Suffering - Part 1
By Mike Rule

Often we wrestle with how a God of love would allow suffering. Perhaps the issue is not IF we will suffer, but the purpose IN the suffering. We will suffer because we live in a fallen world. However, when there is a purpose in suffering, even though we become hard pressed on every side, we can rejoice knowing that there is a purpose - the continual revelation of Christ. A few months back when I was in that deepest pit of despond, I could not make sense of ANY thing. I despaired of my very life. I had no desire to live anymore. I suppose in one sense, I did not live through it. As a friend says - death, death and more death... to self. As we were talking about this during and Advanced Training Seminar someone once commented how it sounded so morbid. I have struggled with that same thought.

But here is a question for us to ponder: Do we want the illusion of life, or the reality of it? Think about Peter walking on the water during the storm. The storm does not subside, but becomes irrelevant when Jesus takes your hand. Rest assured that most likely the storm will subside, yet there is no confidence in what God will or will not do. The confidence is in Him. In Him is a YES that has little to do with circumstances. The 3rd stage childbirth includes almost unbearable pain, but LIFE comes in the end!

I have seen God do amazing and miraculous things in people's lives, but I have to be honest with you: Seeing God move in other people does not satisfy me. Likewise, comparing my situation to someone else's does nothing to help me feel better about my situation either. In fact, at times it can make me feel guilty that I am whining when others suffer so much. If we minister and suffer because of what God is going to do in others, then we are only in ministry for a very pathetic, shallow, and selfish reason.

We have to admit that people everywhere ARE suffering - some are suffering horribly. Issues I commonly deal with are manic depression, psychotic depression, suicide attempts, anxiety attacks, child molesting, pornography struggles, masturbation, lust, hate, envy, marriage trouble, major health concerns, divorce, self righteousness - and MANY more -- need I go on? But there are other sufferings that are just as significant. Loneliness, despair, hopelessness, life out of control, internal hell, silent God -- on & on it goes. According to the world's way of judging, perhaps the latter are the lessors, but the issue is always to not judge things by external "significance." It is important for is to see things through the eyes of what is significant to the individual. We get into trouble when we judge the issues and start to put significance on them based upon outward appearances. Eating that juicy peach of from the tree of death will cause us to evaluate our own situation and draw comparisons that end in self-ridicule and condemnation because "we have nothing to be whining about - we don't have it that bad." …Condemnation and more condemnation.