You will see what lessons the angels and the demons learned about God from observing him at work in your mother, languishing in that nursing home. You will stand amazed at how your perseverance through pain sent repercussions rumbling through the lives of people you didn’t know were watching, forcing them to make tough decisions about God and suffering.
You will experience love like you never dared imagine. This is good news for people who have never been “the most important person” in anyone’s life. But in heaven, “All shall have as much love as they desire…as much as they can bear. Such will be the sweet and perfect harmony among the heavenly saints, perfect love reigning in every heart toward every other, without limit or restriction or interruption.”9 If you’ve never known love, never been married, don’t worry: you’ll be loved more than you can bear.
Karla Larson, who lost legs and kidneys and fingers, will receive a brilliant splendorous body that will be more “Karla” than she ever was on earth. The same for John McAllister. Greg and his ex-wife will find out who they really are in Christ. Ryan will rejoice with them as he races into their arms and says his first words to them, “We knew it would be great, but this great…!”
And for those whose suffering was most confounding, such as Paul Ruffner, God will personally flip right-side-up the tangled embroidery of his life to reveal the delicate and beautiful pattern he never saw on earth. He and millions like him, martyred or tortured, will stand and adore God for his plan and purpose in their suffering.
Most of all, God will not be weeping. Yes, our sufferings matter to the Almighty and he has wept in empathy, crying at the graveside of Lazarus; he often wept when he prayed, pouring out tears in the garden of Gethsemane. But heaven will reveal something different. An eternal plan that was never threatened, never in jeopardy of collapsing, never on the edge of defeat.
There will be no need for tears. “Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah…has triumphed.’” But it is not a lion that commands center stage: “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne…Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth…singing: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’” (Revelation 5:5-6, 13).
God may have wept, but the suffering of his Son had an eternal perspective too. He will be honored as the slain Lamb. The sufferings of Jesus will never ever be forgotten. Unlike us, he will always visibly bare his wounds to the universe, and for that, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will enjoy a cacophony of praise and worship as never before. If any dark demon in any corner of the universe ever doubted the righteousness of God in stooping to rescue debased and defiled sinners, he’ll be set straight. The sacrifice and suffering of Jesus was of such massive worth, such supreme value, that God’s righteousness will shine even brighter. God was able to rescue sinners, redeem suffering, crush the rebellion, restore all things, vindicate his holy name, provide restitution…and come out all the more glorious for it! Heaven will show this. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12).
Finally, you step forward onto heaven’s courts.
You drop to your knees to express thanks and gratitude. The Man of Sorrows walks from his throne and approaches you. He has absolutely no doubt of your appreciation, for he knows what you’ve suffered. He reaches toward you with his nail-scarred hands, and when you feel your hands in his, you are not embarrassed. Your own scars, your anguish, all those times you felt rejection and pain, have given you at least a tiny taste of what the Savior endured to purchase your redemption. Your suffering, like nothing else, has prepared you to meet God—for what proof could you have brought of your love if this life left you totally unscarred?
You have something eternally precious in common with Christ—suffering! But to your amazement, the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings has faded like a half-forgotten dream. Now it is a fellowship of sharing in his joy and pleasure. Pleasure made more wonderful by suffering.
Oh, the pain of earth, you half sigh. Then you smile, rising to your feet to live the life God had been preparing for you all along. Weeping may have endured for a night, but it is morning.
And the joy has come.
BEFORE YOU PUT THIS BOOK DOWN
It’s a promise we’ve staked our lives on for years. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son…” (Romans 8:28-29).
The idea of God being in control can sound alarming, but once we settle into the promise, it begins to feel immensely comfortable. If God didn’t restrain evil, then suffering would come barreling at us, uncontrolled. His decrees and ordinances shape good and evil in such a way as to warn us of hell, woo us toward heaven, and fit us for life here and in the hereafter. All inspired by his love, pure and passionate.
Such love, you can’t ignore. You can’t sit on a fence or put it off until later. Love like this begs a response. Besides, remember the promise. It’s conditional. This God of love controls the circumstances that touch the lives of those who love him.
What to do about that promise? Through this book, have you found yourself drawn to him? Is your anger moving God-ward? Do you see the convincing truth of the Scriptures quoted? In short, is your heart warmed toward him?
