suffering. Yet the world continues to suffer. There must be something about the nature of suffering that God finds necessary that He continues to allow it—something about how it affects us that God finds useful in His sovereign purposes.
While suffering is an intrusion into this world, a favorite weapon of Satan, a product of our sin and rebellion against God, a corruption of the perfect world God created, and a result of the distortion and devastation caused when Satan introduced a second will into the universe—it is also a tool in the hand of God. Through the suffering He allows, God molds and shapes our lives into the image of His Son. Through suffering He refines and purifies His people. By it, He directs our paths and draws us to Himself.
Couldn’t there be an easier way? Why is suffering a necessary prerequisite to glory? Why must it be our destiny? One answer to this difficult question begins with the fact that man was created in the image of God and in perfect fellowship with Him. Sin has broken that relationship and distorted that image. The ultimate end God is drawing man towards is a restoration of that relationship. Our goal is to be re-united with Him in perfect love and fellowship. But there exists a barrier between man in his present state and that final goal. Sin has distorted that imago dei within us and has corrupted our desires. We now desire and actively seek for things which are ultimately harmful to us.
God, in His wisdom and love, desires to free us from the power that sin has over us. He wishes to overturn the effect sin has had, namely, the distortion of our natural tendencies. He longs to restore to us affections befitting God’s children, and that we might once again desire what is appropriate and right; that He might then give us what is truly best for us. Ultimately, God is using the suffering we experience to mold us into the image of His Son. But in the here and now, in our daily lives, He also desires for us to experience freedom from the power of sin and victory over its seemingly irresistible influence upon us.
So, why suffering? Suffering seems to be the only tool that is truly effective in capturing our attention. C. S. Lewis always says it well, “… pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Suffering has the ability to re-focus our priorities on the important things in life. When everything we have is taken away, when the things of this world are no longer present to cloud our vision, the only option left is to look to God for the answers.
Suffering is the mechanism by which God turns our eyes toward Him. It alone is immediate and powerful enough to force us to loosen the grip we have on the things of this world. And it is valuing the things of God above all else that is the goal. Suffering makes us long for home—our true home. Suffering helps make it clear that this world is not our home.
It is through suffering that He weans us away from this worldly system. Suffering is the mechanism by which God burns away the dross from the lives of those He loves. Through trials and tribulations he purifies and perfects His people. Yes, we are destined to share in His glory. He has promised us this. But He has also promised us that if we are to share in His glory we must also share in His sufferings. Thus, we see the pattern in Scripture that the road to glory leads directly through suffering.
The trials and tribulations the children of God experience must be understood in the light of God’s sovereign purpose in molding and shaping our lives into the image of His Son. What a privilege to be considered a masterpiece under construction by the master workman; worthy to fall under the craftsmanship of the Lord of glory.
Far from devastating our lives, suffering actually works to make us perfect and complete. After all, we are in the Master’s hand; we have nothing to fear. If there are rough edges that need to be smoothed, it will probably hurt; but we can rest assured the quality of the finished product will be worth the pain. And even more importantly, when the Lord is finished, the result will be what He desires. We often need to be broken or bruised for the Lord to able to use us. He often needs to mold us and shape us to make us more pliable in His hands.
In 2 Cor 4:17 Paul says, “For momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” So, why suffering now rather than glory? Why must the suffering come first? Perhaps because we, in our current state, cannot now sustain the weight of glory that He has planned for us.
– Jeff
New Class Announcement!
Come check out our new class on the book of Daniel. Taught by Pastor Jeff Carter. This will be an exciting verse-by-verse journey through the history, context, and life-changing ramifications of one of the most amazing books in the Bible.
Tuesdays 9:30-11am and 7-8:30pm … Starting June 16
Opportunity for Service
One of our most impactful outreaches is the weekly book table we set up at UCI—where we hand out free Bibles and share with students one on one. We would love to have more of you join us in spreading the gospel at UCI every Friday. Please contact Jaimi at HaDavar for more info on how to get involved.