Joy and Suffering

One of the big themes that I have been learning from Scripture recently is the power of the gospel to not only bring us into a relationship with God where He approves us based on the work of Christ and not on anything we have done, but also the power of the gospel to completely transform a life, so that anything and everything can be endured with joy, recognizing the sufficiency of Christ and his grace. This morning I read 2 Corinthians 5:21-6 and I learned more...

2 Corinthians 5:21 - 6:1-10
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain- for He says, "At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is "the acceptable time," behold, now is "the day of salvation"- giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, int he Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; but the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things."

There are so many things to point out and meditate on from this passage! Paul's life was one marked powerfully by the grace he had received. His description here is one of a person who did not "receive the grace of God in vain," but whose life reflects serving God and not the world, being renewed and transformed by the gospel. Paul did not "receive the grace of God in vain," but his life was a display of the power of God's grace to transform a life, and to be all-sufficient... in any and every circumstance.

One of the things that really struck me when I was reading this passage, is that I was expecting his list of a life that has not received the gospel in vain but has been changed by it, to start off with a list of good deeds... but his list starts off with enduring hardships and distresses, imprisonments, sleeplessness, hunger. WOW. How much more clearly can the power of God and the sufficiency of his grace be seen when we endure patiently and with joy the hardships that we face? Endurance and perseverance in trials magnifies the all-satisfying power of who God is, because it shows that our hope in Him is unshakeable, no matter what the trying experience is that we are facing. He is enough. When we are broken, when we are facing severe disappointments or failures and we can still recognize Christ as enough for us, as the sole object/person on which we place our hope and joy - this is when He receives glory, when He is seen for who he really is, supremely valuable over all things. I can't think of a more powerful witness to the power of God!

Paul believed that God's grace was sufficient at all times, because he knew and experienced the power of the gospel in a way that changed everything for him. It changed the way that he saw all things: He counts "all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for who I have suffered the loss of all things..." Phil. 3:8. He also knew the secret to contentment no matter what the circumstances were: "I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Phil 4:12-13).

I know that the trials I face seem so small compared to many others, especially missionaries who are facing death because of their proclamation of the gospel, or Paul who is constantly facing imprisonment, deprivation of sleep, food, water, a home... (Read 1 Corinthians 4:9-13 for the rough description of the apostles' lifestyle) but it is my prayer that in any circumstance I face, even if it were as dire as any one of the trials Paul faced, that Christ would be exalted as supreme over all things, and that I would find and prove His grace to be sufficient to the point of being able to rejoice.