25) Strength in Suffering Series
Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice.
Philippians 4:4
Paul’s letter to the Philippians returns again and again to the spirit of rejoicing. It is clear that suffering deeply in Christ is tied closely with rejoicing deeply in Christ. How can a Christian do both? Well, it isn’t because she is superficial. Paul was one of the least superficial people, if his letters and the accounts of him are any indication. He was sincere with both believers and unbelievers. He didn’t sugar coat the truth. He didn’t hold back the praise, either. So, when he says to rejoice, he means to be full of joy. Godly rejoicing comes from true fulfillment. Solomon has a whole book on hunting for the ultimate fulfillment. He concludes Ecclesiastes by acknowledging a soul’s whole reason for existing—one’s all—is to be found in revering and serving God. That is true fulfillment. When you’ve given yourself to God and you abide in His love by obedience to Him, you are fulfilling everything you were meant to be. That’s going to bring suffering because you are going against the force of the world, but it is going to bring joy because you are not of the world. You are with God. You were always meant to be with God. That is where true joy exists and grows. You rejoice in the Lord, Paul says. That joy will never be stolen away from you.
Paul’s talking to a struggling congregation dealing with pressure, pressure coming from the unbelievers around them and pressure from the erring Christians who had left the faith. This church wanted, more than anything, to attain their heavenly home. Satan wanted them to feel like they weren’t succeeding; that they were losing. Paul reminds them they had already conquered. They were already at the finish line, and so are we. We live in Christ. It is so easy to forget that good news! The thoughts we don’t want to think flash through our minds, we revisit our past wrongs, and our bodies ache with the pain of how difficult this life on earth is. We revisit the bad because it’s always around us, but we can retrain our minds to revisit the joy, too. Take heart by looking at your fellow Christians who testify to you by their hardships and their commitment that there is joy shining through in their lives. If they can rejoice in the midst of suffering, so can you.
Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Philippians 4:5
We, too, can testify to the work that God does in our hearts and in our lives by holding up under the trials we face. Forbearing means that sometimes one has to accept the injustices that will happen in life. A Christian stands her ground—because she stands in Christ—but she yields graciously; she doesn’t break and lose faith. The word for forbearance is also translated yielding-ness or moderation. The Greek meaning includes gentleness. This ability to let it go for the greater good is a skill that gets very little notice. In fact, it’s often despised in today’s society. The movies and TV shows teach watchers to crave immediate confrontation and resolution when the hero is unjustly treated. Our Heavenly Father shows us from His own example that He is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). God takes us through a thirty-nine book journey of time past to see how He patiently works with men to bring them to love Him. We have to learn to forbear, too. We have to be patient with people and wait for God’s timing. True generosity is the quality of giving without resentment, and true forbearance is the generosity of the mind to wait, to bear with, and to continue in relationship when the other person is not being just.
While a Christian is to uphold the truth and keep away from ungodliness, the evil that comes against her when she upholds the truth still has to be endured. It’s human nature to try to vindicate and clear oneself of the blame that the world tries to lay on a Christian. The world will call good evil and evil good. Christ is our greatest example of this. They labeled him a criminal and shamed him for wrongdoing. He had all the proof and deserved all vindication, yet He kept His mouth closed. He behaved gently, like a lamb, and allowed the greatest injustice and torment to happen to Him. His example of forbearance now draws men to serve Him, and so your forbearance can draw men to serve Christ.
It is not an easy thing to stop standing up for yourself when you know you’re in the right—when God Himself teaches that you are speaking truth and doing what is right. But God’s people aren’t in the service of standing up for themselves. They are standing up for Christ. When obvious injustice occurs to you, those who are lost have the opportunity to have their eyes opened. Satan is unjust. He uses people. The world really has no rules; it will turn on anyone at the flip of a switch. The lost need the warning that God is giving them through your difficult situation. They will question the evil that is happening, and they will look for the One who is good. And for the believer, the shame that the world tries to lay on you becomes an inspiration to them to seek that closer relationship with God. This is why you allow yourself to be shamed for Christ’s sake. You become like Paul says of those who suffered to spread the gospel. They were viewed as “the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things” (1 Corinthians 4:10-13). There are terribly unfair trials in life, but there is hope at the end of it.
Paul reminds these Christians that “the Lord is at hand.” Jesus has promised His faithful that He will return for them, and that is a constant consolation. Really, the years we endure hardship here are just a moment. And that moment matters very little compared to the eternal plan. Jesus is forever. He is faithful. Also, He is ready to receive you in a time of violence. If you must forbear, facing persecution and shame, you are making a sacrifice. That sacrifice may end up being your life, and Jesus is at hand. Your king stands ready to bring you home. The cruelty and hatred that this world tries to heap on Christians is nothing to being in the presence of the Son of God forever.
In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
None of the things that come upon us in this world are too much for God. He is there beside you, walking through the trial with you. For this reason, a Christian sister can stop trying to prepare to rescue herself. You are not your own Superman. God is your deliverer. He has delivered you before, and He will deliver you again. He has already made all the preparations. You are safe in Him. He is listening to every plea, spoken and unspoken. He knows what you are going through. We are used to thinking we have a handle on everything when, in truth, we have power over nothing in this world. God is in complete control of your life because you gave your life to Him. So, let Him work. He supplies the rescue, and you supply the trust. Jesus told His disciples, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you” (John 14:27). God made provision for your time of suffering, and His peace is the fortress you get to escape to. Trust in Him that He will deliver you in His most beautiful way. Not your way, but His.
Next time, Paul looks at how people think when they have Christ’s peace.
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