The conclusion come to in Romans 11:33-34 couldn’t be (crystal) clearer, that it’s impossible for mere mortal man, finite and fallen, to fathom why God does some of the things He does:  “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”  [As a side note, one of the countless things I just love about the powerful yet precious Apostle Paul is his perpetual passion, which is demonstrated by how much more often he used exclamation points in his writings than other human authors of Scripture.]

If it were up to you or me, we probably would’ve designed it so that there were many paths to heaven, many ways to come to God and to receive salvation from sin – its penalty (in our past), its power (in our present) and its presence (in our future) – and that’s very understandable and well-intended, as we’d like to see as many people as possible prosper spiritually and in all of the resultant tangential manners (emotionally, relationally, etc.) … but God didn’t do that, God didn’t create many ways to come to Him, to get to heaven, just ONE way:

• “Jesus said to him, ‘I am THE WAY, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, BUT THROUGH ME.'” (John 14:6)

No doubt this was one of the very first Bible verses many of us memorized, maybe as young children in Sunday school or AWANA; many in today’s culture reject the notion that there is only ONE WAY to God, to heaven, to salvation, but we have known and accepted this truth our whole lives.

But did you know that just as God has provided only one way for salvation, so also there’s only one way for sanctification?

And I can sum it up in a single word:  suffering.

Trials, tribulations, troubles, testing, discipline… there are many words and phrases but they all involve the same thing, all spring from the same root:  suffering.

If I had to boil down my perspective on suffering into a single sentence it would be this:  Suffering is necessary, temporary, and salutary.  (Often scary, and in the case of Paul downright legendary – 2 Corinthians 11:23-28)

Let’s do a deep dive on this topic.

I think that over the past two thousand years since Christ roamed the very same sod on which we currently walk, the majority of Christians have gotten the majority of biblical principles right, we’ve pretty much “nailed it” in most cases.

But one major exception to that is the area and topic of suffering.

Certainly the world at large, but even the vast majority of Christians view “suffering” as a negative, in a negative light – often completely but at least partially, as though suffering is either altogether undesirable or at least has drawbacks.

But one of THE MOST CRUCIAL aspects and principles of the Christian life, of spiritual growth, of victory and power over sin and temptation and every evil thing is that not only ISN’T suffering “bad” or “negative” or “undesirable” but JUST THE OPPOSITE:  it’s GOOD and POSITIVE and VERY DESIRABLE.  Because it’s utterly necessary and indispensable if one is to be sanctified, if one is to walk through the ONLY gate and walk down the ONLY path which leads to and results in “the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14, very strong words!)

Which means that it’s a downright disaster that so many people, even so many Christians totally get this one – but uber-important given the words, the warning just quoted – area, this one aspect of the Christian life so wrong but hopefully this post will change that!

Specifically, the Bible will change that as we read and heed the living and active Word of God Almighty quoted particularly in the “bullet points” of this post.

The first fact is the one which led off above:  God is the one who designed life and the plan of salvation and sanctification and His wisdom is infinitely beyond what our finite, fallen, flesh-bound minds can muster so we shouldn’t question His decisions (in general, including this one in specific) but rather accept, embrace, and indeed celebrate them.

The second fact is that suffering is universal.  No human being is immune or excepted from this rule.

• “For we KNOW that the WHOLE creation groans and SUFFERS the pains of childbirth together until now.” (Romans 8:22)
• “For man [i.e., mankind, humankind, humanity] is BORN FOR TROUBLE [i.e., SUFFERING] ” (Job 5:7)
• “In the world you have TRIBULATION…” (John 16:33b)  Indeed, not just generally but consistently:
• “EACH DAY has enough TROUBLE of its own” (Matthew 6:34b)

The Bible is full of “tests” or “proofs” of genuine salvation.  Two of my “favorites” are the entire New Testament books of James and 1 John.  But I submit to you that the Bible is equally clear that how a person responds to suffering (again, often referred to as “trials” or “tribulations” or “trouble” or “testing”  or “discipline”) in this life reveals where he or she will be spending the life to come, eternity.  To wit:

The third fact is that suffering is NECESSARY as it is THE way in which God SANCTIFIES those who come to a saving knowledge of Him, i.e., Christians…

• “And indeed, ALL who desire to LIVE GODLY in Christ Jesus WILL be PERSECUTED.” (2 Timothy 3:12)
• “For to you [i.e., Christians] it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to SUFFER for His sake” (Philippians 1:29)  [this is definitely great grist for a future post but for now I’ll just say that this principle is just like the one about “witnessing”, about sharing the Gospel with others:  many Christians view suffering as a “negative” or “drudgery”, yet the Bible is clear here that such has been “GRANTED” to us; so also, many Christians view “witnessing” as a drudgery, yet 1 Thessalonians 2:2b-4a is clear that God has APPROVED us to be ENTRUSTED with that action:  “… we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.  For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; but just as we have been APPROVED by God to be ENTRUSTED with the gospel, so we speak…”; like I said above, most Christians have “nailed it” in most areas, but suffering and witnessing are probably the two biggest exceptions to that]

… starting with Christ Himself (very fittingly… since the word “Christians” means “Christ ones” or “little Christs”):

• “… Christ also SUFFERED for you…” (1 Peter 2:21b)
• “… Christ has SUFFERED in the flesh…” (1 Peter 4:1a)
• “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-3)
• “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through SUFFERINGS. (Hebrews 2:10)
• “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He SUFFERED.” (Hebrews 5:8)

My friend, if it was necessary for GOD IN FLESH, the Lord Jesus Himself, to experience suffering and thus learn obedience (God’s own words as we just read, not mine) in His humanity, how much more do you suppose that goes for sinful sinning sinners like you and me?!

