“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:” ~2 Corinthians 1:8
Weall have them. Emotional, mental, or physical. We deal with the worst this world has to offer, as we struggle to try our best to become safe in a dark world. But such struggle is in vain. You can’t escape it. Through all the valuable advice that is given to you, and through all the gifts that you’re handed. Forevermore, there’s always that possibility on this Earth. That possibility of being hurt. That possibility of bleeding so much to find yourself dead while you are yet still alive.
It’s a proven fact: struggles will always be part of our lives. When one struggle goes away, another struggle will come in. It’s part of life. So, what are we supposed to do with this life? Do we continue on living a life based on seeking pleasure? That works only if you don’t run into any hardships. If you do, then you either get angry, sad or both. But perhaps hardships are good things in life. Perhaps it’s the hardships that help us see what this life is all about. If you’re living an ignorant life of receiving pleasure from temporary things of this world, you will end up empty inside. If you live for the joy of this life, you’ll continually crave for more, and more, and more. This is why the Jesus teaches that HE is the way, the truth, and the life. This is why Jesus teaches those who are empty can come to the well of living water. And once you have tasted this water, you’ll never thirst again.
In the above verse, Paul is saying that he suffered so much that he started to hate this life. He hated the fact that his heart kept beating. Pain so much that it was beyond his ability to stand. Haven’t we all felt that before? It’s what happens when you’re faced with such hardships. As Paul also says in Romans 8, all things work together for good. Good always wins in the end, no matter what the present score may be. But if we think about Romans 8, is God necessarily saying that we will always be happy? Of course not. If that’s so, everyone would become a Christian in order to avoid the hardships of life. Every martyr who died for Christ would have died in vain in such a case. So let’s explore the bible a little more…
“Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” ~1 Peter 4:19
God does not guarantee that suffering will stop after you dedicate your life to Christ. In fact, it will be harder because you are going to be living a completely different lifestyle than the world. In other words, you’ll be going against the current. God’s will is for us to be happy — don’t get me wrong. But God’s first priority is saving the lost. And we are to follow Christ’s example and have the will to suffer for whatever God wants us to endure.
This is what this life is all about: Not living for pleasures, but living for purpose and meaning. God wants us to be happy, but He first and foremost wants to save the lost. And God has promised us through Romans 8 that we might suffer, but our suffering won’t be in vain! Instead, God will take the mud and garbage of our lives and make something useful and beautiful out of it. I encourage you, be obedient to Christ. Follow Him wherever he leads you. He is honorable and trustworthy. Suffering is like a plow. It loosens up the dirt in our lives and makes something useful. And if we wait in time, we will see the harvest of our pain. We will watch the dirt of our suffering to grow into something beautiful. So next time you see someone who is ignorant of the suffering of others, pray for them. Pray that they will finally see in a gentle way that this life is more than personal pleasure. It’s about purpose and meaning.
Lastly, let us talk about the perfect example. The example of Christ. When we see Christ at the end of his Earthly life, he was beaten and crucified. And when he is nailed to the cross, all the world sees the scars on Jesus. Isn’t that significant? God himself has scars. So when you feel alone with your burdens and trials; when you think you have too many scars to keep going in life, don’t forget that God himself has scars as well. Remember, God is with you through both the good and bad times.
A prayer for today: “Lord, please lead me. Let me live a life of purpose and meaning.”
