Suffering for the Good

About 7 years ago, I went to the doctor seeking help with ankle soreness that seemed to be getting worse with time. After image testing, the X-rays and MRI revealed numerous bone spurs in my ankles due to the wear and tear of playing college basketball. Per the advice of my doctor and with consideration to the discomfort I was in, I agreed to minimally invasive surgery to remove the bone spurs. But rather than improving my situation, the surgery created nerve pain in my left foot, which worsened after two additional surgeries that were supposed to undo the damage. Ironically, these surgeries created and worsened a problem that has been far more painful than what I was previously experiencing from the bone spurs. Over the past 7 years, my left foot has been in constant pain and shown no signs of improvement despite being treated by multiple doctors and going through countless non-surgical treatments. According to most of the doctors I have seen and people I have spoken with, my situation appears tragic, perhaps hopeless. And I would be lying if I said that such a thought has not crossed my mind.

When I was an undergrad student at Texas State University, I decided to tattoo my favorite Scripture verse on my ribs as a reminder of God’s promise expressed through Paul the Apostle: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28 NKJV). Even though I had not yet experienced true suffering at the time, I honestly believed that I would cling to God’s promise if and when I did. But when suffering became my reality, I discovered that I did not appreciate, nor fully understand the significance of the verse tattooed on my ribs. Truth be told, since my surgeries, I have mostly viewed my personal suffering as something unfortunate – something less than ideal; and as I reflect on the past 7 years, I must admit that I have not exemplified a model response to my situation. But through it all, I also never stopped believing in God, nor did I stop seeking Him for clarity so that I might better understand His promise expressed through Paul. Today, as I look ahead to my next surgery, I now see suffering in a whole new light with God’s promise tattooed on my heart.

In seeking God, one of the things He has shown me is that history provides plenty examples of how He accomplishes good out of suffering, which goes beyond the life of the sufferer.

By the will of God, Job experienced suffering that has been matched by very few: he lost his possessions, his family, and his health. However, Job never cursed God. Instead, he remained humble and submissive to His Creator, and through it all, he gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for God’s love, wisdom, and sovereignty. In the end, Job received personal restoration, but the spiritual revelation revealed through his journey is perhaps an even greater good. Because Job stood faithful amidst his suffering, his story lives as a testimony of how God is immeasurably wise and powerful enough to (1) use suffering to draw us closer to Him, (2) teach us spiritual things that we otherwise would not have learned, and (3) improve our lives and the lives of others. As astrophysicist and apologist Dr. Hugh Ross points out in Hidden Treasures in the Book of Job, even though Job “longed for healing from God and acknowledged God’s power to perform it, he ultimately recognized that God would do nothing to interfere with the greater good He held in store” (2011, p. 189).

And what about Joseph? Despite being sold into slavery by his own brothers and being falsely accused of wrongdoing (amongst other things), Joseph remained faithful to God. In the end, his journey of suffering brought him to royalty, which put him in position to be used by God to save Egypt, Canaan, and his own family amidst a seemingly hopeless famine. When his brothers apologized for the wrong they had done to him, Joseph’s response summed it up best, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Gen. 50:20 NIV).

Of course, there is no better example of suffering bringing about good than that of the Messiah’s crucifixion. After living a perfect life, Jesus suffered an unjust death in order to cancel the penalty for humanity’s evilness (Col. 1:13-14; Heb. 1:3-5), which allowed everyone eternal life with God and each other despite our inability to be perfectly good (Col. 1:21-23; Titus 3:6-7; John 1:8). Furthermore, because the disciples and early Christians were willing to suffer in order to spread the good news, their testimonies carried integrity, which helped preserve the gospel throughout the course of history so that the truth of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection is now available in over 1,000 languages.

In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis said, “God whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world” (1940, p. 91). Undeniably, suffering is heartbreaking and can be extremely tumultuous, but is it possible that our Creator uses all suffering to draw more people to Him than would have otherwise been the case had it not existed? We are told in Scripture that God “desires all men to be saved and come into the knowledge of truth” (1 Tim. 2:4 NKJV) and He is “near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Ps. 34:18 NKJV). While Christianity is losing traction in certain countries where many people live comfortably, like the United States and England (Pew Research Center, 2019), Patrick Johnstone’s Operation World reveals that Christianity has expanded at its greatest rates when countries endured severe hardship. For example, China, El Salvador, Ethiopia, and many other countries that suffered unthinkable repression throughout the 1900s also saw unprecedented growth within Christianity, with millions coming to know their Redeemer (Craig, 2010, p. 164). Furthermore, while human history has been smeared with suffering and war, data from the U.S. Center for World Mission shows that the ratio of non-Christians to committed Christians has decreased dramatically from 360-to-1 in 100 A.D. to 7-to-1 in 1989 (Craig, 2010, p. 165); over the past 100 years alone, the number of Christians have grown from 600 million to 2.5 billion, which currently accounts for about 30% of the worldwide population (Fairchild, 2020). Even with missionaries traveling the globe, had suffering not been a part of human history, the current rate at which people are coming to know the Savior of mankind might not exceed the rate of total population growth (Earls, 2019). Only God has the foresight to know the outcome of a hypothetical, and perhaps He chose to use all suffering to work for the greater good in His grand scheme of eternity before eradicating its existence once and for all (Rev. 21:3-4).