Because this book is about him, it’s about decisions. Always when we discover something new in his Word, he backs us up against spiritual walls, forcing us to make tough decisions about himself, as well as choices in our suffering. Pressed against our limitations, we come face-to-face with an awesome yet loving God. Yes, you may still have questions, but a choice to trust him can never be wrong. When you say yes to Christ, the wall behind you collapses, sashes are thrown open, and windows are raised to let in a fresh breeze of possibilities. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
If you sense your heart burning more brightly by the things you’ve read on these pages, if you hear the ring of truth, then it is God who is saying to you, “I am the answer to your deepest longings. Trust me. See, the nail prints in my hands. I have suffered for you. And I have permitted in your life what I hate, so that something eternal and wonderful can be achieved—life, rich and meaningful on earth, and life in heaven, free of pain and full of joy.”
If you feel up against a wall, if your sin is heavy on your heart, let Christ come into the corner with you. Feel free to borrow the following words and make them your personal prayer…
Lord Jesus, I have not allowed my suffering to draw me to you. Instead, I have resisted you. I see now how my sin has separated me from you. Please forgive me. Sit on the throne of my life as I lay before you my old way of doing things, and help me to live a life that pleases you. As you help me, I will wait patiently to see how you work through my trials. Thank you for the difference you will make in my life. Amen.
If this is your prayer, then the next step is to find a church where Christian friends can embrace you and help you through your painful times. No one should suffer alone—this is a big reason why God instituted the church. Find a church where believers lift up the Word of God, such as you’ve been hearing from these pages. Step-by-step, you will grow to know God better and discover the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, as well as the enjoyment of being with other Christians.
We look forward to the day when “the eyes of the blind will be opened…and the lame shall leap like deer.” Like you, we are anxious for “sorrow and sighing [to] flee away.” When that happens, we will embrace each other, free of pain, and marvel how God worked it all, everything, lock stock and barrel, for our good and his glory. Until that day, until God drops the curtain on suffering, let’s commit ourselves to trusting him, the One who holds all the answers in his hands.
Joni Eareck
son Tada and Steven Estes
JAF Ministries
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
www.jafininistries.com
Section IV
APPENDICES
Appendix A:
SCRIPTURE ON GOD’S HAND IN OUR SUFFERINGS
What is it about lemonade that appeals to us on a hot August afternoon? Other drinks are just as cold, just as wet. Surely it’s that winning combination of sweet and sour that we love. But imagine someone handing you a frosty cold glass of pure sugar-water. Sickening. Or envision sucking a raw lemon. Unbearably tart. (We realize a few of you out there enjoy lemons like this, but we’re talking about sane people.) Neither sugar-water nor lemon-juice tastes very good, but the mixture is a summer classic.
For decades now, many Christians have been sipping sugar-water almost exclusively when it comes to thoughts about God. God’s kindness, God’s goodness, God’s tenderness is all they know. But there’s a rugged side of God, a masculine side, that’s often avoided—his holy, powerful, sovereign, sin-destroying nature. To come to grips with these will not make us hate him; it will make us worship him. It will have us on our faces in awe. It will make Christ’s death for us a wonder beyond expressing.
This book has tried to reintroduce some of God’s lemon to our thinking without ignoring his sweetness. Below is a collection of passages for quick reference that teach his sovereignty over our sufferings—that remind us how nothing pleasant or difficult crosses our path apart from his decree. Most people who believe the Bible can see God’s hand in their mercies. Therefore, we’ve primarily focused in this appendix on his hand in life’s afflictions. If you study this outline without keeping God’s gentleness in mind—gentleness discussed throughout this book, particularly in chapters 2 and 3—you’ll feel like you’re sipping lemon-water. The balancing sweetness is found in his love, compassion, and wisdom. Please remember this as you read.
Many things cause us to suffer. Most, perhaps all, can be boiled down to a few major categories as follows:
Other people (deliberate actions, negligence)
Satan and demons
Animals and plants (mosquitoes biting, farm animals not cooperating, rabid dogs attacking, trees falling, poison mushrooms killing, pollen causing allergies, etc.)
Nature’s inanimate forces (weather, earthquakes, etc.)
Man-made machinery, tools, and technology (a tire goes flat, a bridge collapses, a space shuttle explodes, etc.)
Bodily afflictions (illness, disabilities, genetic disorders)
Psychological/Spiritual afflictions (depression, fear, sorrow, guilt, nightmares, etc.). This category usually overlaps those above, often in ways we don’t understand.
