Why Do We Suffer (Part 2 of 3)

Why Do We Suffer?

A survey of Paul’s Second Epistle to Timothy

Part 2 of 3

Khen Lim

Image source: record.adventistchurch.com

5. Never oppose untruths without God

I know this point very well. In my past, I’d thought knowing the Scripture was enough to pick up arguments and win them. In many ways, it became a contest of head knowledge and personal vanities. They were essentially done without placing my trust in God to lead and eventually, I somehow lost the plot as I got into disputes over what was and wasn’t the truth. More often than not, in these disputes, I ended up making matters worse.

It isn’t much different with those who come to Christ, freshly charged with fiery zeal. I remember almost twenty years ago when my parents had not come to Christ, two of their old friends came for a visit and tried sharing the Gospel with them. 

Unfortunately, it didn’t go down well. The moment their friends challenged them to break their Taoist altars and statues and follow Christ, they lost my parents. It took many years of reversing the effects for my parents to eventually accept the faith. Till today, it is doubt that these two friends know what they did.

In the epistle, Paul warns:

“Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.” (2 Tim 2:23-26, NLT)

Often the problem with taking matters into our own hands is that we end up being bitter and/or argumentative. Before we know it, we turn an anthill into a mountain with a veritable slippery slope where hurt is commonly the result. Either we get hurt or the other party does or as is often the case, both sides get hurt. It’s about time we cede wisdom and direction to a trustworthy God who will lead us in the overturning of any opposition to His truth.

6. Never forget the past

In fact, God was very adamant about this as early as during the days of Moses. Here’s what Moses said to God’s people:

“Remember the days of long ago; think about the generations past. Ask your father and he will inform you. Inquire of your elders and they will tell you.” (Dt 32:7, NLT)

God commanded Moses to remind His people who the Lord, their God was. The Lord wanted them to remember and acknowledge that it was He who created the world and who ultimately saved them from doom after their exodus from Egypt. That is the reason why Genesis is the first book in the Bible. 

It is, after all, the very beginning of life. It is at that very point, that all three – the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit – were present for the days of Creation when the Earth was formed, light was introduced for separate day from night, land and sea emerged before it was then populated by plants and trees, the animals and then humans. 

In all of this, the wonderment of the world presents itself as a true reminder of the Creator Himself. God wanted all of us to remember it was He who is behind all of Creation.

In Exodus chapter 20, God reiterates the same reminder in the first of the Ten Commandments:

“I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.” (Ex 20:1, NLT)

Here, it was the immediacy of the event that God wanted His people to remember. When the Ten Commandments were introduced, the Jews had already come a long way from having left their enslavement behind. God used the Commandments to set a moral code for His people to abide by and of all of these, the very first one, the prime of the ten was a reminder that He was their God and it was He who brought them to freedom. God felt strongly that the importance of this event must not be lost on them.

Four thousand years later, God still wants to remind us of His pre-eminence in our lives, His deliverance and how only He can fill our lives with contentment that no Man can offer. The fact is that, for all of us Christians, it was ultimately He who saved us. In all our suffering days, those were our bleak history. 

In fact, for many of us, that suffering still continues although in different forms. We remember the days when everything went wrong or when we thought the worst was over when in fact it wasn’t. Or when even our usually reliable friends would disappoint us. What about those darkest hours when we desperately wanted someone to talk to but there wasn’t anyone around.

In our suffering, inevitably there was God. The point of remembering Him is that in all of history, He was the sole reliable rescuer. No matter the odds stacked against us and regardless of the insurmountable suffering that we faced, God was the One who turned things around. In his second epistle to Timothy, Paul writes:

“You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra – but the Lord rescued me from all of it.” (2 Tim 3:11, NLT)

From the tone of the passage, it is obvious that being close to Paul, Timothy perfectly understood the sufferings he endured especially in the places he mentioned. In Pisidian Antioch, religious antagonists drove him out of the city (Acts 13:50-51) whereupon he went to Iconium. 

There, together with Barnabas, they shared the Gospel in a synagogue but the same thing happened. A mob of Gentiles and Jews had planned to stone them, forcing them to escape (14:1-5). Fleeing to Lystra, Paul was eventually stoned. 

