but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:32 (ESV)
It is a common desire among us all that we not have to go through trials and sufferings during our lives. We think that life would be much more enjoyable if we never have to experience suffering or pain. Yet, not only is life filled with trials and sufferings of many kinds but our God allows us and requires us to go through trials and sufferings. There is something special and meaningful to our faith on this spiritual journey through hardships and trials. There are three points to note in this. First, Jesus tells Peter that suffering is coming and He has prayed for him. Second, that the suffering is only for a season. Third, that Peter’s faith will be strengthened during this trial to the point where he can use his experience to help others. The overarching point that speaks to me today is that in the midst of my suffering, it may seem as though there is no point, that there is no end in sight, and I am all alone. Jesus tells me that none of these things are true. The trials and suffering that are here today are meant to draw me closer to Jesus as we walk through them together. He allows the suffering to happen but has placed himself with me in the middle of the suffering. He never leaves me and never forsakes me. He brings companionship and strength in the path of suffering.
First in my mind is that my suffering and trials are never isolated and uncontrolled. Whether I am in this place of hardship due to my own sin or because the enemy has desired to test me, my hardships are never a mistake or an afterthought. It’s easy to mistake suffering for payback. Meaning that when the trial arrives, my mind will immediately assume I have done something wrong or that God is displeased with me in some way. There may be some truth in this, but my error is that I turn this into a moment of self-righteousness. I want to justify myself before the Lord and prove to him that I am not worthy of this trial. I want him to know that he has made a mistake. My first reaction is often self-defense. If this doesn’t alleviate my pain or convince God to relax, then I move into bitterness and anger. I become self-righteous and indignant. My thoughts turn to believing the lies of the enemy. The lies that God is not for me. That God doesn’t want good for me. These same lies that he has been telling people since the dawn of time.
Second, my mind tells me that my suffering and trials will never end. What may have been a day or two will invariably seem like weeks. What has been weeks will feel like months or years. Even the trial of years seems perpetual and as though it has always been there in my life. The enemy will whisper in my ear that this suffering will never end and I will feel this pain and misery for the rest of my life. The seeds of doubt and despair will try to either force their way in or sneak in through deception. I must remember the words of Jesus in this verse, “and when you have turned again.” There is a foreseeable end in sight. I don’t think this necessarily means my pain and suffering will cease and life can resume to normal. I believe what Jesus is getting at here is that even in my suffering, I can turn in faith to Him for comfort. The trial doesn’t necessarily end but my hardness of heart does and the comfort of Christ will embrace and strengthen me. I will move from despair to hope. Hope in the One who loves and prays for me.
Third, there is a point and a purpose to these trials. Jesus will not always reveal the point and purpose of my suffering, but there is always a purpose. My heart cries out to understand but that cry is not always answered. It is not for me to question the purposes of God. It is for me to simply humble myself in faith and repentance and learn to trust the Lord in every area and every moment. It is for me to seek a deeper and more intimate relationship with my Savior. For there is always a simple answer to the question of purpose in suffering. One is to draw me closer to Jesus and then to strengthen and help others who suffer. The command to Peter was that he would take his struggle and share it with the brothers to strengthen them. Far from wallowing in shame and guilt as Peter would be tempted, Jesus tells him to take what he learned in the trial and share it with others for mutual encouragement. My greatest shame is not a means to keep me isolated and on the sidelines of faith and fellowship. On the contrary, Jesus wants me to use my story of hardship to strengthen and encourage the people he brings into my life. I have found that this is helpful for them, but even more helpful for me. It turns my heart from sitting in shame and guilt to standing in praise and thanksgiving. For my Savior rescued me! And he can and will rescue others.
This is my desire in life. To accept the struggles of life which will inevitably be there. To not see these struggles as punishment or pathways to bitterness. No, my struggles are a means to draw me closer to Jesus. How? Because my Savior suffered in this life. He knows and understands what I am going through because he suffered. Not only that, but he is with me. He is walking alongside me giving me strength and perseverance. He puts his arm around me when I stumble. He embraces me when I weep. He whispers comfort when I am anxious and afraid. My Savior is right here beside me all the time. He is my hope and my refuge. When all the world is raging around me, Jesus is the calm. He is the peace. In him alone will I find comfort and rest.