Hope in Suffering

There’s nothing more common to the human experience after the Fall of Adam and Eve than suffering. With natural disaster, epidemics, terminal illness, aging, and death, it’s clear that this world is not as it’s supposed to be.  

Of course, what has gone wrong is not just out there; it’s in the human heart. As Christian writer G.K. Chesterton famously wrote in response to a newspaper question posed to its readers, “Dear Sir, ... ‘What’s wrong with the world?’: I am. Yours Truly, G.K. Chesterton.” 

For the Christian, suffering can test and reveal how we live out our faith that Christ will redeem all things for His glory. Perhaps few have exemplified this better than stateswoman and global disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada. A quadriplegic for 57 years, Joni has known suffering in an intimate way, and rather than give into despair, she has used it as an opportunity to shine Christ’s light and bless others. We asked Joni to share her thoughts at our recent Lighthouse Voices event, co-hosted by Focus on the Family. 

Here’s what she had to say: 

I believe—and I think you and I as Christians need to believe—that we must suffer well in the watching eyes of people in our spheres of influence, because sooner or later, those people out there in culture are going to get hit broadside with profound pain and suffering—the kind that sandblasts them to the core, leaving them, leaving them totally undone and completely unprepared to handle it. 

Chuck Swindoll calls it life’s grinding power that crushes a man and humbles a person—the emotional and physical pain that crushes and humbles the average person. Well, for him, for that person suddenly suffering, his suffering rips off the mask and exposes today’s culture as empty, unsatisfying, without answers for life’s real problems. If the sufferings are enough, these people are going to question the reality that they’ve been absorbed in. 

They’re going to look to people who welcome a trial as a friend and go, “What?” They’re going to be drawn to the sufferer who does not complain. “You mean there really are people in this world who don’t complain? Are there Christians who actually do everything without complaining or groaning or moaning or grumbling?” Sounds impossible. Well, the Bible thinks it’s possible. 

Philippians 2:14 says, “Do everything without complaining,” because certainly we’ve got nothing to complain about. They ripped our Savior Jesus Christ. They ripped his body to shreds and hung him up on a cross like a slaughtered piece of meat, bloodied and left to dry. And if Jesus did that, I mean, if he did that to rescue us from our sin, hasn’t he proved his good intentions to us? Hasn’t he proved himself trustworthy? 

Friend, if you are suffering well today—and I don’t know how you might be suffering—John had mentioned suffering hits us all in varying degrees and stages. 

But if you’re suffering well, you’re not complaining. If you’re being kind and being bold and shining Christ’s light, then you are a fiery bush. You’re a flame, the flame of the Holy Spirit. You’re on display. Your witness of patience, perseverance, endurance and the joy of the Lord Jesus makes your authentic witness believable. You’ve got credence. 

Don’t waste it. If you suffer well, yours is the visceral story that rises above and demonstrates to others real courage. Don’t waste your suffering. You are credible in our dark culture, and boy, does our dark culture need authentic, credible stories of Christ’s power. And because you shine with the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, let me say that again. You shine with the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, according to Corinthians chapter four, verse four. 

And believe me, no other time was Christ more glorified than when He was on the cross. Okay, There the glory of Christ shined the most bright, the brightest; his mercy, the way he endured his suffering ... and His father? How He loved us? Well, you know what? If you suffer well, you’re like him. You shine with that light. 

That was the one and only Joni Eareckson Tada speaking at our most recent Lighthouse Voices event. Our final Lighthouse Voices will be Tuesday, November 12 in Colorado Springs. You can also watch it online. Os Guinness will help us think about how Christians can push back on the lies of the sexual revolution in a way that brings life to the world around us. To learn more, visit colsoncenter.org/lighthouse.