This battle has been too long. The sleepless nights and the many hours of tears I’ve cried with my husband has taken its toll. We thought we would be the ones that would be able to beat his cancer; we knew we had God on our side. Granted the doctors gave us a small chance of that happening, they said his form of cancer, glioblastoma, is very aggressive and his prognosis is poor. This did not leave us without options though. We tried chemo and radiation therapy but with very little effect. Through it all we had seen God work miracle after miracle and all along we put my husband on countless prayer lists. If anyone was going to receive His blessings surely it would be my husband.  Now we are in the oncologist’s office one more time. My husband believes he has been feeling better over the last few weeks and we decided to see the doctor who ran another MRI. Today we are cautiously optimistic on this appointment. After several appointments of negative reports and grim outcomes it is nice to have some hope, no matter how small, at a time like this. Will this be the time God finally steps in and saves his children from an otherwise guaranteed outcome? Is this the day God finally comes through?

Numbness is all I feel. Did I really just hear the doctor correctly? I must have because I look at my husband and his head is down and he is holding my hand. Why is he trying to comfort me? He is the one that is dying should I not be the one reaching out for his hand? I have only seen him cry a few times in my life I never expected this to be one of those times. Yet the reflected light on his cheek betrays what he had been trying to hide. The unmistakable shine of tears streak his face. Why God? Why have you not come through? Why are you so silent? We have prayed and fasted and done everything we know you require from your children. Still, this son of yours who has long called you father is being crushed by the weight of this news. How can you allow my husband’s children to grow up without a father? Why are you taking my beloved away from me?

Millions of Americans every week pile into churches and sing some of the most up beat and rhythmic songs designed to get a person to dance, sway, or at least tap a foot. These members of the body of Christ will seldom hear songs like “It is well” or “Amazing Grace”. Seldom will they hear songs that touch the heart of the grieved. These same people will then hear sermons that have a theme that follows the songs. Church services have become a joyful and euphoric type of experience. But why? Maybe it is because the idea of suffering and death go against a message of “God wants you happy and healthy above all”. It is not bad to get excited for what God has done but the misconception is in the idea of what is it God has done. Living in a physical realm where all of our senses are grounded in the physical it would make sense that a term like “blessings” would carry with it the idea of the physical. In fact that is our default. Think about this expression “wow you are really blessed” what do you think about in that phrase? Is it a nice car, loving family, great job, financial security, a beautiful home? If we are honest with ourselves the answer would be “yes all of that and more” So when churches sing songs that do not address pain or preach sermons that avoid talking about sin and death they are playing into the physical idea of “blessings”. With the “Jesus culture” influencing our churches the idea of God wanting us to be happy and healthy has made significant inroads into the average church psyche. The songs and messages these entities produce say “Jesus died so you can be blessed”.

All someone has to do to verify this is to look up Bethel church or Bill Johnson the lead pastor at Bethel. Steven Furtick is guilty of this through elevation church, Todd White and Jesus Culture are just two more examples in an ever deepening ocean of poor theological exports. The songs they circulate are widely used in services and rarely questioned. The messages these churches produce are some of the top religious/inspirational podcasts on Apple. The influence of these churches has transcended their own congregations by exporting music that is sung across this country with messages that are heard by millions. Through these inroads the average Christian has begun to see their faith as one where blessings mean freedom from disease, pain, suffering because in the words of Bill Johnson “How can God choose to not heal someone when He has already purchased their healing”?

So the church services need to be void of anything that would address suffering, death, or sin, because to address things like suffering would only detract from the kind of “Gospel” message where God is looking to bless you for “your best life now”. All of this seems to suggest that those who are closest to God will be free from pain and suffering with lives full of blessing. Those with great faith will get the most healing miracles while those who are apart from Him will not. From a human standpoint we can sympathize with this. What kind of good parent wants to see their child suffer? And what kind of person doesn’t want to see the wicked suffer? If possible, a parent would do anything to take the pain and hurt away. So why should God be any different? And if God was a good father He would want to punish those who have hurt His children. Not only does this line of reasoning seem good and what we desire but it can be argued from a few verses.

