Suffering for God
Well I hope that like me, you want to live a God-centred life – defined by God, saved by God’s grace, gifted by God, but you know what I’ve found, friends? This God-centred life is not all roses and cupcakes. In fact, the more God-centred your life becomes the stranger you become to the world.
And often this results in suffering for God. Paul said it twice in this passage to Timothy, v8 and again in v11-12: “So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God…” and then a few verses later “And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” (2 Timothy 1:8, 11-12 NIV)
Join with me in suffering, he says to Timothy! That’s not a good advert for the Christian life. The prosperity gospel is far more appealing! Doesn’t it sound more appealing to say “join us in our amassing of riches in God’s name!” But “join us in suffering”? Shew. You’ve got to be pretty convicted about your cause when you are willing to suffer to see it flourish.
Faith Amid Suffering
But Paul was so centred on God that he could say “it’s not a shame for me to suffer, because I know whom I have believed.” What faith! What faith to say I can suffer willingly, if it means God remains central!
Now I know that many of you listening to or reading this today have suffered. You’re grieving loss. You’re sick and not able to get the healing you need. Some of you are without work. Struggling financially. Some have had relationships fail. Some are facing disappointment with others, or troubling times.
And you know what the tendency is? The tendency is to put those troubles at the centre of our existence. To make everything else revolve around this struggle in our lives. Sometimes the struggle is so big that we are convinced there is no other way but to put it in the centre, and all we think about is the difficulty! We obsess over it like it’s all that matters, and it begins to consume us.
I believe there is a better way friends. I believe that putting God at the centre, and focusing on Him, puts our suffering in perspective.
I had a friend who was dealt a certain amount of suffering. She had a debilitating health issue from a young age. But instead of being bitter and resentful, she took it in her stride! And determined to believe in God’s goodness despite her suffering.
Unshakeable God-Centered Faith
Years later, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Months to live, no possible treatment. Incessant pain wracking her body, and there was nothing to be done. And yet, in all my conversations with her, God was central! She would say to me “God is good! We trust in God! Yes I’m very uncomfortable. Yes I’m suffering… but God is good!”
I would think to myself… wow! Talk about a God-centred life! I’m reminded of Paul who said “this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed.”
If you are dealt hard blows and find yourself suffering, friends, put God in the centre. Not your troubles. Not your pain. Not your worry. Not your hurt. But put God in the centre.
Like my friend you will find that God’s faithfulness continues through it all. And like Paul you will find that no suffering can take away your joy, if you have put God at the centre of your life.
