“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
There’s an illustration that I’ve used in the past that helps me visualize this. Picture a blank wall with a stripe painted across it. Imagine that stripe continuing out past the wall and across the country, crossing oceans and shooting out into space. We’ll call that strip “Infinity.” With that strip representing the whole of eternity, what size would the span of our lives be on that stripe?
The smallest dot that we could draw would be too big. Our lifespan can’t compare with the length of eternity.
So what if we were to spend that entire dot in suffering in order to get the whole line of glory? Would that be unfair? Any amount of suffering that we experience can’t compare with what is waiting for us.
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
Great reminder Bro! They texts you mentioned have helped me tremendoulsy through the yrs when dealing with my own struggles and holding the hands of others as they struggle.
Is eternity a “destiny” or is it part of the fabric of our present journey? I see the point of a time when time will not exist and pain will be no more, but are we recieving small “glimpses” of it now as we love, share, and care for others while we serve him daily?
Let me know what you think, or any one else who reads this…
Trent
I agree but I would also caution everyone against mentioning this to someone in the throws of deep suffering. After my wife and I lost our son, there were too many well meaning Christians who tried to tell us to just think of heaven and then we would realize that it was all worth it. However, at the time the only think we could think of is the loss of our son, the longing to have him back with us, the unfairness of his death, and the disappointment we felt towards God. Our experience and feelings are typical of those who suffer.
So what I am trying to say is that suffering is a journey not an event. Those who suffer and are cared for within an understanding Christian community will most likely come around to the realization that our hope, our salvation fully realized when Christ returns will be far greater than the suffering we experience now. But those who are forced (so to speak) to try and come to this conclusion before they are ready will only be hurt more and in some cases will reject God all together.
Grace and peace,
Rex
Thanks Trent.
Rex: I very much agree. When someone is in the midst of a trial, that’s not the time to come with explanations of the hows and whys of suffering. That’s a time to “weep with those who weep.” That was part of the mistake that Job’s friends made.
My intention, I guess, is to counter those who want to teach the false idea that faithful Christians will live a “charmed life,” free from suffering.
Very true Tim and Rex, must we learn from Job’s friends. The Christian life is not a charmed life, its a matter of how we look at it and what we do with the pain we encounter.
Tim,
I understand where you are coming from. Also, I have often thought that only in a land of plenty – perhaps a land that is fat and drunk on its own wealth and perception of priviledge – does one come to the conclusion that the life of a Christian is nothing but a charmed life. I just have a hard time believing the “health and wealth” theology would fly very far in a land where the inhabitants feel blessed to sleep on a dirt floor and eat a cup of rice a day.
Grace and peace,
Rex
And yet, amazingly, in Latin America it is the poorest of the poor who flock to churches with the slogan “No more suffering!” They go and get milked for every dime they have, trusting in the promise that they will get much more back. They believe the promises of perpetual health and wealth, of success in love, good jobs, etc.
Any suffering they encounter is seen as a lack of faith.
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
Interesting….those suffering do often become labeled as weak or as you said having a lack of faith. Esp by those who have not been afflicted severely yet.
That is interesting and I do remember my friend Ricardo mentioning that too. It seems that when people are desperate for some relief, they will go wherever there seems to be a gliimer of hope in finding that relief. And so there is a great injustice done when people in the position of power and influence take advantage of that desperation for their own interests rather than the interest of justice and mercy. the kingdom of God.
Grace and peace,
Rex