Temporary Suffering
God's promise never included living out the rest of our lives in a constant state of suffering.
We must remember that the Bible is full of God’s promises. In John 16:33 Jesus is speaking and he says “in this world you will have trouble.” Another translation says “here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.” It’s not a feel-good promise, but it’s still a promise. This life was not designed for us to never face hardship.
But it’s in the suffering where we grow. It’s in the seasons of being tested that challenge your faith. You can either be in a storm right now, coming out of one, or about to enter one. At some point, you will come face to face with hardship. Walking through that hardship is where your faith has the opportunity to become even stronger.
However, that promise from God never included living out the rest of our lives in a constant state of suffering.
The end of that verse says, “but take heart, I have overcome the world.”
Suffering can be made purposeful. It can be used as a tool of sanctification. It can force us to look inward at the parts of ourselves we may have otherwise continued to ignore.
Sometimes we unintentionally hold onto our pain, because in a way, that makes us feel connected to whatever it is that we may have lost. The loved one we may have lost. The relationship we may have lost. The dream we may have lost.
But we will find these little moments of joy we see peak through prove that God has overcome the world and all the wickedness in it.
That even in the midst of our suffering we can see His goodness.
We can see His faithfulness. We can see His mercy.
Even if it didn’t play out how you thought it should. Even if life took a drastic turn. Even if the plans you made radically changed.
He is in the everyday reminders. He is in the mundane tasks we feel might not be significant. He is in the moments of sadness where all we can do is weep over our loss. And He is also in the moments where we feel hope for the future. He is in those glimmers of joy.
Her name, Eleanor Faith, is a steady reminder for me to cling to the promises of God. Even when I feel all hope is lost, I run back to the fact that He has already overcome the world.
Faith is our foundation and gives us the necessary perspective when walking through seasons of suffering.
My youngest daughter, Savannah Joy, is my constant reminder of the goodness of God. That even in the midst of the storm, there are glimmers of happiness. That although we may walk through suffering, it is not our final destination. There is still joy to be found.
Reminder for Today
He is still good. Even in the suffering.
And He will always be good.
John 16:20-22 tells us “Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.”
Always have faith.