Thinking he was dead, the crowd dragged him out and dumped him beyond the city gates (14:19). In fact, because Timothy was from Lystra, it’s likely he saw what happened (16:1) and from thereon, joined him to become a missionary.

But Paul remembered that amidst all of that, “the Lord rescued me.” He did not forget. He did not let the gravity of his sufferings cloud his memory. He was clear on the fact that if it were not for God, he would have been killed in any of those episodes. 

In fact, his gratitude towards the Lord resonated for much of his letter. In the following chapter, he mentioned it again:

“The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And He rescued me from certain death.” (2 Tim 4:16-17, NLT)

Surrounded by such discouraging circumstances, Paul could still find it in him to acknowledge God. In fact, look back at Paul’s life of ministry and be amazed at how he was destined for one adversity after another; that in these many hours of trial, he was always aware that the Lord always stood by him. 

God had said to Paul that He would show him all the things that he would have to suffer for the cause of Christ. His first ministry in Damascus ended in him escaping via a basket lowered down a wall (Acts 9:23-31). Then in Lystra, as we know, he was stoned (14:19). When he went to Philippi, he was beaten and placed in stocks in prison (16:16-40).

In Thessaloniki, he beat a hasty retreat from the rioters under a cover of darkness (17:1-10). In Berea, he escaped by subterfuge (17:10-15). In Athens, he was rejected (17:16-34). In the wicked confines of Corinth, it was more of the same (18:1-17). 

In Ephesus, Paul again escaped once riots broke out over his preaching (19:23-20:1). Back in Jerusalem, his fellow Jews would have had him killed were it not for a Roman armed intervention that rescued him (21:27-32). 

On his way to Rome, his ship was tossed about in the middle of a violent storm for fourteen days until everyone probably gave up trying to survive (27:13-20). Yet they did (27:22-27).

Considering a life of almost-continuous strife since turning to Christ, Paul’s unfailing gratefulness to God shows us how invaluable it is never to forget the role He plays in being there for us.

Image source: todayschristianwoman.com

7. Never ignore God’s resources

When we are caught in a tailspin of suffering, we forget many things. Consumed by suffering, we not only forget about staying positive but also our faith gets battered. We become knee-deep in frustration, flailing anxiously and looking in complete despair. 

Yet we struggle with all our might, trying to gain control, using whatever that is at our disposal but no matter what we do, we find ourselves going nowhere fast. Even when things don’t look good, we’re still grappling at wanting our way but sometimes, the more we try, the worse it gets. 

And all this while, God has resources that we could have used that would’ve saved us all our trouble. They would’ve been more effective but invariably, we hardly think of putting Him first (Mt 6:33).

The most obvious resource God offers is His grace. That’s available for those who believe in Him. In several places in his epistle, Paul reveals the importance he places on the availability of God’s grace:

“May God   the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.” (2 Tim 1:2, NLT)

In greeting Timothy, Paul asks for God to bestow upon him, “grace, mercy and peace.” Grace is the unmerited favour God mercifully gives us through His Son, Jesus Christ whom He let die on the cross so that humanity’s eternal salvation from sin can be secured. 

This is the love and mercy that only God can give to us and He does so because He desires greatly that we have it not necessarily because we have done anything to deserve it but because this is the benevolence that He shows to the human race for whom He is the Creator:

“For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time – to show us His grace through Christ Jesus.” (1:9, NLT)

Through God’s divine grace, He imparts strength to endure even the toughest trials and to resist the temptation to succumb to the flesh. Paul says of Christ in his epistle to the Corinthians:

“Each time He said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:9-11, NLT)

That strength is essential because it defines the amazing grace God offers to us. In moments of human weakness, God supplants with His undeniable strength so that we may be upheld even in our darkest hour. And that strength is all we need to get past whatever severities that afflict us:

“Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.” (2:1, NLT)

When we talk about God’s strength, we allude to His infinite omnipotence. He is not only powerful but He is powerful all the time, every time, everywhere and anywhere. Regardless of the situation, His power overrides all. Irrespective of who He is against, His power casts them into oblivion. 