I submit to you that suffering isn’t just a part of the Christian life but in a very real sense it IS the Christian life!

• “For you [Christians] have been called [to salvation] FOR THIS PURPOSE, since Christ also SUFFERED for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21)

The fourth fact is that God knew that selfish, sinful, sin-filled, fleshly, fallen, finite folks like us would have a totally distorted, backward view of something like suffering, since it goes against the very grain of human nature by default.  Which no doubt is why His call was crystal clear not only in its simplicity and straightforwardness but also in its caveat:  that following Him would absolutely entail great cost, much suffering, and that a person would therefore be very wise to “count the cost” BEFORE making that fateful decision.

• “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not FIRST sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?  Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’  Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not FIRST sit down and take counsel whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming with against him with twenty thousand?” (Luke 14:28-31)

One reason Jesus did this was His utter thoughtfulness and generosity of spirit, always wanting what’s best for others.  Unlike so many “salesmen” today, He eschewed hype and deceit and instead just gave his audience the facts, the truth.  Another reason was to separate the wheat from the chaff, knowing that only those truly called by God would want, would deem it “worth it” to take on suffering in this life versus the pleasure and “happiness” and “self-fulfillment” prized and sought by so many today, by the world, the world system and its adherents.

But Christians are cut from a different cloth.  We understand what Moses did and exemplified so beautifully:

• “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing RATHER to ENDURE ILL-TREATMENT [suffering!] with the people of God, THAN to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the REPROACH [suffering!] of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt [symbolizing the world system]; for he was looking to the reward.” (Hebrews 11:24-26)

The fifth and final fact is that the value and benefit and benefits  of choosing Christ, of choosing to follow Him and not the world (“I have decided to follow Jesus…”) FAR OUTWEIGHT AND SURPASS any and all of the “pleasure” this world could ever give… “TIMES INFINITY” as we used to say as children.

• “… the SUFFERINGS of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)

And going back to the previous verse brings us full circle to the “warning” noted above but for full context I’ll print the previous four verses since this is so important, so vital, so crucial:

• “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God these are sons of God.  For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba!  Father!’  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, IF INDEED we SUFFER with Him IN ORDER THAT we may also be glorified with Him.” (Romans 8:14-17)  [God’s words, not mine]

Ding ding ding!

And this truth is similarly stated in 1 Peter (different human author, same Spirit):

• “In this [eternal salvation, verse 5] you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary [better translated or understood as “SINCE necessary”, much like 1 John 1:9 vis-a-vis the confession of sin, which uses the exact same root word in the Greek as here], you have been distressed by various TRIALS [yep, SUFFERING!], that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though TESTED by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:6-9)

… which is why we can consider, count, view suffering as TOTAL JOY and for the POSITIVE thing that it actually is!  Since it’s – and please be sure to really let this sink in – since it’s IMPOSSIBLE to separate or de-link it from its result.

• “Consider it ALL JOY, my brethren [i.e., Christians, i.e., those who have “counted the cost” beforehand and still chosen to follow Christ], when you encounter various TRIALS, KNOWING that the TESTING of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete [i.e., spiritually mature], lacking in nothing. ” (James 1:2-4)

Above I quoted 1 Peter 2:21 which clearly states that we were called for the “purpose” of suffering.  So it’s fitting to end this post with another passage just over a chapter later in that very same book:

• “Therefore, since Christ has SUFFERED in the flesh, arm YOURSELVES [note the very same use of warfare/battle lingo as in Luke 14 above] also with the same PURPOSE [there’s that word again], because he who has suffered in the flesh has CEASED FROM SIN [same concept as the just-quoted “perfect and complete” in James 1], so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh [i.e., the rest of our earthly lives] no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:1-2)

My friend, beloved, the fact of the matter, the fact of life is that it is I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E to arrive at the desperately desired destination of defeating and conquering and overcoming sin and being spiritually mature on the path of sanctification W-I-T-H-O-U-T, A-P-A-R-T from S-U-F-F-E-R-I-N-G!

Which is why I have come not just to genuinely love and desire and want it but to truly TREASURE it.  For real.  Because I have come to see its result.  I have come to see that it is the ONLY gate through which one may travel on the path of salvation and sanctification and spiritual growth.  I have come to see that it is indeed the means by which God removes the “dross” of sin from our lives so that the “precious gold” of godliness can be experienced in this life before being fully realized “at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:7)  Therefore, let us indeed “arm ourselves” spiritually “with the same purpose”, knowing that just as Jesus is “THE way” for salvation (John 14:6), so also suffering is THE way for sanctification, with our precious Savior as the ultimate example, the perfect pattern for us to follow. (1 Peter 2:21)

Let us “count the cost”…

… then let us choose wisely, let us choose to put the world and the past behind us and focus on the cross and the future before us…

… from this day forth, let us not be so foolish and short-sighted and worldly-minded as to view suffering as a “negative” or “drudgery” but rather for the immense, extreme POSITIVE and BLESSING and TREASURE that it is.

Or put another way, one we would’ve immediately understood as kids… Let’s view suffering not as okra but blueberries!

Startinnnnnnnnnng now!
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