Suffer Well
We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.
– 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4
Every one of us will encounter suffering in this life. That is part of living in a world broken by sin. However, we have a God who can take our suffering and redeem it for something good if we surrender it to him. So what does that mean? What does it mean to suffer well?
In Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians, we get a snapshot of this from a church under persecution and enduring trials.
In their suffering, they:
Grew in their faith
Increased in love for each other
Glorified God
Something not voiced directly but heavily implied is that this church was unified and firmly committed to its community of believers in Thessalonica. As we reflect on these ideas, this community is worth noting because we were not saved and sent to be isolated individuals but a family growing together.
So, first, we suffer well when we grow in our faith; this happens best when we suffer with one another. God did this work of increasing their faith within their community as they shared the same afflictions. When we face trials, the natural response is often to isolate and question, letting our hearts doubt the goodness and trustworthiness of God. Yet, this group of believers went in the opposite direction. When we suffer in a community and voice the hurts and struggles we face, we give opportunities for others to speak truth and strength into our doubts and weaknesses. Acting as a buttress, they support us and hold us up. They share scriptures, prayer, and stories of God's faithfulness in their lives, and it keeps us clinging to Christ, trusting him through the trail.
Next, we suffer well when we increase our love for each other. I can imagine these believers weeping together, praying for one another in their homes, and providing for each other's needs out of their generosity. When we suffer in silence, we rob ourselves of the ministry of community while we also rob others of the blessing of being God's love made visible to meet us in our difficulty. One of the places I have felt most loved in my life is in a circle of men where I felt safe to be real, raw, and honest about the hurts and struggles in my life. These men encouraged me, held me accountable, and loved me as they walked beside me through some of my darkest days.
Last, we suffer well when we proclaim God's glory through it. This last point is dependent on the first two. If we suffer without faith, we seek the glory of our circumstances. If we want to suffer in silence, we want to glorify our strength to overcome our difficulties, or we cannot risk our glory by admitting a weakness. However, when we are open, honest, and vulnerable about our pains, clinging to Christ no matter the outcome, and letting others love us with support and encouragement, Christ looks glorious.
Often, the biggest hurdle to suffering well is our pride. We don't want to open our mouths and admit we are hurting or struggling. Because of that, we miss out on the growth in our faith, the love of others, and letting Christ's glory shine in our lives.
Find a safe place, a small group or Sunday school class, a discipleship group, a recovery group, a close friend, and take the risk to be authentic and suffer well.
Grace,
Shawn
Sunday Reflections are weekly articles written as I reflect on moments of personal Bible study, recent sermons, or times of worship. I hope they are an encouragement to you.
Read other reflections from past weeks.
