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Education Ministry

Posted on September 13, 2005 ...

In recent articles, we have been exploring the difference between knowing God and knowing about God. We have discovered that those who sincerely know God love Him, while those who just know about Him are, at best, infatuated with Him. We have also found that those who know God pursue inward holiness, while those who only know about Him are satisfied with the appearance of holiness. The Bible is quite clear that knowing God involves both love and obedience. But there is one more element I would like to add to the mix ?¢‚Ǩ‚Äú our response to suffering. As the old saying goes: It is not until we are bumped that who we really are spills out.

Humanity gets bumped quite a bit. Natural disasters kill and displace millions. Terrorists deal out death and fear. Disease, famine, and corruption hold over half of the world's population captive with poverty and oppression. Each of us will sooner or later encounter illness, the loss of a loved one, disappointments and frustrations. Suffering, it seems, is an unavoidable condition on planet earth, and what spills out when we are bumped may reveal more about our perception of God than anything else. Suppose one of these tragedies falls upon you. How do you respond? Do you ask God to get you out or see you through? Do you pray only for deliverance or for perseverance, too? These two responses reveal two different perceptions of God? The first views God in terms of what He can do for us; namely happiness, health, and prosperity. The second views God completing the work He began in us; purging us of sin and transforming us into clean vessels for His glory. Could it be that suffering is not only unavoidable, but necessary?

Thomas a' Kempis observed in The Imitation of Christ, ?¢‚Ǩ?ìIn trials and tribulations the perfection of Humankind is hammered out.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù Admittedly, this is not popular, but it is biblical. Paul wrote that we are children of God and heirs with Christ if we suffer with Him (Romans 8:16-18). He also identified his life's desire to ?¢‚Ǩ?ìknow Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings?¢‚Ǩ¬ù (Philippians 3:10). And James said that we should ?¢‚Ǩ?ìConsider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing?¢‚Ǩ¬ù (James 1:2-4). Suffering, it appears, is the means by which God brings us to perfection.

Wait a minute, you say, didn't Paul ask to be delivered from his thorn in the flesh? And didn't Jesus pray that His Father would remove the cup of suffering? Indeed, they did, and we might expect to react the same way. But remember the rest of the story? God told Paul that it is in human weakness that divine power is made perfect. Paul responded: ?¢‚Ǩ?ìI will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù Jesus concluded His prayer, ?¢‚Ǩ?ìyet not My will but Yours be done,?¢‚Ǩ¬ù and He went on to the cross. I am not suggesting we simply roll over and let the destructive forces of this world do us in. Neither Paul nor Jesus did that. But I do believe that knowing God will bring purpose and reason to the sufferings of this world.

I urge you my brothers and sisters, don't settle for just knowing about God. Love Him. Obey Him. Share in the sufferings of His Son. Truly know Him.