There Is Blessing Found in Suffering - The Crosswalk Devotional - March 31

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There Is Blessing Found in Suffering
By: Emily Rose Massey

Bible Reading:
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” - James 1:12, NIV

When a tragic, unexpected death happens, do you shake your fist and proclaim “Not today, Satan! We will make the devil pay!” or do you trust God’s ways are higher than yours and say like our Lord, Jesus, “Not my will, Lord, but Yours be done” and trust that He will use that trial for your good and for His glory?

Suffering is a reality for everyone on this earth, including believers. To deny that is to deny the reality of the fact that we live in a fallen world, and Christians are not exempt from the results of it. Remember, the Apostles suffered greatly, and many of them died horrendous deaths as martyrs. But it was all for God’s glory and a part of His sovereign plan for their lives.  

James 1:12 shares with us a beautiful promise about suffering:

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (NIV).

Intersecting Faith & Life:

What word comes to mind when you reflect upon suffering, trials, storms, pain, difficulties, and struggles? Most likely, the word “good” seems a bit out of place to describe such life challenges. Yet, we see in the life of Job that, although he experienced tremendous pain and loss at the hand of the enemy, God allowed it to happen and used it for good, so that Job would know the Lord more deeply. 

The “double for his trouble”(that Job received double the material blessings for his suffering) teaching that you hear so often in the prosperity gospel message tries to take the focus off the entire point of the book of Job, that reveals to us the beautiful attribute of God’s sovereignty over all things that happens in our world, including pain and suffering. When we try to give more power to Satan than we should, we infer that he “got one passed God” like God was completely unaware it was going to happen. The fact of the matter is that God allows suffering and pain to come into our lives for a reason.

God will use all things to conform us to the image of Christ, and often in the life of the believer, that includes pain and suffering. In times of suffering, we can pray for God’s mercy to come and cry out for His help in time of trouble, yes, but we must remember Jesus promised that “in this life, there will be trouble” (John 16:33). Yet, we know that He overcame the world for us and we will one day taste of that victory in full when we meet Him face to face! 

That is why we must keep our eyes fixed on the hope of eternity, not on this life. And that is why faith in God is so important, because it is the rock on which we stand when trials and the storms of life come, because they will. We must remember that our faith in Him means that because of the cross, we are forgiven, and now we can have the hope that He never leaves our side and walks with us through the valley and the mountain-top experiences, and we have the ultimate hope that there is a glorious, eternal life that awaits us in Christ Jesus. That is our anchor...the hope of eternity. There is a day that awaits believers where all pain and suffering will cease. But until then, we continue to declare “And if not… He is still good” and trust our lives in His sovereign hands, no matter what comes our way. 

We must ask God to help us find His mercy and goodness when trials and the storms of life come our way. If we are prone to grumble and complain, may the Holy Spirit convict our hearts and remind us to be thankful for His promise of eternity because of the cross. May we look for opportunities to comfort those around us who are suffering as well, so we can help hold each other up. Who around you may need to be comforted right now? We live in a fallen world, and although we cannot escape suffering, we know that heaven is our home and that the crown of life awaits those who stand firm in the faith, trusting that Jesus has overcome the world and there is no reason to fear. Let us praise God that He will never abandon us to walk through suffering alone. 

Further Reading:
Romans 8:18
2 Corinthians 1:3-5

How did today’s devotional speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Crosswalk Devotional discussion.

Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Lina Trochez 

Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, entered the blogging world in her early 20s, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a homeschooling momma of four boys, while still being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Believing she has been forgiven much, she loves much, and desires to point others to Christ and His redemptive and transforming power, especially by sharing truth found in God’s written word. If you would like to connect with Emily, you can visit www.emilyrosemassey.com.

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Listen to the Jesus Calling Podcast!

Welcome to this special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast, inspired by the topical themes from Sarah Young’s seasonal prayer devotional Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season. Today, we are featuring guests who speak to themes that all of us might be experiencing in this season of winter. As the days grow shorter and the night longer, we are offered a rare gift: permission to stop. This season can be a challenging time for many, and if you are struggling with low spirits, please know you are not alone, and help is available. This episode is an opportunity to honor your weariness, to resist the urge to rush, and to discover the profound healing that happens when we simply let ourselves rest in the stillness. If you like what you hear, be sure to follow Jesus Calling on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!