Making Sense of Suffering: Do We need to Suffer?

Making Sense of Suffering

In 1967 diving accident left Joni Eareckson Tada a spinal cord-injured quadriplegic in a wheelchair. She explained how she felt after that:

“This kind of nonchalance about gut-wrenching suffering used to drive me crazy. Stuck in a wheelchair I wondered, Lord, how in the world can you consider my troubles light and momentary? I will never walk or run again. I will never use my hands… my back aches… I’m trapped! Maybe you see all of this achieving an eternal glory, but all I see is one awful day after the next of life in this stinking wheelchair! My pain screamed for my undivided attention, making me anxious to find quick fix or an escape hatch.

But somewhere after the first 5 years of life in my wheelchair, I noticed a change in my attitude toward hardships. I was beginning to see how my quadriplegia was working for my good and God’s glory – simply put; it meant becoming more like Christ.

In short, I was beginning to make sense of my suffering.

Now, many years later, I am more sure than ever that when it comes to our afflictions, God’s got his reasons. Good ones. I realize that a list of reasons can sound dry and technical, but years ago, understanding the spiritual benefits behind my suffering helped answer – at least in part – that sticky question, ‘Why does God allow so much hardship in my life?’”

Do We need to Suffer?

The Son of God, Jesus Christ did not exempt himself from affliction, but lived through it and learned from it. Once made complete, he became the source of help for all who obey him. “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18).

Should we not suffer? “A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master,” says the One who learned obedience from what he suffered. “It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master” (Matthew 10:24-25).

Our Bible reveals that God has his reasons for allowing suffering, not just in the larger realm, but in the lives of each of us. Learning a few of those reasons can make all the difference in the world, ultimately drawing us closer to Christ, the One who makes sense out of every heartache and hardship.

[Quote from Joni Eareckson Tada, Making Sense of Suffering (Torrance, USA: Rose Publishing, Inc, 2012]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

FREE COLOURFUL & GRAFFIC PAMPHLETS

I’m giving away ONLY 3 colourful pamphlets of Making Sense of Suffering by Joni Eareckson Tada. This pamphlet, I hope and pray, will help you explore the reasons God has for your hardship. Come and request for your copy by doing these 2 simple steps:

1. Comment below, “Rich, give me one copy of this pamphlet [Your name]. I want to make sense of suffering that I’m experiencing now. I’m willing to let God speaks to me through His Word about the reasons he has for my hardship. Amen.” 
2. Then, e-mail me at motivates4life@hotmail.com OR send me an inbox message to my Facebook account at ‘Richard Angelus’. Give me your full name, postal address, and phone number. This is for delivery only. Thank you.