By Andy Foster
A peach - not any ordinary peach. But a Georgia peach. No peach smells like a Georgia Peach. No peach tastes like Georgia Peach. What some of you may not know is that I am from Georgia. To challenge this is fightn' words down home. Unfortunately, I have lost much of my accent, but there is still part of me that identifies with south Georgia. One of the things that brings home closer is the smell and taste of a fresh Ga. Peach.
I would imagine all of you have places and times that you keep close to the heart. Pleasant and enjoyable times spent with friends and family, the warmth and comfort of home, the security and closeness of loved ones. We look forward to reliving those times with those we are close to and at places that rejuvenate the senses of warmth and happiness.
However, as we all know too well, this present life even with its pleasures and happinesses is filled with turmoil and pain. If there is one subject we can all identify with is suffering, adversity, trials, and burdens. We know this is part of life just from experience. The reality of it does not quench our plea for relief, answers and reasons for the suffering we and others endure. Now suffering comes in many forms whether it be physical, relational or emotional, and it differs in degrees. From a stumped toe, broken heart, to watching those you love suffer we all deal with it.
We are probably shocked at the level of difficulty and pain that is endured by some in our body. I have suffered no more and probably much less than you and I certainly don't have it all figured out. Some of you could speak of suffering with much greater depth and eloquence I can.
The bible is clear that we will suffer. In Acts Paul told all his young churches, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom." In 2 Timothy he went on to say, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” And Jesus said, "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you" (John 15:20). Peter wrote, "Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you". In other words it is not strange; it is to be expected. Peter also said, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” James wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” So it is clear that suffering is to be part of our lives and even expected.
When dealing with and understanding suffering perspective is everything.
Some of you know that I am a meteorologist, which is another name for a guy who predicts the weather forecast accurately some of the time and somehow still gets paid. I have always had a passion for weather and desired to see a tornado. After years of looking I had never seen one until one fateful day. As our wedding day approached, Heidi was hoping for a dry and calm day. The hair thing was really important. However, I thought it would be great to have raging thunderstorms with thunder and lightning crashing during the ceremony. Well the ceremony came and went and the weather was calm and dry. Everyone's hair do's had survived. But after leaving the wedding on our honeymoon destination ominous clouds gathered on the horizon. And we approached the sight a tornado came in view but at a safe distance. At the very moment I had the choice to make. Do I turn around and chase this tornado or show my new bride she was the important thing in my life and continue on our honeymoon. I thought better of it and went on down the road. Now some would think that seeing a tornado on your wedding day is some sort of omen. However for a meteorologist, that was a sign of confirmation. It was if the finger of God came down and said you did good. So perspective goes a long way in how we view events and situations. While one may see gloom and doom with no hope to escape, another may see a gift of opportunity. So how we can view are momentary afflictions with the glory that is to come.
How do we take the attitude of Paul when he says - 2 Cor 4:17-18 “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Often when we think of suffering and its implications we start from the following premises that suffering is bad and not intended for my life. We assume that everything around us at least is in the best form is home. In other words, we can easily view suffering in terms of the present as if this earth, this body is our permanent dwelling. When suffering comes along, no matter what form it and disturbs our home.
Suffering of any kind is basically an intrusion of our pleasure whether it be physical , mental, emotional, or relational. So we often see suffering from the perspective that all is well until these troubles arrive. However, our perspective may be one of our obstacles to rightly viewing this life and the struggles that we face. Instead, of viewing this life as home, we must understand that it is not.
However it is best to look at suffering by flipping what see around us on it's head. The fact is life as we know it is not our home. Peter in his letters calls believers stranger and aliens of this world. Life with all of it's pleasure and enjoyment is the dark abyss in contrast to the glory of heaven. In fact God intervened through his Son so that He might save us from this world and our eternal predicament. Instead of suffering from this life, it is an indication of how foreign a place this is. Suffering is a symptom of a fallen world and an indicator for us that we are not in our natural element. Imagine yourself submerged in the depths of the ocean needing to breathe. Each breath we attempt yields nothing but a gulp of salty water and we are compelled all the more to reach the surface for life saving air. Our goal, our desire, our struggle is to reach the surface where we may be rejuvenated by a breath of air.