And no matter where in the world, God’s power reaches everyone, young and old and of whatever complexion and race. For Christians, the power of God should not be something we only read about but instead, it is important that we experience it in our lives. It is only then that we understand the need to draw upon and rely on His strength:

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.” (Php 2:13, NLT)

God’s strength that works in us can have multiple purposes. I remember the time around 2013 when my late mother told me before her cancer operation that if Jesus removed her tumour and saved her, she (and my father) would accept Christ as their Saviour. 

But there was a slight problem – she couldn’t be operated upon immediately until she’d her cough cleared. That meant would be another week or so.

Almost a fortnight later at the Selayang Hospital (Malaysia), my mother was preparing to be wheeled to the operating theatre. There she was, at 6:30am, lying on the bed about to depart, she cheerfully waved at the friends (fellow cancer patients) she’d made in the ward. What we didn’t know until she revealed after the operation was stunning.

Miraculously, after a six-hour operation that normally required patients to wait at least two days before they could even sit upright, my mother was up and about in less than twenty-four hours. She could walk herself to the bathroom, pulling along her drip stand. 

And she was remarkably bright and happy. It was then that confessed to us that she’d gone for the operation with her cough still intact. In other words, she didn’t reveal the truth to the operating team. We couldn’t believe it.

In all her life, my mother had never prayed to Jesus. Up till that point, she was an avowed Taoist with the plethora of pagan gods that she ‘believed’ in. While she was being wheeled to the operating theatre, those gods were jettisoned from her mind. 

It was along the cold corridor that she closed her eyes and quietly thought of Jesus. In that moment, for the very first, she spoke to Jesus, acknowledging that He was the Son of God. She asked Him to please stop the coughing so that the operation could commence smoothly.

As she told us that, she acknowledged that she had experienced God’s miracle in her life. And in all the six hours that she was under the knife, she did not cough. She realised that Jesus was unlike any of the pagan gods that she’d been accustomed to all her life. 

And it was then that she came face to face with the One and only Living God. Within a day or so thereafter, my parents accepted Christ at the cancer ward and said the Sinner’s Prayer.

My late mother’s testimony is exceptional for a few reasons. Firstly, she’s never experienced God’s real power before, not directly especially and secondly, she’d waited till she was in her eighties to do so. But by doing so, she didn’t have to read about God’s power anymore. She had experienced it personally and it was so overwhelming that she found real faith in Him through Christ. 

And after that, she boldly went to the pulpit and spoke to the people on the day of her baptism where she addressed so many of her unbelieving friends who listened in awe. Like what Paul said to Timothy, my late mother was certainly not embarrassed to do so for Christ:

 “So, never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for Him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.” (2 Tim 1:8, NLT)

It wasn’t plain sailing for my mother after proclaiming her faith in Christ. Her cancer was there as a reminder of her suffering. But none of this stopped her from reading the Bible and finishing it. She consumed the Daily Bread monthly editions. 

She read whatever she could and she had a list of names belonging to friends and family members including relatives whom she felt needed praying and she kept that faith every night, petitioning God to heal and comfort them. As if she didn’t have her own problem to think of. 

For a baby Christian, she was remarkably strong and a humble lesson for even the more spiritually matured among us:

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” (Eph 6:10, NLT)

My mother finally succumbed on October 22 2015, exactly seven days before our twin daughters were born. In the same hospital.

8. Never ignore the gifts God gives us

Thirdly, each of us has the God-given ability to serve Him. This is, in essence, a gift that He has given to us, a gift that may be different from one person to another but they all work towards the glory of God. With these spiritual gifts, we are to use it to vigorously advance His kingdom and to actively bring unbelievers to Christ:

“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love and self-discipline.” (2 Tim 1:6-7, NLT)

Even when suffering invokes fear, concerns and doubts, Paul reminds us that God has given us more than enough to walk the walk with everything we have in our midst. Other than strength, He’s also given us love and self-discipline.

During my early university years, I learned that a close school friend of mine had turned Christian. And all I could think of was what a waste of a talent because as a truly talented guitarist, he could have had an amazing career filled with success. Instead he went to Singapore, joined an Assembly of God church, got married and fervently built his life around Christ.

