How Easter Helps Us Suffer Well

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Why our good God allows suffering is one of life’s most perplexing questions.  For example, a person might ask, 'if God were truly loving, why does he allow diseases, famine, and evil acts to take thousands of lives?'  Fully answering this question is hard, especially during this Easter season.  Even in times of great uncertainty, we can experience the hope of Easter when we discover God's way of making the most of suffering. 

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The Apostle Paul’s circumstances in Asia led him to only one conclusion - his death was imminent.  In his letter to the church in Corinth, he writes,

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“For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10)

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Paul and his friends experienced hardships so far beyond his ability to endure that he felt death in his bones. Paul can see how God used great misery to shape his life powerfully by reflecting on those dark days.  

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His experience revealed two great purposes of suffering, but before exploring them, let’s consider why people suffer.  The answers will help us learn why Easter helps us to suffer well.

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First, suffering comes to everyone because we live in an evil age.  Because Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden, sin corrupted our world with humanity inheriting a nature bent on rebellion. (Romans 5:12). 

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The apostle John explained this truth when he wrote, “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19). People worldwide experience terrible suffering because we live in a corrupted world that lies under the influence of Satan.  His earnest plan is to steal, kill, and destroy humanity using any available means (John 10:10).

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Second, suffering comes to us when we publicly identify as a follower of Jesus.  Paul put it this way to his friend Timothy, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12)  When you decide to follow Jesus and obey Him without delay or excuse, people will reject, mock, avoid, unfairly label, and in other ways persecute you.  In some countries, letting people know that you are Christian is a death sentence.  

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To understand why Easter helps us to suffer well, consider the words of Paul when he says, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:19)  Paul understood that suffering in this life makes no sense without the enduring hope of Christ overcoming death.  Because Jesus rose alive from the dead, we, too, can face persecution and the threat of death, knowing that He will raise us with Him at the judgment. 

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Now that we understand why suffering comes let’s explore how God transforms suffering for his good purposes.

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God grows our reliance on his resurrection power through suffering when we remember how Jesus overcame death.  

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Paul said that suffering taught him to not rely on himself, “but on God who raises the dead.” (v.9.) Paul learned that when God allowed him to experience the most profound suffering imaginable, God was still able to deliver him.  Why did he know that? Because Paul knew that God raised the crucified, lifeless body of Jesus back to life on the third day.  

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Through experience, Paul understood that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead was available to him.  This same power is yours and mine right now, at this very moment.

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Our Response To Suffering Shows The World That Our Faith In Jesus Is Genuine

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Not only does suffering grow our reliance on God's resurrection power, but our response to suffering also shows the world that our faith in Jesus is genuine.  

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Notice how Paul explains the outcome of his suffering, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,  so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)  

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God will make himself known to people where we live, work, and play when we openly and unashamedly live as Christ-followers, loving them through the power of the risen Jesus in times of suffering.   

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Our challenge this Easter is to pray for God’s grace to endure suffering well by delighting in the promise of victory over death.  

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By trusting in his resurrection power to deliver us from the suffering of this evil age, the Kingdom of God will be revealed through us into our neighborhoods and workplaces as it is in heaven.  When we do, we’ll be celebrating Easter well all year long. 

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Have you trusted Jesus and the power of his resurrection to overcome the power of sin and transform your life?

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PRAYER:

Lord, thank you for offering me resurrection power to live faithfully for you. Thank you for the truth that my life is defined by your mercy and grace, not by circumstances. I need your grace today to surrender my life to you and endure suffering. Help me remember that I can live joyfully and reveal your Kingdom to others. Amen.

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How Easter Helps Us Suffer Well

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1. God grows our reliance on his resurrection power through suffering when we remember how Jesus overcame death.  

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“For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10)

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2. Our Response To Suffering Shows The World That Our Faith In Jesus Is Genuine

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“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,  so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)

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