In this life we are submerged, out of our element but often do not realize it or take notice of it. That is until suffering comes along and tells us that things are not right, things are not as they should be. It's like attempting to breath and all that is inhaled is a deluge of water. We realize at that moment that our surroundings are not life sustaining. This world can be satisfying and pleasurable. That is until we take a breath of reality in the form of pain, suffering, trials. It is those moments when we realize we are out of place and all is not well, that we begin to seek for life saving presence of Christ and yearn to be in His presence where we are at peace and true contentment. Our senses are awakened to the sweet fragrance of Christ, the comfort of our heavenly home, and basking in the Glory of God.
My fear is that I will come off with some trite platitudes while sounding noble will do nothing to soothe our pain. I have to admit as I look at scripture the temptation is to become callous and cynical wondering what is the purpose of all of this. So as we look at this suffering I hope we can do honestly without merely being satisfied with mere and familiar platitudes, but rather seek God's heart on this matter.
1) Let me first suggest that suffering heightens our spiritual senses for the presence of Christ. In other words, our hearts fixed on Christ in times of suffering.
Again, perspective is everything. How one sees this life and responds to it is dependent upon their view.
Phil 3:7-14 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared (in view) to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
We often recite this passage while holding onto our possessions, comfort and reputation clinched in our fist.
A mother of eight children was coming home one afternoon. Things seemed too quiet as she walked across her front yard. Curious, she peered through the screen door and saw five of her children huddled together, concentrating on something. As she crept closer to them, trying to discover the center of attention, she could not believe her eyes. Smack dab in the middle of the circle were five baby skunks. The mother screamed at the top of her voice, "Quick, children...run!" Each kid grabbed a skunk and ran.
We are sometimes like those children. Pain screams us to take action, to run to our Father in heaven, but often want to grab our so called comforts to take with us. Sometimes the very things that cause us grief.
Again, what is suffering? Webster's dictionary defines it as “to submit or be forced to endure”, or to “put up with”. Basically, suffering is nothing more than the taking away of bad things or good things that the world offers for our enjoyment—reputation, esteem among peers, job, money, spouse, sexual life, children, friends, health, strength, sight, hearing, success, etc. When these things are taken away (by force or by circumstance or by choice), we suffer. But if we have followed Paul and the teaching of Jesus and have already counted them as loss for the surpassing value of gaining Christ, then we are prepared to suffer.
What is in our view? Do we drive looking through the rear view mirror? The goals by which we set determines our view. Our view or perspective is what compels us to move forward and look forward. An athlete will endure much pain to reach the finish line, an artist will spend countless hours to reach a finished product, a parent will ensure much frustration for their children. It is the hope of something complete and finished that drives us through much turmoil to reach that goal.
If our only goal is to only obtain financial stability, find a spouse, have a good retirement, see the world, or watch football every weekend then suffering, trials, and troubles will be viewed as annoyances and obstacles to what we want.
10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
The purpose of greater intimacy with Christ God helps us prepare for suffering by teaching us and showing us that through suffering we are meant to go deeper in our relationship with Christ. You get to know him better when you share his pain. The people who write most deeply and sweetly about the preciousness of Christ are people who have suffered with him deeply.
Suffering has a way of adjusting our desire and longing toward Christ. When all else is failing we look to Christ. Our intimacy with Christ grows as we see the world for what it is.
After a season of suffering, Job finally says to God, "I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees thee" (Job 42:5). Job had been a godly and upright man, pleasing to God, but the difference between what he knew of God in prosperity and what he knew of him through adversity was the difference between hearing about and seeing.
Suffering brings into focus the reality of God and ourselves. Suffering strips us of our comfort, our health, relationships, our security. Jesus Christ becomes our hope our only hope and that is where He wants us.
2 Corinthians 4:1-5:10 - “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
Wherever we are at God desires us to bear testimony to Him, His grace, His compassion. I do not know where each of us is this morning. Whether it is in the midst of a horrible disease, a broken relationship, or a loss of direction, but wherever you are to “bear testimony” of Christ.
The concept of suffering comes down to basic but brutally honest and revealing questions of our hearts. Are we willing to count all loss when compared to Christ. You may be thinking I am not sure following Christ is worth all of that. But that threshold of decision is what suffering brings us to. It knocks us off of the fence into fields we cultivate for our own happiness or into a pasture of rest dependent on the mercy and care of God
2) The second aspect of suffering is that rejuvenates our desire for home, our real home. In other words our eyes become fixed on Heaven amidst suffering.
