THE GOAL OF HARDSHIP--Part 1

WHERE'S THE JOY IN THIS!?

"Consider it all joy, my brothers ,

whenever you face trials of many kind..."

James 1.2

One of the burger places once ran an add about other places with the little lady asking, "Where's the beef?"

This has to be the question about tials, pressures, hardships, suffering, etc.--"What's the point? What's the purpose?

Or, "Why!?" "Where's God in this?"

The Psalms have about 150 different way of asking this question, so the question is legit. But having asked this question, it leads immediately to the next one--"Where's the answer?"

What appears to be senseless suffering begs for an answer: "Why, God! Why?"

I am going to present a series of ideas for an answer to the many questions around this problems of suffering.

In this post we will look at what the words of the verse are saying to us. The key words are trials, testing, developes, perseverance, work, mature, complete, lacking.

In these words God gives us an answer to our the most basic issue of pain and suffering: "Why?" "It is all so senseless!" "How could a good God allow so much suffering?"

We can begin with an apparent "simplistic" answer--

"Suffering makes us better people."

There are some obvious, immedediate objections to such simplicity; but, on the other hand, learning what is wrong and what doesn't work through the school of hard knocks is a pretty well established principle of growth and development, allowing for a lot of "I told you so" comments after the fact. "Experience is the best teacher" and "No Pain, No Gain" are universally accepted proverbs. Suffering does often make us better people.

Here's how Paul puts it:

Since we have these promises, dear friends,

let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit,

perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

2 Corinthians 7.1

"Purifying ourselves" and "perfecting holiness" are godly goals. "Perfecting" in 2 Corinthians 7.1 is the same Greek word that James uses as translated "mature." While we may think suffering "senseless" in some ways, James and Paul set forth a very specific, definable goal to be reached in and thorugh these times--"perfecting" our heart, soul, mind, and even body in God's own likeness or image, character, attitude, or qualities.

This would be the same as

Romans 8.28--working all things to produce good.

Ephesians 2.10--created in Christ for good works.

Psalm 23:4-Your rod and staff comfort, protect, and bring

goodness and love every day.

We are told how God uses the reality of suffering in this world. Suffering is a reality of this life. We can look to God for help to make us wiser, stronger and better. Growth and development, becoming a new and better person, being recreated in the image of God, is an incredible intervention of God.

God's intervention in suffering is a major part of the heart of the Gospel:

God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son

that whoever believes in HIm should not perish

but have everlasting life.

John 3.16

In summary, God enters the hardships that are common to this life and reveals His great love and compassion for us. He comforts and strengthens us in the face of everwhelming odds. We gain assurance that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

To be continued.