He was so talented that at a very young age, Berkeley offered him a full music scholarship with a leading local private music tutor sponsoring his flight including board and lodging in the U.S. With all of that, none of us understood why. Despite all the support and encouragement, he turned away from the commercial world with a truly lucrative talent. 

For most people, it was a very ‘radical’ move. For me, I didn’t begin to understand it until I became a Christian a few years later and then took another decade-and-a-half to come to grips with his decision. That was when I, too, became deeply involved in music ministry.

Becoming musically involved in praise and worship, I began to understand my friend’s decision and commitment. God had used people like him and me to His glory through music. With the seed of the gifts planted inside us, God called time and used us just as our talents bloomed. 

Very much according to His plan, we utilised our gifts to praise and worship Him, organise choral works and produced music for our respective church’s Easter and Christmas programmes. It was a great love of labour and a sheer honour to be able to use our musical skills to this level of adoration of Christ.

Other than music, God had also given me the gift of writing and with that, I was given the means to bring people to Christ and to reach others throughout the world so that they may know and understand Him and to bring glory to His Name. 

Once I began to join the dots, I realised how far ahead God’s vision is for each of us. He planned everything decades ahead so that in good time, we could use what He gave us to do His will.

Image source: Church Militant

9. Never ignore the Holy Spirit

As the third person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit is God and He is spiritually active in the world we live in. But the problem remains that even for many Christians, there are misconceptions about His identity. Some think that He is a mystical force. 

Some others believe He is an impersonal force that the Father has made available to those who believe in His Son. But then what does Scripture say about who the Holy Spirit is?

Well, in the main, the biblical position is that the Holy Spirit is God, that He is a divine person, a very being that possesses a mind, emotions and a will. In Acts 5:3-4, Peter’s description of the Holy Spirit is undeniably God:

“Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!” (Acts 5:3-4, NLT)

Peter made it very clear that to lie to the Holy Spirit is to lie to God. The two are the One and the same. In Psalm 139:7-8, David affirmed God’s omnipresence, saying:

“I can never escape from Your Spirit! I can never get away from Your presence! If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I go down to the grave, You are there.” (Ps 139:7-8, NLT)

The Holy Spirit’s omniscience is also made clear in Paul’s epistle to the Corinthians:

“But it was to us that God revealed these things by His Spirit. For His Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.” (1 Cor 2:10-11, NLT)

In His divinity, the Holy Spirit possesses what we expect God to have – a brilliantly perfect mind, a range of emotions beyond what we can fathom and an extraordinary will. He thinks and He knows (1 Cor 2:10). He can be hurt like we can (Eph 4:30). He does intercede for us (Rom 8:26-27) and He decides according to His will (1 Cor 12:7-11). 

As God, He functions as the Comforter and the Counsellor that Jesus promised He’d be (Jn 14:16, 26, 15:26).

With all this in mind, it is easier to understand how Paul frames the Person of the Holy Spirit in his writing to Timothy:

“Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.” (2 Tim 1:14, NLT)

Although Paul has mentioned the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 as well as in Romans 5:5, this is the only passage in his second epistle to Timothy that he mentioned Him. Here, Paul defines the role of the Holy Spirit as one of protection and strength. He said something similar when he ended his first epistle to Timothy saying, “guard what God has entrusted to you” (1 Tim 6:20, NLT). 

Just as Paul had been entrusted (2 Tim 1:12), Timothy was likewise entrusted with much also. Paul had commanded him to guard the truth and to persevere in following Christ.

We too are reminded that it is the Holy Spirit who grants us spiritual power. Just like Timothy, we must also be bold and protective of our faith and we should not fear being part of the Body of Christ that endures pain and suffering at the hands of those who hate and oppose Christ.

10. Never be without the Word of God

No matter the suffering, it is the Word of God that not only keeps us grounded but offers us perspective. Even as opposition forces restrain us, they cannot keep the Word of God from abounding. The Word will move regardless of what anyone tries to do to stifle it:

“And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the Word of God cannot be chained.” (2 Tim 2:9, NLT)

Paul did neither wrong nor illegal to proclaim Christ and yet, he found himself in prison, “chained like a criminal.” Although he’d mentioned chains earlier (1:16), this time, it was unlike his first Roman incarceration where, for two years, he was under house arrest in his own dwelling. 