Although my own suffering pales in comparison to that of Job, Joseph, Jesus, the early church, and countless others, I am personally witnessing it bring about good in multiple ways.

My suffering has nudged me to hope and trust in my unlimited Creator opposed to my own limited strength, which is enlivening my spirit. The Psalmist, David, slayed a giant and was a fearless warrior before he became a king, yet he recognized that “a mighty man is not delivered by great strength” (Ps. 33:16b NKJV). In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul said that Christians suffer at times so that “we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (2 Cor. 1:9 NIV). And in Paul’s letter to the Romans, Christians are reminded that “the (Holy) Spirit helps us in our weaknesses” (Rom. 8:26 NKJV). Throughout Paul’s ministry, he was placed in prison, beaten, shipwrecked, robbed, and even dealt with an ongoing physical infirmity, yet he diligently persevered to spread the revelation of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 11:23-28). When speaking to the Corinthians about his ongoing infirmity, he said, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a message of Satan to buffet me, lest I have exalted above measure” (2 Cor. 12:7 NKJV). Paul knew it would be tempting to gloat in the wisdom that the Holy Spirit bestowed upon him, but his infirmity helped him remain humble so that he could fulfill the mission that he was called to do versus futilely pursuing his own glory. Therefore, Paul took pleasure in his infirmity because it ultimately made him stronger (2 Cor. 12:10). Before my infirmity, I slipped into thinking I was someone that I am not. I found security and confidence in my physicality and individual strength. But with this infirmity, I am reminded that I am not in control of anything outside of my free will to make choices, which cannot eliminate the risk of dying today or the imminence of dying someday. My suffering is suppressing my pride, which is unleashing God’s grace (Prov. 3:34) and bringing me closer to His wisdom (Prov. 11:2). It is through my weakness that I am becoming a stronger person for my family and those I am privileged to have a relationship with.

I also recognize my suffering as God’s goodwill because it is developing character in my life, which deepens my hope in God and translates into a greater love towards others. We are told in Scripture that David was a man after God’s heart (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22), and when David experienced suffering, he confessed to God, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Ps. 119:71 NKJV). In his letter to the Romans, Paul said that we glory in our sufferings because it “produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Rom. 5:3-4 NIV). James, Jesus’ brother, said that Christians should “consider it pure joy when we fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2-3 NIV). James also added that we should “let perseverance finish its work so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4 NIV). Physically, my strength is built when I persevere through resistance and struggle whereas atrophy might occur if I never exercise. Similarly, my character is sharpened when I choose to persevere through personal suffering whereas my spirit might become weak if my faith is never tested. Moreover, similar to how a “spotter” helps during a heavy lift, the Holy Spirit provides much needed support when I agree to persevere and develop character (1 Cor. 13:18). By choosing to preserve, my suffering is providing unique and continuous opportunity to exercise self-control (forbearance), patience, and faithfulness in God. And with the guidance and support of the Holy Spirit, I am learning how to produce His fruit (Gal. 5:22-23) to enrich the lives of others.

With this infirmity, I have also been less eager to find distractions on my feet, which is helping me gain traction towards more meaningful goals. Through my suffering, I came to grips with the fact that much of my ambition served temporal means while my willingness to help others was often contingent on convenience. As I looked in my rear view and considered my life trajectory, I felt a conviction similar to the writer of Ecclesiastes, as much of my living was “vanity and grasping for the wind; there was no profit under the sun” (Ecc. 2:11 NKJV). But I now view wealth, security, comfort, and adventure as temporal blessings versus my highest priorities, which has freed me to live a less selfish life. And as I have drawn closer to God through my suffering, I have developed an unignorable passion for His priorities. Rather than primarily pursuing personal success and adventure, I have been compelled to learn more and identify how I might use my gifts and knowledge to help others. In short, my suffering has shoved a simple truth in my face, which is that my life is not my own, but it is to be used by God to help others. Amazingly, my life has become more fulfilled now that happiness is not my primary pursuit.

