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In the midst of suffering, where is our focus? By nature, we focus on the affliction and agony associated with the experience. But God would have us look at things differently. This past two weeks, He has been speaking to me about suffering. If only we could grasp His perspective of it! When I think back on times of suffering in my life, certainly I recall the difficulty. But more often, I reflect on how it has brought me closer to Him, grown me more into His likeness, and allowed me to be more a part of His work on earth. There are those who suffer to such a degree that they will never see God’s glorious work through it on this side of Heaven. But we are assured in Romans 8:28 that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” But in our flesh, it is more than difficult to “consider it all joy” when we encounter trials (James 1:2.) It is impossible to do so without the aid of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is evident in the life of Debbie Miller, whose husband Tommy has just moved into a new mansion in Heaven. Despite this great suffering, Debbie maintains an eternal perspective. Her email communication boasts of the bigger picture – that of Kingdom work, good work that God brings about and brings to completion for His purposes, good work that remains to be done by those left on earth. As Debbie sat by Tommy’s bedside in those final hours, she shared, “Each day we receive the "manna" of strength we need to face the challenges of the day! As heavy and even selfish as our hearts are, we know God has a new song for each one of us - Tommy's will be in the heavenly realm and ours will continue here as we strive to continue to do the work He has planned for us.” And even after he was “ushered into the presence of the Lord” by the hand of Jesus, Debbie has kept her focus off the suffering and on God’s greater purpose. “God is still God, and we have committed this new journey to Him. Oh, sweet friends, it has not been in vain! There is still much Kingdom work to be done!”
As I have been studying through the Psalms, I have often noticed how the writers have complained to God about their suffering, but by the end of their discourse, changed their perspective to match God’s. Psalm 73:26 reads, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” It reminds me of 2 Co 4:16-18, “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.” For us to see things in such a manner, we must put on God’s glasses. In our flesh, we can only see those things which are temporal. It is only by looking through the eyes of God via His Holy Spirit that we can hope for a glimpse of His glorious, eternal perspective. Debbie does this, and she inspires others in the midst of her suffering, thus bringing attention and glory to the throne of God. How proud Tommy must be as he looks down from Heaven at his earthly bride!
Only a prayerful heart seeking after God’s can yield such perspective as hers and as the disciples’, who, as early devoted followers of Christ, experienced suffering beyond what we can imagine. Paul contended in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” And Peter declared, “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10)
May we 21st century disciples pray for God to help us put on, not only the armor of God, but the lens of our Lord, so that we may take our eyes off ourselves and our suffering, and place them on Him, the author and perfecter of our faith, the one in whom we can trust to take us through our earthly trials safely to the other side. Remember Isaiah 43:2-3, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, not will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” No one knows suffering like the Lord Jesus Himself. Yet, as He anticipated the suffering of the cross, He said to the Father, “Thy will be done.” May we be inspired by these who have learned the secret to surviving suffering – to look through the lens of our Lord and focus on God, God’s will and God’s glory.
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