When everything falls apart
In 2018 my world imploded spectacularly. It was a series of events that would have made Jerry Springer proud. I’m sure it made the devil cheer. And there was absolutely no hiding it or containing it.
Don’t get me wrong – I had been through the wringer numerous times before. But for a former missionary with a Type A personality, these circumstances were almost more than I could bear. And yet, after a little bit of time and space, I can see how times of incredible suffering lead to God-sized opportunities.
Suffering makes us recognize we’re not in control
As Christians, I doubt any of us would say that we are in control of our own lives. But if we’re honest, it’s easy to live like we’re in control when everything is rolling along smoothly. With its stark reminder that we can’t force life to fit into our preferred cookie-cutter molds, suffering not-so-gently nudges us to humble ourselves before our sovereign Lord and release our tight-fisted grips on our own kingdoms.
And in that moment when we’ve reached the end of ourselves, we’re prepared to grow to a new level of dependence on God. How exactly does this happen? In suffering we experience dissonance between what is written in God’s Word and what we see around us or feel due to our experiences. This dissonance lays before us a choice: to believe God or to believe our senses. Every time we choose to believe God (with the help of the Holy Spirit), our faith grows and deepens, resulting in maturity (James 1:2-4) and the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:11).
Suffering reminds us this world is not our home
Nothing will make you long for heaven like suffering. And that’s a good thing! The world is a wondrous place that often echoes the majesty of our God – but it is marred by sin. When we become too wrapped up in the day-to-day activities or pleasures of earth, we forget to long for our true, and infinitely more glorious, home.
C.S. Lewis wrote in The Weight of Glory that, in our focus on temporary things, we are “like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.” Suffering strips off our rose-colored glasses and reminds us of the value of eternity.
Suffering makes us safe listeners
Almost everyone around you has a life that is broken or messy in some way – although you might never know it because we tend to bury those imperfect pieces so deep that they never see the light of day. Why? Because we’re afraid of judgment. But when your private chaos becomes public, hurting people begin to see you as a safe place. They know you aren’t in a position to look down on them, so they feel comfortable sharing their struggles in a real, raw way.
Suffering gives us new ministry
In her book The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Rosaria Butterfield describes her drastic conversion to Christianity at age 37 and the ups and downs that followed. While Butterfield was going through a particularly difficult period in her life, a neighbor said to her, “I didn’t give a d*** about who your God was to you in your happiness. But now that you are suffering, I want to know: who is your God? Where is He in your suffering?”
Both Christians and non-Christians know that in times of great trial, your convictions will either collapse or carry you through. Everyone is looking for hope – and the hope of someone who is suffering is more believable and more inspiring than the hope of someone who is sailing through life. You might be surprised at the opportunities God gives you to minister authentically and transparently because of your suffering.
Suffering shows us God’s grace
Although few would intentionally choose a path of suffering, people who seek God while walking through trials invariably talk about coming out the other side with a softer heart and a stronger faith. I can think of no better example of God’s grace. He uses painful circumstances to mold us to the image of Christ and reveal a deeper beauty in our lives.
Maybe your world has fallen apart recently. Especially around the holidays, it’s easy to look at everyone else’s picture-perfect social media accounts and feel like a failure. The temptation to go hide in a corner is real. I encourage you instead to lean into God. Devote yourself to prayer and Scripture. And look for the good that God promises to work in your life through all things, even suffering.
Kimber Huff is the communications director at the Baptist Convention of New England.