Christ said that if we had faith as small as a mustard seed, we can tell a mountain to move and it will do so. All we need is a little more faith and the mountain standing in the way of our blessings will be moved.” Another thought along these lines is this “Being a heavenly father, God only wants what is good for us. In fact, Christ even confirms this by saying ‘how many of you, if your children are hungry will give their child a snake. You being corrupted by sin are capable of such good gifts how much more is God”? (Mt 17:20;Luke 17:6; Luke 11:9-13)

The point is that God is good and His desire is our wellbeing, just like an earthly father would be toward His children. If we do not receive these blessings that are promised it must be because we have not had enough faith that God is able and willing to bless us. He promises to move the mountain if we have faith because like a good earthly father His desire is to bless His children. It is our unbelief that stands in the way of receiving what has already been promised.

This line of thinking is so prevalent that many Christians are buying into it, sometimes without knowing it. This is most prevalent when trying to comfort someone who is grieved. How many times has the thought crossed your mind “God will heal you” after all Ex 15:26 does say “…I am the God that heals you.” Maybe it is “God will bless you” or “God will make a way” “this will be your year, month, day hour” “God has blessed you just name your blessing and receive it by faith”. If we are not careful and diligent this teaching can easily creep into a weekly church service without us realizing it. In fact we can see how this is true by asking “in Christ what are we saved from? According to Bethel we are freed not from sin but from fear. Consider these lyrics from two different songs “I raise a hallelujah, fear you lost your hold on me!” and “I’m no longer a slave to fear”.

Honestly, none of this would be an issue if it were true. If God does want to bless us and see us free from harm and fear and have happy healthy lives, then singing about it, teaching it, telling people on social media about it, would be very good! After all purchasing our healing cost God His own Son. At that price why would He not want to take that suffering or illness away from us? To be honest this sounds so good! Who doesn’t want a life that is void of disease, death, sickness, poverty, or hunger. By being promised these things we are then able to truly enjoy life how it was meant to be lived! How many more relationships could you have if the money allowed for it? What kind of lavish vacations could you take? How about never having to say “good bye” while watching a loved one die of cancer? This would be truly a reason to celebrate so celebrate it we do…every week.

The problem is that if this is true what do we tell the young woman who is about to be a single mom? What do we tell her children? What can a missionary say to a starving child in Africa or to a family who lost everything to a tsunami in Indonesia? How can the Christian faith comfort those in deep despair when all their “blessings” have been taken away. If we attach physical health, well being and financial gain to the gospel message what message is left when these things are taken away? When we grow old and wrinkly does this mean we are no longer blessed? Does this mean God only chooses the healthy and beautiful? What message do we have left that we could offer the world who is so desperate for hope above anything else?

The power of Christianity isn’t found in treasures of the earth. The power of Christianity is found in paradoxes. What do I mean by this? Christ said that in The kingdom the first shall be last and the last shall be first (Mt 20:16). God also uses the weak to shame the strong (1Cor 1:27) and the things we consider beautiful are detestable to God (Ezekiel 7:20). In Christianity the power of the paradox of suffering is that through suffering the “grace of God is most keenly experienced not in the best of times but the worst of times” – DK Lowery taken from “Jesus on trial by David Limbaugh

2nd Cor 1:5 says “For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ” and James 1:2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…”. The idea is that in our suffering we find we are suffering with Christ. Because we are suffering with Christ we will also receive the comfort of God with the promise of a resurrection.

It is only through suffering that we are shaped into a person that reflects Christ and when we suffer with joy we will be given the gift of perseverance. If all we had was health and wealth the development of our lives, into becoming one like Christ like, would be severely stunted. In fact, even when we go through suffering and we do not face it with joy we endanger ourselves at becoming angry. Why? You were promised health from God so who are you going to get mad at when that is taken away? You can’t show your anger toward God so it is those closest to you that get to feel your wrath. Instead of being able to take that anger out on God you choose those closest to you since they are the only ones around to get mad at. There is the possibility of indifference toward suffering but this is rare. Most people have an emotional response when tragedy occurs. After the initial onslaught of sorrow and blotchy faces there are not too many emotions left. Depression, sorrow, guilt, anger all stem from this idea that life is not fair, that I deserve something other than the present outcome. Even acceptance is a thought that “I can’t change it anyway I might as well move on.” There is no hope even while going through the stages of grief. But Christ offers us freedom out of this cycle only if we are able to suffer with Christ. Through Christ we are promised joy, peace, and hope even in the midst of the worst of sorrows.

