Suffering is a universal experience that we all face. According to Jesus, trials and temptations are inevitable. This article outlines three methods to conquer suffering. Before delving into these strategies, it’s essential to understand the root causes of suffering and the insights it provides about ourselves.
1. What Causes Suffering?
In simple terms, suffering arises when our aspirations and desires clash with the reality of our circumstances. Despite having life goals, external factors can hinder their achievement, leading to feelings of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness.
In an attempt to end this suffering, individuals may resort to drastic measures. However, when the suffering persists, it can result in profound sadness affecting our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Thus, suffering stems from the desire to counteract negative events occurring in our lives.
2. How Jesus Suffered
Jesus, beloved Son of God, was not spared from a season of suffering. “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Luke 22:42). It was in these words that Jesus expressed his desire to avoid suffering. However, God’s will for Jesus to be glorified and save humanity involved a period of suffering.
3. How to Overcome Suffering
Having explained what causes suffering, here are three ways including examples from biblical figures that illustrate how to overcome suffering.
3.1 Keep Doing What Is Right
1 Peter 4:19 instructs that if we are suffering, we must keep doing what is right and trust our lives with God who created us, for he will never fail us.
Like Jesus, he trusted his life to God as he willingly laid down his life on the cross. God never failed him as He resurrected his life from the dead to be seen by many others and finally to be seated in honor at the right hand of God.
Likewise, Joseph trusted his life in to God when he was sold into slavery. He continued to serve his masters honorably despite being wrongly accused by Potiphar’s wife. When he landed in jail, he succeeded in everything he did such that the prison warden put him in charge of all the prisoners (Genesis 39:22-23).
Later in his life, Joseph becomes the second in charge over all Egypt. When he reveals his identity to his brothers who sold him to prison, he expressed that his suffering was for God’s will to save his family from a deadly famine (Genesis 45:7-8).
When Cain was downcast from having his sacrifice rejected, God told Him to do right, and only then will he be accepted (Genesis 4:6-7). Our shame should not lead us to more sin, rather we must be patiently endure suffering, for we will be acceptable in God’s sight and He’ll be pleased with us. (1 Peter 2:20).
Those who do what is right and live a blameless life despite life’s circumstances are promised to enter the presence of God (Psalm 15:2). Jesus affirms this in his conversation with Nicodemus in John 3:21, “But those who do what is right come to the light”. The light is the is the expression of God’s glory and presence.
3.2 Let Your Suffering Bring God All The Glory
It can be tempting to retaliate in bitterness or anger, which leads to sinfulness, when suffering. However, we are to trust God who created us. God works out everything, including our suffering, in conformity with the purpose of His will (Ephesians 1:11).
His will for us all is that we should praise and glorify Him, therefore we need to use our suffering to glorify God. This the reason Jesus, when he was about to be crucified, prayed, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you” (John 17:1). His crucifixion which led to his resurrection, gave all the glory to God.
Hannah suffered being ridiculed for not having a child. Thereafter she vowed to God that if He would give her a son, then she would give the son back to Him and be dedicated to serving the LORD his entire life (1 Samuel 1:11). After her son Samuel was born, Hannah gave a prayer of praise to God, and her son served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest (1 Samuel 2:11).
These two examples, of Jesus and Hannah, reveal that our suffering is to glorify God. Though it may not be apparent at present moment how God will be glorified, we can trust in Him for He who knows the future (Jeremiah 29:11).
In Hannah’s case, God knew that He needed a priest in His temple as Eli’s two sons where unfit to be priests for they had no respect for God (2 Samuel 2:12). Yet the moment Hannah saw the need for an honorable priest in the house of the LORD, her prayer was answered immediately.
3.3 Understand That Suffering Is Meant For A Little While, So Stand Firm On God’s Grace
Paul recounted how he was afflicted by a thorn in his flesh. As he called upon Christ to remove it, Christ’s response was “My grace is all you need. My Power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
From this, it can be derived that suffering is an opportunity to experience the God’s marvelous grace and power.
For everything there is a season (Ecclesiastes 3:1), even suffering has its season. Key thing about season is that, they are not permanent, they are scheduled for a short while. With this surety, we can be rest assured that suffering will indeed come to pass. This is reassured in 1 Peter 5:10, “So after you have suffered for a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.”
The firm foundation is God’s grace (1 Peter 5:12), which works best in our suffering. Paul in (2 Corinthians 12:10) encourages us to take pleasure in our weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that we suffer for Christ. For when we are weak, then we are strong.
This is illustrated in the life of Job, who endured the loss of his wealth and children and ailed by skin disease. His period of suffering eventually came to an end, as it was only temporary. This led him to witness the power of God, who blessed him with even more than he had initially (Job 42:10).
4. Final Remarks
Our suffering should bring God glory and praise. When Jesus died on the cross he glorified the Father. We became redeemed, so that we continually offer sacrifices of praise to God (Hebrews 13:15).
Suffering is meant for a season, God will conform our suffering to His will so that He may be glorified. In this period, we must continue to do what is right in the eyes of God.
When we cry and pray to God for help in our suffering, we are assured that, “God sees those who do right” (Psalm 17:2). We have the surety that God is aware of our circumstances. Therefore in due season we see His unfailing love in wonderful ways, for His mighty power is capable of rescuing us.
Take delight in suffering, that is how to experience God’s power. The woman suffering with the issue of blood experienced God’s power. When there is a need, weakness and more, take this as an opportunity to experience the miraculous power of God, for His power works in best in weakness.
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