The verses below assert God’s reign over each—always for the ultimate good of his people. “God has put everything under the control of Christ. He has made Christ the head of everything for the good of the church” (Ephesians 1:2, GOD’S WORD translation).
I. GOD’S HAND OVER OTHER PEOPLE
A. Even though humans have an intelligence and will of their own, God ultimately governs all they do—even their “accidental” actions.
1. Proverbs 16:9: In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
2. Proverbs 19:21: Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.
3. Proverbs 20:24: A man’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?
4. Proverbs 21:1: The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.
5. Daniel 5:23: [Daniel speaking to the pagan king Belshazzar] “But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.”
6. 2 Chronicles 18:33-34: [God has decreed that Ahab, king of Israel, will die in battle. Ahab tries to avoid this by disguising himself as a common soldier] But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor…All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died.
7. Numbers 35:9-10: [Concerning “accidents”] Then the LORD said to Moses: “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee.’” Compare Exodus 21:12–13: Anyone who strikes a man and kills him shall surely be put to death. However, if he does not do it intentionally, but God lets it happen, he is to flee to a place I will designate.
B. Most Christians willingly acknowledge God’s hand in people’s good deeds, even the good deeds of total pagans.
1. Philippians 2:13: For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
2. 2 Corinthians 8:16: I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you.
3. Acts 16:14: One of those listening was a woman named Lydia…The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
4. 1 Corinthians 15:10: [Paul speaking] I worked harder than all [the other apostles]—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
5. Ezra 1:1: [Regarding the Persian decree allowing Jewish exiles to return home and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem] The LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing.
6. Genesis 20:3-6: [Abimelech, pagan king of Gerar, has taken Sarah, wife of Abraham, into his harem] But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Did [her husband Abraham] not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her.”
C. But God also oversees people’s wicked actions. No sin happens that he doesn’t deliberately allow. Don’t misunderstand—he is not the source of people’s evil deeds, for he despises sin. James 1:13 says that God never tempts anyone. Rather, he steers the sin already in their hearts so that sinners unwittingly fulfill his plans and not merely their own. He accomplishes this by infinite wisdom beyond our grasp.
1.Proverbs 16:4: The LORD works out everything for his own ends—even the wicked for a day of disaster.
2. Ezekiel 32:32: [God, speaking of Pharaoh’s cruelty] “I had him spread terror in the land of the living…” declares the Sovereign LORD.
3.Acts 4:28: [The early Christians, speaking to God about the men who unjustly had Jesus murdered] “They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.”
4. Genesis 45:7-8: [Joseph, speaking to his brothers about their selling him into slavery] But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.
5. 1 Samuel 2:25: [Regarding the warnings of the high priest, Eli, to his sons that they stop sinning] His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the LORD’s will to put them to death.
6. 2 Chronicles 25:20: [Regarding a warning to Amaziah, king of Judah, not to enter battle] Amaziah, however, would not listen, for God so worked that he might hand them over to Jehoash [the enemy king], because they sought the gods of Edom.
7. Judges 14:3-4: [Samson rejects his parents’ pleas that he not marry an idol-worshiping Philistine] “Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.” (His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)
8. Exodus 14:17: [God telling Moses that h
e is going to drown the Egyptians in the Red Sea] I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after [the Israelites]. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.
9. Psalm 105:25 (NASV): He turned [the Egyptians’] heart to hate His people.
10. Deuteronomy 2:30: But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through. For the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to give him into your hands.
11. Joshua 11:20 [Regarding the Canaanites, whose land Israel conquered] For it was the LORD himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
12. Isaiah 10:5–7,15: [God is sending the wicked Assyrians to punish his people Israel, who have sinned so badly they are called “a godless nation.” The Assyrians are clueless about being used as God’s tools]
Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger,
in whose hand is the club of my wrath!
I send him against a godless nation,
I dispatch him against a people who anger me,
to seize loot and snatch plunder,
and to trample them down like mud in the streets.
But this is not what he [the Assyrian king] intends,
this is not what he has in mind;
his purpose is to destroy,
to put an end to many nations…
Does the ax raise itself above him who swings it,
or the saw boast against him who uses it?
As if a rod were to wield him who lifts it up,
or a club brandish him who is not wood!
D. He deludes evil people, confusing their thinking, thereby frustrating their rebellious plans.
1. 2 Thessalonians 2:10–11: They refused to love the truth…For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.
When God Weeps Page 23