Adrian
Rogers said that “Discouragement is a darkroom where the negatives of fear and
failure develop.” How do we deal with suffering, hardships and not allow the
feelings of fear and failure to develop? Bring in the light! This illustration
draws it’s meaning from the old method of developing camera film in a blackened
room. Any amount of light destroyed the film negatives and the pictures
would not develop--and this is exactly what we want to happen in this case!
Destroy the negative! One way I do this is to be mindful that pain is
inevitable, but suffering is optional.
Paul writes,
“For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share
abundantly in comfort too.” (2 Cor 1:5) See, there are different kinds of
suffering and there are different kinds of comfort.
“First
world” problems is not suffering. Most people of the world don’t get to say
things like, “I’m tired of all the restaurants near my office” or “My laptop is
dying and the charger is in the other room” or “I have more clothes than
clothes hangers.” That’s not suffering.
There are
daily hardships, those unexpected accidents, crime, job situations. There are
prolonged illnesses, diseases. Then there are the people we live with; you
know, the “human condition” that seems to keep us in frustration. Difficulties, yes; but, we can choose our response.
But then
there are what we will call “Gospel hardships” and these are the at the heart
of Paul’s statement. Have you ever invested in someone only to have them reject
that investment? Not simply money, but the time, the advice, the
love--completely rejected. Paul equates specific suffering with the work of the
ministry, pouring one’s self into others and they kick back. Preaching the gospel at the expense of your life, even.
The
promise here is that the more we suffer in Christ, the more God comforts us in
Christ. What makes this work is our obedience to Him.
Charles
Spurgeon asked his congregation to picture in their mind a balancing scale: in
one side God puts our trials and struggles; on the other side He places our
comfort. When the scale of trial is nearly empty, the scale of consolation is
just as empty; but when the scale of trouble is full, the scale of consolation
is just as heavy. As the suffering of Christ abounds, so also the
consolation.
