From Suffering to Purpose

When you were showered with gifts for a wedding, holiday, or special event, would you regift any items that you didn’t want or were duplicated? I must confess we have regifted an item or three. This actually can be fun, and there is no shame in it at all. The concept does help impact our theology of suffering. Lest you think I just made a hard left turn, stick with me and avoid whiplash. 

Philippians 1:29-30 paints a picture that our suffering is a gift. Really? How can pain, hardship, persecution, and suffering be a gift? This perspective is shaped by sound theology and impacted by our attitude.  Paul is writing while imprisoned and enduring painful suffering, yet he finds join because God proves Himself faithful, and Paul watches God use the pain to advance the Gospel.

In fact, Philippians 1:12 is Paul’s awareness and testimony that God has used his suffering to advance the Gospel.  In essence, Paul re-gifts his pain to pass along the hope of Christ to others. What a joyful and purposeful insight and challenge for us.

Typically, we internalize our pain, allow the Enemy to lead us to believe lies, and may even detach from faith or biblical community.  This response is unhealthy and dangerous.  In fact, the suffering in our lives should bring us closer to God and closer to the biblical community. God works in good times and bad to make His name known to the world.

As you and I allow God to work in us, we can look for ways to point others to Him, thank Him for the hardship, be intentional to digest the meat of Scripture, call on Him through prayer, and avoid the temptation to believe the Enemy’s lies or fuel division. This is hard and diligent work, yet the mission of the Gospel calls for it. 

In our sermon this week, we spent time unpacking how God uses suffering and how our perspective can change. For now, would you be willing to thank God for your suffering and begin to look for how He is growing you? That may be a path to purpose and a gift to others.