Sufferings of This Present Time Are Not Worthy to be Compared with God's Glory
Today I happened to be reading Romans 8. The second half really spoke to me in a way it never had before. It spoke of having faith in God’s goodness even in the worst of times.
Right now I have a friend who just found that her cancer may be back after 10 years. I have another friend who is having his big toe amputated due to an infection caused by diabetes and who has an infection on his heart that may need to be cut out. The son of another friend recently lost his entire left leg, including part of his left hip, and other parts in a motorcycle accident. He is lucky to be alive, but will never have a normal life. Some good friends have a teenage daughter who has been sick for 4+ years and seems to be getting worse and worse. She has had to drop out of school, can barely eat, and basically can’t leave the house. Everything they have tried has either had no effect or seems to make her condition worse. Around the globe there are numerous wars where people are being slaughtered and even risk of a new world war. The US and the rest of the world seem to be entering a time of economic turmoil. There are mass shootings and other terrorists attacks. There are riots leading to destruction of property and lives. There are earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados, and other natural disasters. Evil seems to be pushed everywhere. It is easy to get discouraged and wonder where God is in all of this evil and heartache.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,
“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:18-39)
When I read Romans 8, I was reminded of God’s goodness. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) The evil and pain we see and experience is not because God doesn’t care, but because He is patient.
I was especially touched by verse 18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” God reminds us that the suffering we suffer today will not compare to the joy we will experience in eternity as we glory in God’s presence. As bad as things may be now, our good future, that is guaranteed to us, is better by orders of magnitude compared to the pain we now suffer. It is always easier to endure suffering when we can see its end and know better times will come. A woman in childbirth doesn’t bemoan her labor, but looks forward to the reward of her newborn child. In the same way we need to look past the suffering of this world to the eternity we are guaranteed with God if we have accepted Him as savior.
Romans 8:24-25 says “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” As we deal with the sin, pain, and suffering during our mortal lives, we need to always have our eyes focused on Jesus, the cross, and eternity with God. Our hope is in Him and He will never let us down. No matter how bad things get, up to and including death, He is with us and has our best taken into account in His perfect plan. When we are suffering, it is hard to see His good plan, but it is always there. I always liked the analogy from Corrie Ten Boom of weaving a tapestry. On the back side, you see all of the knots and rough stitches, but on the other side, is a beautiful picture. We don’t see the picture until we reach heaven, but we can sometimes get an idea of the design this side of heaven.
Corrie Ten Boom’s poem
My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He weaveth steadily.Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.Not ’til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas
And reveal the reason why.The dark threads are as needful
In the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has plannedHe knows, He loves, He cares;
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him.
We may not know why God allows/makes us go through the hardships he does, but we can know that He has a glorious plan that will make it all worth while. I have seen in my own life that the hardest times had the biggest payoff. I learned the most. I grew the most. It prepared me for ministry that I otherwise couldn’t have done. I grew in faith. I was able to empathize with others who were suffering so I could be a blessing to them. Instead of thinking, “why did God allow this to happen?” or “why me?”, we should think “what plan does God have for my life?” or “what is God teaching me?” or “what is God preparing me for?”
Now let’s return to Romans 8.
Romans 8:26-27 states, “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” God’s Holy Spirit is with us to provide for us in these hard times. In particular He helps us pray even when we don’t know how to pray or even what to pray for. We just know that things aren’t as they should be.”
So often we try to pray our solution which is rarely the best solution. Instead we should pray our problem and leave the solution to God. As Jesus said right before dying on the cross “not my will, but thine be done.” We need to cast our cares on Him and believe that He is in control and will do what is best for us. We do, however, need to keep in mind that what is ultimately for our best is not necessarily (probably rarely) what we want, what is most pleasant, or what is easiest. When we seek to be more like Jesus, he calls us to “take up our cross and follow Him.” He doesn’t say follow Him and life will be easy and pleasant or that He will make us rich and successful. Although He never says life following Him will be easy, it will be better than what it would otherwise be, but not necessarily by the world’s standards.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-29a)
In hard times, this is the verse that I regularly turn to. He always “causes ALL things to work together for good.” When we are really suffering, it is hard to see how these horrible situations could “work together for good,” but our omniscient, omnipotent God is able to turn evil to good and hardship to glorious joy. He knows things we don’t know and He works for our ultimate good, but not necessarily for our immediate comfort. When we trust Him fully, even the worst situation is bearable and it is even possible for it to be joyful.
I understand that although it really is this simple, it isn’t easy. I will say, though, that the more hardship we go through, the more we learn to lean on Him, and the easier it gets to be joyful in the hard times. If you are suffering right now, I hope you will take this to heart and not discard it as easy words from someone who doesn’t understand what you are going through. Although I probably have not been through the hardships you have been through, I am not unacquainted with hardship. I have dealt with a sickly child who was hospitalized around 20 times over 3+ years. I’ve had multiple miscarriages. I lost my house in a fire and lost all of my physical possessions. I’ve had my mother-in-law get diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, have a stroke 2 days later, and die a week after that. (As shocking and sad as it was, her Christian funeral was actually joyful as we celebrated her life and what Jesus had done through her.) I’m not being flippant. I am sharing the hope I relied on to get through these hardships.
Now back to Romans 8:31b-32 “If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” We should expect God’s blessing. He has done so much for us in the past, so we should expect much more in the future. Like Jesus’s death on the cross, God’s methods don’t necessarily seem “right” to us, but He knows what is best and will work things for our good. Just as Jesus submitted to death on the cross, we need to submit to the will of God.
Romans 8:35 says, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Don’t allow “tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword” to make you feel separated from God. His love never ends. Don’t let this hardship harden your heart and hurt your relationship with God. Lean on Him. Rely on Him. Love Him. Trust Him. Hope in Him. He will never abandon you or forsake you.
Romans 8:37 says “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” If God is with us, we can conquer any hardship, even death. As Christians, the worst thing that can happen to us, death, is also the greatest thing that can happen to us. We don’t need to be afraid of death. We need to look forward to it because it means we will be with God forever in paradise where there is no more death, crying, or pain.
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. (Philippians 1:21-24)
This longing to be with Christ does not mean we should act to hasten death. We are here on Earth both to grow in Christ and to minister to others. We are not to leave until our work is done even if that means accepting suffering as we serve God. We should, however, long for our future with Christ.
Trust Jesus.
your sister in Christ,
Christy
P.S. After finishing this post I came across more great verses. I am including them without comment.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
“2Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:2-8)
If you don’t want to miss a post, please consider subscribing, so you know when new posts are published. Unfortunately, my life will not allow for a perfect schedule of posts.
If you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you. I will try to reply to your questions and comments as quickly as possible. I’m sure life will sometimes get in the way, but know that your input is valuable to me. Some responses may be direct to you. I may address some with a blog post.