2 Corinthians 4:1-5:10 - “...For all things are for your sakes, that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart,but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Again what is our view? What is our eternal perspective? In suffering our hope is tested and proven deep, and our hearts purified of all remnants of self reliance and entanglement with the world.
As you know my wife Heidi has MS, so we have many discussions on the topic of what is suffering, what does it all mean. But one result for sure is that has heightened Heidi's desire to go home. To leave this world and to be with her heavenly Father. Admittedly, my first reaction is how can you think such a thing. How selfish of you. For one thing you are married to me how much better it can get. Upon further reflection I am the one who is viewing life inaccurately and selfishly. The things I cling to on this earth are so temporal.
This frail body, this place is all temporary. Until we believe that our pain and suffering will only be amplified as we fight and struggle to hang on to those things we believe we have some right to.
Without a realization of our heavenly home and the steadfast belief in our future with Christ, we will have a heart full of conflict, a purpose that is unsure and a hope that is blurred.
“Whatever sort of tribulation we suffer, we should always remember that it's purpose is to make us spurn the present and reach for the future”. - John Calvin
2 Cor 5:1-8 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ...7 We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord
What is your preference this morning? Has pain, and struggles given you a thirst for heaven? Or are we so comfortable we do not even think about the eternal?
Suffering test our motives, assesses our priorities, reveals our true convictions and hope. It confirms our true alliance and affections of our heart. I suppose you may say that brings little comfort here.
If our hope in eternity with Christ is one of a take or leave it attitude then the words spoken by Paul won't make much sense.Sufferings purpose in anchored in the hope of eternity.
Trials of all kinds provide fertile soil in which hope takes root and thrives. If our hope is near sighted, then suffering will be viewed with contempt and frustration.
3) Lastly suffering fixes our hearts on God's glory.
2 Cor 4:15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God
All that Paul had gone through, the trials, the torture, the torment, was ultimately for glory of God.
C.S. Lewis writes, “...God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain; it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
While good times and comfort can result in praise to God, trials and suffering makes it sweeter and more sincere. It is one thing to lift praise to God when all is well but another when all we have is Christ.
“The devil's smiting of Job was like striking a musical instrument; He soundeth forth praise. “The Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” Job1:21
“All our difficulties are only platforms for the manifestation of His grace, power and love.” - Hudson Taylor.
We think we must have it together to be faithful follower that everything needs to be in its place, that circumstances are just so. However we called to seek the glory of God no matter where we are.
2 Cor 1:8-11 8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers.
We are to be Christ dependent people. Suffering ensures that we are. We are to bear the testimony of the grace and glory of God. Suffering ensures that we do
The intent of suffering is not to demonstrate our devotion, or prove our tolerance to pain. Rather pain and trials should manifest a child like faith and a satisfaction with God Himself. In this, our weakness is revealed and God's mercy and strength are magnified.
The apostle Paul wrote – 2 Cor 11:30 30 - “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” 2 Cor 12:8-10 - “But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
The pain of our shattered plans is the purpose of scattered grace. Suffering is the soil that allows grace to take root and hope to flourish.
“Grace is God drawing sinners closer and closer to him. How does God in grace prosecute this purpose? Not by shielding us from assault by the work, the flesh, and the devil, nor by protecting us from burdensome and frustrating circumstance, not yet by shielding us from troubles created by our own temperament and psychology, but rather by exposing us to all these things, so as to overwhelm us with a sense of our own inadequacy, and to drive us to cling to him more closely...”
1 Peter 1:6-8 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
The chief end of man is to glorify God. And it is truer in suffering than anywhere else that God is most glorified in us when are most satisfied in Him. - piper
Pain is not good in and of itself. What is good in any painful experience is, for the sufferer, his submission to the will of God, and, for the spectators, the compassion aroused and the acts of mercy to which it leads.
So what does this have to do with a Georgia Peach? Even as I enjoy sweet aroma and taste of this peace and reflect on all of the memories of good times, good places and good people that are stirred, it pales in comparison to the everlasting joy, peace and pleasure that will be experienced with Christ for eternity in heaven. I hope as I endure the hardships of this life that it will on serve to heighten the senses and hope of the life to come.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Got a thought? Please share.