One of the greatest responsibilities I have as a pastor is to prepare my people for suffering. Hardships are the norm, not the exception, in the Christian life (I Pet.4:12f). As Barnabus said, “through many tribulations we enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:23).
A dear sister in our church, Rachel, recently received news that she had cancer. This past Sunday, I was able to visit her at the hospital after she underwent extensive surgery to remove her cancerous tumors. Although I went to encourage her, I’m pretty sure that I was the one who came away far more edified as a result of our visit. Below are a few reflections I jotted down after our time together:
Doctrine Matters.
There’s simply no way we can overestimate the importance of doctrine in the life of the Christian! John MacArthur wisely notes, “What you believe about God, the gospel, and every major truth addressed in Scripture filters down to every area of your life. You and I will never rise above our view of God and our understanding of His Word.” I am thankful that Rachel grew up in a Word-saturated, Christ-exalting home where the Bible was faithfully taught and lived out. In this season of suffering, Rachel has a rich reservoir of truth that she can draw from for strength and encouragement. The cumulative effect of faithfully studying the Scriptures, sitting under the doctrinally-rich preaching of her godly father, and engaging in genuine fellowship with other believers is evident in her faith-filled response to this daunting trial.
The Kingdom is More Important Than Our Comforts.
I’ll never forget the moment when my mom told us that she had cancer. Cancer was one of those things that always seemed “out there…” a distant calamity that was far removed from my life experiences. As I sat in disbelief, my mom, with tears in her eyes, quietly said, “Micah, pray that the gospel would be advanced and that the Lord would somehow be glorified in this.” In a sweet providence, I felt compelled to share this story as I was preaching from Colossians 4:2-4 the Sunday morning before Rachel discovered she had cancer. Like my mother, Rachel repeatedly has reminded me (and others), “This is all part of God’s providence. Let’s pray for the gospel’s advance!” Over the past few weeks, I have received numerous texts relaying stories of Rachel taking opportunities to share gospel truths with friends, estranged family members, and even medical staff. When we chatted last Sunday, Rachel was far more interested in talking about gospel’s advance than the pain she was experiencing. Why? Because the Kingdom is more important than her comforts.
Death is a Reality Worth Pondering.
In his early twenties, Jonathan Edwards wrote, “Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.” Puritan Richard Baxter wrote that effective ministers of Christ live and labor “with one foot in the grave.” Statements like these sound strangely morbid in a culture that’s almost immune to death. Yet, these saints and scores like them have understood that impending death is a powerful motivation to live whole-heartedly for the glory of God. I’ve often wondered if the absence of death’s imminence in our thinking is one of the main reasons why we’ve become so comfortable with wittling our lives away on entertainment, Netflix-binging, and eternally-insignificant endeavors. We live as if there will always be a tomorrow (James 4:13-14).
Tragedies have a way of awakening us from our numbness to consider afresh the brevity of life. Living in death’s shadows, the godly resonate with Edwards commitment to “live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.”
Conclusion
Suffering is not a pointless evil, but a necessary means our Lord uses to mold us into the image of Christ and prepare us for future glory (Ro.8:18, 28f). As we dig our roots deep in doctrinal truths and view life through the lenses of eternity, the Lord can use us in our suffering to advance His Kingdom in ways far beyond our comprehension. May the Lord grant us grace to suffer well for the sake of His name.
