Followers of Jesus are not insulated from suffering. They suffer just like the rest of people do. If a person thought when they dedicated themselves to Jesus that they would not never suffer again, they would be wrong. Christians suffer. Godly people suffer. Even the Lord Jesus Christ Himself suffered. It was the 18th century pastor, Charles Simeon, who once said, "Brothers, we must not mind a little suffering."
Simeon was appointed pastor of a church filled with congregants who did not want him. They did all they could to make him so miserable he would quit. They locked the doors to the pews so that when people came to hear Simeon preach they were forced to stand. He moved chairs in the aisles and found them thrown out in the church lawn one day. Undeterred, Simeon kept preaching to those standing for, get ready for it, 12 long years. Parishioners refused to talk to him or associate with him publicly. They thought they could force him to quit. He persevered in the suffering remaining in that same church over 40 years.
Simeon also comforted suffering people by telling them, if they were trying to get their heads through a hedge of thorns, that once they could see the view on the other side they would not mind the pricking of the thorns so much. His point is that if we can get and keep our minds wrapped around heaven we shall not mind the sufferings so much until we get there.
One of the hardest thing for suffering people to do is to get their mind off the suffering. Those living in constant chronic pain find it difficult to endure, if all they ever do is think about the excruciating pain. The lonely person will only feel more alone, if all they dwell on is on being alone. Those with physical impairments, like some soldiers endure after war, will fight severe mental battles like PTSD because of what they experienced. Couple that will being disabled can send such people spiraling out of control. Searching for relief they try to ease the pain in toxic things.
Simeon dealt with his suffering by keeping his eyes on Jesus and the hope of heaven. That is also what many African American slaves did in their sufferings. They sang their way through the sufferings. In suffering seasons we have to find a safe, secure, and solid place to set our minds. Paul exhorted us to set our minds on things above and not on the things of this earth.[Col 3:2] It is hard to comprehend it, but everything on planet earth is temporary. Relationships. Health. Work. Even money. Even pain and suffering. They will not last forever for the child of God.
We must not mind a little suffering, if on the other side of it we have eternal life with no more pain, no more tears, and joys everlasting. [Rev 21:4] We might suffer on our journey to get there. When I'm exercising, I have to use mind tricks to get through some of the workouts. On the bike, I have to remind myself I only to make it a few more miles or a few more minutes and I will get a break. When I am on the row machine, I remind myself I have to endure for a few more meters before I get a break. Or when pushing weights, and the muscles burn like they are on fire, I remind myself that I just have to push out a few more reps to get rest.
So too in life. We endure painful seasons knowing they don't last forever. The pain and suffering will either go away as God brings needed relief in this life, or the relief will come for believers in Jesus in eternity. A personal relationship with Jesus, where a person repents of sin and trusts Him for forgiveness, is the only door to this eternal life.
Unfortunately, for every person who refuse to believe on Jesus, a miserable life of suffering and pain will be intensified in eternal damnation with agony and torment beyond what can be imagined lasting forever. I hope you will turn to Jesus before it is too late.
