Suffering (Paul, Jesus, Us)

I heard a good sermon this morning at West End Presbyterian Church (while visiting Richmond, Virginia.) The sermon was out of II Corinthians, chapter 6, focusing on the first twelve verses, and fits nicely into our study of this letter.

The sermon was essentially on Christian suffering -- following Paul's long list of sufferings he experienced as a Christian.  An underlying theme was that it is unrealistic, indeed wrong, to expect that good moral spiritual growth leads to comfort and ease.  The pastor, Steve Shelby (whom I've heard before and who has experience in these matters) listed Paul's sufferings from II Corinthians 6 ("... in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything...") and emphasized the contradictions in terms that occur in this passage. The contradictions (deliberate by Paul) make it clear that he experienced events that were both painful and joyful, both harmful and glorious, involving honor and dishonor, and so on.

The passage emphasizes Paul's honesty and his desire not to create a barrier of dishonesty in the presentation of the gospel. We should leave room for lament in our Christian walk, leave room for sadness, frustration and doubt.

At times we (in the USA) act as if the decision to follow Jesus, embracing his death and resurrection, leads to a painfree, joyous life.  It does not.  Surely there is joy.  But some types of suffering are replaced by a different set of sufferings, stresses and pain.  That is the way it is and we should not hide that or shrink from that reality.

Although Steve Shelby did not say much directly related to Mother's Day -- Yes, today is Mother's Day -- it was easy to draw some analogies out of motherhood and parenting in general.  Jesus mentioned the pain of childbirth as an example of suffering and pain that later brings great joy.  I think Shelby's message was to embrace this and rejoice that we are called to "suffer" and that a time will come when all suffering ends.  But that time is not yet.

A secondary theme which I heard is that some suffering is good. We may come away pleased, proud. At the end of a long hike, we are sore and aching and we say, looking back, "Yes, that was worth it!" When I became a Christian I traded away superficial and vain suffering for a life of purpose and meaning.  Some of the suffering has purpose.  Paul recognized that much of his past suffering led eventually to great good.