“God does not promise us freedom from suffering, but rather freedom from pointless suffering.” -- Douglas Wilson
John 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Jesus gave us fair warning that tribulation awaits those who leave the world's army in favor of fighting for the other side. And His disciples reiterated the same.
Acts 14:22
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
You cannot enter the kingdom of God without exiting the kingdom of the world and the world does not stop laying claim on you simply because you've walked away. You do not find peace with the world by laying claim to peace with God. The two are at war and the flesh and the Spirit are in opposition to each other. To fight for the one is to fight against the other. To have peace with one is to be at war with the other.
James 4:4
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Friendships and enmities are both inescapable. Any attempt to avoid this reality is merely evidence of being enlisted in world's boot camp. It is one of their catechism questions.
Galatians 5:17
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
So, suffering and tribulation should not shock us. Tension is a given. God promised nothing less. But He also promised that all of it would be meaningful. None of it would be senseless or without purpose. You cannot guarantee a life without suffering, but you can guarantee a life full of meaning regardless of what happens.
Romans 8:18
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
God does not guarantee freedom from the ubiquity of suffering, but He does promise freedom from the futility of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment