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Triumphant in Suffering
| Bro Gaius Egwu (Ohafia, Nigeria)
W
hat a strange thought! Is that not being
too optimistic? Can any good thing come
out of trouble?
“And we know that to them that love God, to
them that are called according to His purpose,
all things work together for good.” (Romans
8:28). One thing is certain; being human, we
are bound to experience trouble, “for man is
born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.”
(Job 5:7). Troubles do not fly away the
moment one becomes a Christian. The Lord
warned, “In the world ye shall have tribula-
tion” (John 16:33).
Coping with trouble becomes, therefore, an
inescapable aspect of life; handling it wisely
is one of life’s biggest challenges. The word of
God speaks further, “Man, who is born of a
woman, is of few days and full of trouble. He
comes forth like a flower, and is cut down. He
also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t
continue.” (Job 14:1-2).
Suffering is an inescapable part of life. Trying
to run away from it, or wishing for a trouble-
free life is futile. Murmuring and complaining
bring no solutions. God kindly gives us the
solution in His Word. In suffering, learn how to
find blessing, joy, opportunity and a means of
bringing glory to God. God turns losses into
gain. Through suffering we learn how to
minister to others. Opportunities to witness
are opened to the saints as they suffer and
respond according to the will of God.
Yes, we have noted that suffering can play a
role in the making of a person. At the same
time, it also has a way of bringing to light what
that person is presently made of. The same
sun that melts wax, hardens clay. We have
to understand God and His words, and it will
help us to rightly face things. “See now that I,
even I, am He. There are no gods with me. I
kill and make alive. I wound and I heal.”
(Deuteronomy 32:29). This observation helps
us understand why human response to the
trials of life can vary so widely. Some people,
when overtaken by trouble, go to pieces.
Others come to their senses. Possibly you have
heard of the men described in the couplet that
follows:
• Two men looked out from prison bars: one
saw mud, the other, stars.
• A commonly heard opinion declares that
life is 10 percent what you make it and 90
percent how you take it.
Although not found in the Bible, those words
express an idea that is compatible with Bible
truth. Jesus, for example, pronounces a
blessing upon those who rejoice even in the
midst of persecution! Let’s recall the words of
David: “It is good for me that I have been
afflicted.” (Psalm 119:71). Why could he say
that? Evidently God had taught him how to get
the most out of his troubles. I hope we are all
eager to learn this lesson because it is so
essential.
Some negatives to avoid
• Do not set your heart on a trouble-free
life to begin with - don’t waste your time,
wishing for a trouble-free life.
• Do not seek selfish benefits – do not try to
get the wrong thing out of your trouble – with
very little effort, a person can make this
mistake.
Some positive guidelines
• View trouble as a teacher – some prefer
bitter medicine over sweet – is not beneficial.
Although it hurts, they like to put iodine into
their wounds: it hurts good.
• View trouble as a challenge – the second
guideline is to view trouble, not as a hardship
to escape, but as a challenge to meet.
• Face trouble one day at a time – meet
troubles one day at a time. One saint, in
looking back over her life, made this acknowl-
edgement “I have had a lot of trouble, most