I also look forward to a future that is more glorious if I stand in faith through suffering than sit untested in comfort. When I played college basketball, if my team was victorious, I shared in my team’s victory even if I sat on the bench. This is the promise of salvation tied to Jesus’ victory on the cross. Eternal life is not earned but is gift from our Creator (John 3:16). But similar to how a team victory became more rewarding when I was given an opportunity to step in the game, eternity holds a greater reward if I trust in my Creator and persevere through hardship. In Hebrews, Christians are encouraged to persevere and endure through suffering and tribulation, “knowing that we have a better and an enduring possession for ourselves in heaven” (Heb. 10:34 NJKV). We are also told in Hebrews that Moses endured a life of problems, as “he regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as a greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward” (Heb. 11:26 NIV). In Paul’s letters, we read that “our light and momentary troubles are achieving us eternal glory that outweighs them all” (2 Cor. 4:17 NIV) and “we share in Jesus’ sufferings so that we may also share in His glory” (Rom. 8:17 NIV). Furthermore, Paul considered the sufferings of the present time "not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18 NIV). Of course, there is no way to fully grasp God’s reward system in His new creation, nor can I comprehend eternity, but I recognize how short my time on Earth is as I persevere through suffering. Humanity has existed for just .0004% of the 13.8-billion-year history of space, matter, energy, and time, which means my exposure to suffering will last no more than .0000006% of cosmic history (Ross, 2010, p. 198). This is why Job and David both expressed that life is "but a breath" (Job 7:7; Ps. 39:5 NKJV) and James considered it “a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14 NKJV). If I cling to God through my suffering for a relatively brief time, my glory to beyond lasts longer than the billions of years that it took to prepare earth for humanity.

Through my pursuit to better understand the Scripture that is tattooed on my ribs, I am unequivocally convinced that suffering, whether it seems coincidental or is caused by humanity’s evil decisions, is used by our infinitely-wise and all-powerful Creator for His good purposes. He did it through the suffering of Job, Joseph, Jesus, the early church, and many others. In digging for truth, I have found that suffering creates an opportunity for us to draw closer to our Creator, develop personal growth, and help our fellow human (2 Cor. 1:3-4). But I also recognize that even when I am unable to identify how suffering is working for the good, my inability to understand is not proof that God is not at work. Chaos theory shows that a seemingly random event, like a butterfly flapping its wings, can trigger a chain of events that culminates in something catastrophic, like a natural disaster on the opposite side of the world. Similar to how I cannot see all the interconnected and global effects associated with a butterfly flapping its wings, I may not always see how God is using suffering for good. Moreover, if God can orchestrate an immeasurable number of cosmic events over 13.8 billion years so that billions of humans could come to know Him, certainly He can bring about goodness through suffering in ways that fall outside of my limited framework to understand it.

Psychologist Dr. Benjamin Hardy points out in Personality Isn’t Permanent that our past does not happen to us -- it happens for us (2020). Despite my inability to see everything as God does, I am convinced that my suffering is not happening to me, but it is happening for me so that I can experience the verse after Romans 8:28, which is “to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29 NKJV). Without my suffering, I would have been even more prideful than I am today -- I would have remained distracted by what I could see and paid less attention to what is unseen and to come -- I would have remained so caught up in how comfortable things were that I would have fallen short of my life’s purpose. But God has willed my suffering to help me cultivate humility, character, and a passion for purposeful living, so that such spiritual growth will bring about a greater good that goes beyond my life and this lifetime. Sure, I am hopeful that my suffering will no longer be necessary, but I pray as Jesus did before His crucifixion, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will” (Mark 14:36 NKJV). I believe that if God chooses to heal my foot, then, at that moment, it is best that I be healed. But if my suffering remains, I will continue to give thanks (1 Thess. 5:18), pursue goodness (1 Pet. 4:19), and look forward to a more glorious future in the presence of His love.

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References

Craig, W., Dr. (2010). On guard. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook. doi:9781434764881

Earls, A. (2019). 7 surprising trends in global christianity in 2019. Facts&trends. Retrieved from https://factsandtrends.net/2019/06/11/7-surprising-trends-in-global-christianity-in-2019/

Fairchild, M. (2020). Essential stats and facts about christianity today. Learn religions today. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/christianity-statistics-700533

Hardy, B., Dr. (2020). Personality isn't permanent. New York, NY: Portfolio. doi:9780593083314

Lewis, C.S. (1940). The problem of pain. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers. doi:9780060652968

Pew Research Center (2019). In U.S., Decline of christianity continues at rapid pace. Retrieved from https://www.pewforum.org/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/Learn

Ross, H., Dr. (2011). Hidden treasures in the book of job. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. doi:9780801072109