“I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.” 2nd Cor 7:4 Again we are reminded of the possibility of joy that can only be found through suffering.

Rom 5:3-5 “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Again it is only through suffering where hope is found. It is one of the paradoxes of Christianity. We do not offer an explanation toward suffering but are given promises that those who suffer with Christ will be, in the end, given hope and it is a hope that will NOT condemn or produce shame or guilt.

The blessings we are given are NOT physical. God does not promise an eternity in the temporal because we are not made for the temporal. But it is here were we learn how to be like Christ and learn that He is all we need. Even when everything is stripped away where do we turn? This is the measure how we know who we serve. If we do not turn toward Christ we are not fit for the kingdom because we are turning to something else for support. When we are left with nothing we can either try to work through it ourselves or surrender to Christ. One says “I do not need God” and He will grant this desire, the other says “You’re all I want Jesus” to which He will be our great reward! Through suffering we build Godly character, one that is eager to serve God alone. To take away the suffering is to take away a much bigger reward of becoming like Christ. Through the loss of suffering we would have our health and prosperity, but we would forever loose the One who is our hearts true and only desire. Therefore we MUST endure all suffering with and through Christ with joy because we have been found worthy of a transformation into being like His Son.

Right now Christians all over the world are suffering and being martyred for their testimony about Jesus Christ. Everyone who has been set free from their imprisonment might say something like this “I would not want to go through that again. But it is through that time I was able to see God work in amazing ways. We used that time as an opportunity to share our beliefs with others and were comforted knowing He was always with us.”

I use this video as an example that, invariably, when a Christian, who is suffering with the Joy described in the Bible, with Christ, there will ALWAYS follow a response to His message of hope, love, and forgiveness. For those who do suffer with Christ there remains the idea that through this suffering someone may come to know Christ that would not come to Him without the pain. But ONLY if we are willing to be joyful in suffering.

Many people can look at the world around them and see countless incidents of pain and suffering. In fact this is so prevalent that it is often used as a reason why many choose to not believe in God. But if God were interested in us being healthy and happy and uses blessings as a way that points toward strong faith in Him why would “he make his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and send rain on the just and on the unjust” (Mt 5:45)? See if earthly blessings were all there were why do bad things happen to everyone why do good things happen to everyone? One is not a barometer of faith and one is not a barometer to unbelief. These are tools God uses to sift those who are His and who are not His. This is based on our response to pain and suffering.

How will we respond? Is it with joy for being counted that you were chosen to be transformed more into the image of Christ? Or will the response be to fight against this and become angry that you didn’t get your way? Is life just unfair full of empty pitilessness or is there purpose and meaning behind suffering? If all life is, is about the temporal and immediate than believing in God would mean an immediate end to suffering. But if life is about eternity it would make sense that suffering would continue since God uses it to transform us into His image and to transform our desires to only Him.

The problem is that ALL churches across the United States are in a battle like they have never seen before. The battle is over people’s souls and our view of God. There are those who may NEVER be healed. There may be some that will forever suffer in a body riddled with pain, cancer, disability, or any number of ailments. But if we begin to believe that God wants us to be healed we will begin to question our own faith. But God made a promise that anyone who had put their faith in His Son, they are free from guilt and shame “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1.

He did NOT pay the price for your physical healing but for your restoration to the life giver! That is the price He paid and because of this, even though we may suffer for a time, we are given a promise that He will make all things right and will not abandon us to the grave. Our suffering is only for a moment and after that we will be given robs of glory dressed in the righteousness of God Himself!

How is it that the hymn writer can proclaim “Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say It is well, it is well, with my soul”? It is because he knows that through suffering, injustice, and the death of the innocent his eternity is secured.

If nothing else we NEED suffering!!!! Why? Without suffering our sins would remain and there would be no promise of hope or eternal life. It is ONLY through suffering that our eternal salvation was purchased. It was not bought at such a price to be given such a lowly gift of health and wealth. No, our salvation was purchased through the suffering of the innocent and at such a high price that only one item is worth this sacrifice, a restored relationship with God the Father and to Jesus Christ. Nothing else matters not even our own health.