Instead, Paul finds himself in a far more serious situation, one where he could meet his end. Although he knew at that point he might not live for much longer, he rejoiced at the fact that no one could stop the truth of the Gospel from spreading.

Even as he was chained up, Paul continued to reach out to Timothy as well as his congregation and other early churches, manifesting itself eventually as an integral part of the New Testament today.

“Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.” (2 Tim 3:12-17, NLT)

In a world filled with evil, deceivers and false teachers are everywhere to the extent that they can be difficult to avoid. Their abundance can make it hard to turn away from their wicked messages but the exception is to conduct ourselves in line with Christ. This often and invariably means that we will suffer for Christ’s sake; something Paul had used his letter to explain to Timothy.

When the noise of the world gets ‘too much’ on the soul, Paul encourages the one source that will cosset us from harm and preserves the unerring truth of God’s Word. Scripture is therefore our own means of staying the course, helping us to right what is wrong and equipping us every day to be in readiness to do good work. It is also the best reminder to stay steadfast to Christ without whom we’d all be doomed.

Therefore, we are all called to be prepared and stay prepared for the day will come when Christ will return when it’s time to “set up His Kingdom.” In that time, Paul has laid down the groundwork for us to achieve. 

Interestingly, when Paul says, “I solemnly urge you” (2 Tim 4:1, NLT), the original Greek translation indicates this is no casual or informal request. Rather there is a strong sense of urgency, commanding us to seriously commit to such a momentous responsibility. It is, in many ways, a solemn warning that comprises a few parts.

Firstly go spread the Good News. Proclaim it. Publish it. Seek people to share it. Whatever it is, centre purely on the Word of God and avoid embellishments. Just do it. 

Next, Paul asks of us to start preparing and to do so decisively so that we can be ready to answer His call. Good time or not, that is a command to be equipped however we feel. 

Thirdly, work with our people to guide them well. Correct where they are wrong. Reproof and convict so that all errors are exposed. 

Fourthly, do not ignore any errors that need remedying. Instead, give God’s truth the honour it deserves instead of treating it lightly. In other words, censure where necessary. Be of great encouragement and help them to stick to biblical truths. 

Above all, do all this with loving patience even in the midst of error until people understand:

“I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when He comes to set up His Kingdom: Preach the Word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favourable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke and encourage your people with good teaching.” (2 Tim 4:1-2, NLT)

As we edge ever closer to the end of days, the world will become an even harder place to stake our claim. People are less bothered to search for the truth let alone accede to its demands. They will not stop and listen to something that demands of them much of their faith and obedience. 

Rather they will long only for what they lust after that is evil. Morality will cede. In its place, people will only hear what they desire to hear. The truth will no longer matter except myths (Jer 2:13, Rom 1:18-31, Gal 1:6-7).

Image source: kidlit.com

11. Remember that you are not alone in your suffering

It’s easy to think that when we suffer, we do so when others aren’t. That’s not only wrong but it’s also a short-sighted view of how others around the world are burdened in their own ways. We all have our crosses to bear and no two crosses, in this regard, are going to be the same. And furthermore, there’s no telling how anyone can see one’s suffering is worse than another’s.

It isn’t incorrect to say that everyone suffers. If it isn’t today, it would’ve been sometime in the past. For some people, the suffering comes along with humiliation and therefore it’s difficult to share with others. 

Therefore, suffering is done in silence and the effect is loneliness. For some others, the suffering has gone on for a long time. It might have started in the past but it hadn’t stopped since. In fact, as time progressed, the suffering could have escalated. In a nutshell then, suffering is more common than many of us realise.

Suffering can also be in different forms and nature. Someone might suffer because he has been jobless for too long. Someone might suffer because he has a debilitating sickness and is in pain. Someone might suffer because he struggles to socialise and therefore finds himself having no friends. Someone else might be suffering from being constantly bullied by his peers and therefore feels worthless. 

Another person might be suffering because he’s unhappy with his parents constantly arguing and never at peace. Yet another person might be suffering because he has marriage problems he finds difficult to share with others.

