Our Suffering Is Not Aimless
by Peter Brokaar
Suffering and hardships are inevitable elements in the human experience. I’m sure we all wish it weren’t so! But we have to face this reality. Thankfully, the Bible does not avoid the topic- quite the opposite!
Like Jeremiah, who penned today’s Scripture, Jesus knew a thing or two about suffering. Hebrews 5:8 says this:
‘Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered.’
It was through suffering that the Father taught Jesus obedience. Suffering and hardships shape our character. There are deep lessons we cannot be taught in any other way than by being led through difficulties and pain.
God was not cruel to Jesus and He is not cruel to us. But He knows that suffering is a necessary component in teaching us the deepest lessons. As Christians we know we don’t suffer aimlessly. God is at work and has our best interest in mind. Even when we cannot see this, when we cannot understand what is going on, we can choose to trust in God’s goodness.
When we are able to suffer well, we grow in character and become more mature. We walk the same path Jesus had to follow.
Romans 5:3-4 explains the growth and benefit that comes through suffering:
‘We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope’.
As we face hardship, we grow stronger. As we learn perseverance, our character matures. As Christians, we have hope, since we don’t suffer aimlessly, and we don’t suffer alone. God is close to us, even in our pain. In the midst of pain we have the comfort of God’s care.
As today’s verses from Lamentations tell us, God does not gleefully heap trouble on our lives. He is good and kind and I believe that if He had any other way to teach us the deepest lessons, He would use them instead. But, in His wisdom, He allows a certain amount of hardship, for our good.
All this can help us enormously. We don’t have to like suffering- no sane person would. But to know it is not without its divine purpose is deeply comforting.
Peter Brokaar is Director of Ellel Ministries Scotland and has been there together with his wife Liz since 2005. They have 3 kids, all born in Scotland! In his free time he likes reading, cooking, running and surfing. Being at Ellel Scotland has given him the privilege of getting to know God deeper and sharing that joy with many others.
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