Suffering as a Gift

My grandmother had a funny saying around the Christmas season. It was usually uttered after a look of confusion and disappointment landed on your face while opening a gift from her. She would say, “Sometimes, you get things you didn’t want.” As a kid this was always disappointing and frustrating. If we are honest, the subject we are about to undertake is very similar. Have you ever considered that Scripture refers to suffering as a gift from God? Merry Christmas! Here’s a box of suffering, enjoy. That seems disappointing and frustrating, doesn’t it? We may liken it to a box that you unwrap and then quickly close back up, shove into a random corner, and then go start working on the Legos that you got for Christmas. Suffering doesn’t seem like a gift you open with a huge smile on your face and yell, “No way! This is so awesome! Thank you so much God!” It seems more disappointing and confusing. Why, then, does Scripture call it a gift? Let’s look to God’s word to help us.

The Scripture in question is Philippians 1:29: “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.” The first thing we need to investigate is the word “granted.” The Greek word is “Χαρίζομαι” which means “to give freely as a favor; give graciously.”¹ The root of that word is “χάρις” which means “grace.” So, suffering has been graciously and freely given to believers in Christ as a favor or a gift. We tend to think of grace as only associated with our salvation. This verse says as much, stating that our faith has been freely and graciously given to us for the sake of Christ. That is the gift we love talking about. We unwrap that gift and quickly take it outside to play with it and show all the neighbors how much we love it. However, we see that under the same tree is a gift of suffering.

To understand this gift of suffering, we need to understand the Scripture in its context. The apostle Paul is writing to the church in Philippi who is currently experiencing suffering from opponents outside of the church (see Philippians 1:28). This is prompting Paul to remind them of their identity in Christ and to let their manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:21, 27). The Philippians are also experiencing some conflict within the church that would lead to suffering (Philippians 2:3; 4:2–3). They are suffering both from outside and within the church. Paul encourages them that they are involved in the same type of conflict that he was experiencing as he wrote to them while imprisoned (Philippians 1:13). The Philippians were acquainted with suffering. So, understanding why they were suffering was probably pretty important to them, and to us. And in the midst of this Paul tells them it is a gift!

So how is suffering a gift to a Christian?

First, suffering is for the sake of Christ.

Our suffering is for the purpose of Christ. Wow. Our suffering, then, is not meaningless but is for the purposes of the all-knowing, all-powerful, King of the universe. This reminds us of the refrain we often see in the Psalms, “For His name’s sake.” It reminds us that God’s eternal purposes executed through His actions are always done to glorify Himself, even through our suffering. This also means that our suffering is a testimony to others and ourselves that we are in Christ. Our suffering is a testimony to the outside world that we are willing to be afflicted, experience harm, suffer for the sake of Christ. It advances the good news of Christ as we testify about our Savior in our suffering. Paul in fact states this very thing earlier in Philippians 1:12–14. He says what has happened to him (suffering/imprisonment) has really served to advance the gospel! Our suffering is a gift for the purpose of Christ, and we can fully trust him (1 Peter 4:12–14, 19).

Second, suffering is a gift because it is used as a refining tool in the hands of God and will end up for our good.

Suffering and affliction tend to reveal where we have placed our desires and hopes. Romans 5:3–5 helps us understand that suffering will produce endurance, character, and will end up rightly calibrating our hope in God’s salvation. Paul says this happens by God’s love being poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. As difficult as this sounds, we grow greatly through suffering. Maybe that sounds offensive so I’ll let the Puritan Thomas Watson explain it better than I could:

The most dark, cloudy providences of God have some sunshine in them. What a blessed condition is a true believer in! When he dies, he goes to God; And while he lives, everything shall do him good. Affliction is for his good. What hurt does the fire to the gold? It only purifies it. What hurt does the fan to the corn? It only separates the chaff from it. . . .God never uses his staff, but to beat out the dust. Affliction does that which the word many times will not, it opens the ear to discipline. When God lays men upon their backs, then they look up to heaven. God's smiting his people is like the musician striking upon the violin, which makes it put forth a melodious sound. How much good comes to the saints by affliction! When they are pounded and broken, they send forth their sweetest smell. Affliction is a bitter root, but it bears sweet fruit.²

The better we understand the providence of God, the better we understand that all our suffering is under His watchful eye. Although Romans 8:28 is usually overquoted and taken out of context, it does not mean that it is any less God’s word and useful for all life and godliness. Here we see in God’s word that our suffering, our affliction, will be used for our good. Even if we cannot understand it during our suffering, we can surely see God’s providential hand over all of experiences in life, whether good or bad (1 Peter 5:10–11).

Third, suffering is a gift because God will bring you comfort through it.

Second Corinthians 1:3–8 is so helpful here. Paul tells us that God is the God of all comfort. Any sort of consolation, encouragement, ease of pain or trouble, comes to believers through the God of all comfort. What an encouraging promise we have in suffering. I think most people who look back on their time of suffering will recall sweet and tender mercies from their Father through those hard times. The Puritan John Flavel understood the gift of suffering. He lost both parents in the plague of 1665 and is said to have suffered through the death of two children and three wives. In his book, Facing Grief, he wrote

That you will not be too hasty to get off the yoke which God has put upon your neck. Desire not to be delivered from your sorrows one moment before God's time. Let patience have its perfect work; That comfort, which comes in God's way and season may remain and do you good.³

Essentially Flavel is telling his readers that the yoke which God has put upon their neck will come with His comfort. He is telling them not to wish it away too quickly, but to experience the comfort that the God of all comfort will bring. And God gives comfort so that you will be able to go and comfort others who are experiencing suffering as well. You have also probably experienced someone who was able to bring you comfort through your cancer, your loss of a child, your loss of work and finances. They have been able to do so because they have experienced the same type of suffering and can point you to the comfort that only the God of all comforts can bring.

So, as we begin this new year let me remind you of my grandmother’s words: “Sometimes you get something you didn’t want.” At risk of adding words to my grandmother’s poignant wisdom, this phrase in the case of suffering might be better stated as, “Sometimes you get something you didn’t want that God will use for His purpose and your good.” Not as catchy, to be sure, but you get the point. As we exit the Christmas season of gifts and enter the new year, I want you to be prepared to receive this gracious gift of suffering. You may never want this gift. You might receive it with big eyes, confusion, frustration, and disappointment, but trust me, if you are in Christ, then this is a gracious gift to be received for the glory of God.

¹ William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1078.

² Thomas Watson, All Things for Good, 55–56.

³ John Flavel, Facing Grief, 2.