Throughout the whole world, people are suffering. None of us are alone as a result. Suffering is so common even if every one of us tries our best to put on a happy face. For Christians, suffering is part of our makeup with many passages in Scripture that substantiate this. Here’s a very well-known one:

“You will be hated by everyone because of Me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Mt 10:22, NIV)

To believe in Christ, those who hate Him will also hate us but whomsoever who stays grounded in the Word will endure and be saved forever. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus assures us that in Him, there are good reasons for our suffering and those (good reasons) grant us eternal peace in His Kingdom.

Here’s another one:

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.” (Mt 5:11, NIV)

Since we are followers and believers of Christ, people will not only bring suffering upon us but will lay false charges against us, inflicting evil and heaping woe. But even so, we will be blessed. Though we will suffer in our lives, we do so knowing that God will keep blessing us. He will make Himself known to us and in His presence, we shall be comforted even amidst our suffering.

Here’s one more:

“For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him…” (Php 1:29, NLT)

This is a rather unusual way of putting it. Paul in his epistle to the church in Philippi refers to suffering for Christ as much a privilege as it is to be His follower. 

Indeed it is – the honour of being given the opportunity to bear the suffering in the Name of Christ assures us a place in His Kingdom. And for that, I am reminded of this very relevant but beautiful passage at the tail end of the Gospel of Matthew:

“Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20, NLT)

In this passage, Jesus affirms that He will always be with us till the end of time. Given the context here, it means that we are not alone in our suffering. Jesus is with us. He will be there to comfort us. His presence reminds us of why we endure what we have to endure. 

And all along the way, He will hold our hand. He has your back and mine. That in itself is reassuring.

Remember too that in our suffering, there are those who pray for us. These are the prayers of our fellow believers:

“Timothy, I thank God for you – the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day, I constantly remember you in my prayers.” (2 Tim 1:3, NLT)

Just as Paul expresses his love for Timothy by constantly including him in his prayers, so too did my late mother. Towards the end of her all-too-brief life as a Christian, she kept praying for a long list of people who included her own family and relatives as well as friends. She prayed for those who were ill (just as she was). She prayed for those with financial problems. She prayed for those who simply needed the Lord’s intervention. 

And she kept at it even though her cancer was spreading. Even when people would have understood that in her condition, she could’ve stopped praying, she didn’t. My late mother took it to heart to plead the case of all those in her list before a God whom she had accepted in her life.

As Christians, we’re never alone. Even for those who are continually persecuted in far-flung countries, Christians all over the world keep praying for them just as so many do for Israel. Part of the miraculous story of Trump’s presidential victory in late 2016 was that he had a very substantial proportion of the evangelical vote. 

And through into the night of the election, Christians all over the country were praying for him to triumph over Hillary Clinton. In fact, some believe that many Christians outside of America had also prayed for him that night.

There is also that ‘fellowship of suffering’ in which tens of thousands of our fellow believers are in the throes of facing hardships in all forms for the sake of Christ:

“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…” (Php 3:10, NASB)

The importance of sharing in Christ’s sufferings is one few aspects of Christ’s life that undergirds our faith. The problem with this is that many are falsely convinced that being Christian releases them from hardship. 

This is an increasingly popular but misguided understanding often propagated by not only churches that pedal the prosperity message but also modern motivational speakers who dabble in biblical terminology in their presentations.

Living for Christ must include both the joys and struggles of Christ. What this means is that we are then called to meet suffering head-on. As it is with Paul as an example, he led a faithful life diligently serving Christ but he also endured tremendous hardship that led all the way to his death:

“So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for Him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.” (2 Tim 1:8, NLT)

Just the same, in his exhortation, we learn importantly that our sufferings are not ignored. Just as we remember those who suffer for Christ at the hands of their torturers, we too are in the prayers of those who know of our hardships. 

So whether we pray for those in countries that persecute Christians or those who are ill and feel the loneliness of their fight, there are also brothers and sisters in Christ who also pray for us to endure our sufferings. We may not know them by name but we all share the same loving Saviour in Christ:

“Remember those in prison as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.” (Heb 13:3, NLT)

Footnotes for article only appears at the end of Part 3

Final part 3 of 3 continues on December 17 2017