"The road less traveled"

The Disciplines of Christ - Part 3

The Art of Suffering

 

Intro: It is human nature to avoid pain. It’s not just human nature…any animal with any sense tries to avoid pain.  But so far as followers of Christ are concerned, the path of least resistance is not always the most beneficial path.  Romans 5:3^(NIV) says – “…we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope”. In other words, we can celebrate in our suffering because it can be very beneficial. This means, suffering is not an antonym of the discipline of celebration. On the contra, there is joy that can be found in our suffering. But that’s not what makes suffering a discipline.

 Let me explain, you see many do not see suffering as a spiritual discipline. Suffering cannot be avoided, so how is it a discipline? It’s like saying breathing is a discipline. But remember, a discipline is done with the purpose of becoming more Godly. That’s why it’s not just “suffering”, it’s the Art of Suffering and it’s an art because it’s done for the purpose of becoming Godly (more like Christ).

Furthermore, the apostle Paul said, “train yourself for the purpose of Godliness”. That’s what the disciplines are about, that’s the approach of D90X, to treat these disciplines as spiritual training. And just as pain is a part of physical training so too is pain a part of spiritual training. To borrow a cliché: No pain, no gain. That’s what makes it an essential discipline. To avoid it is to avoid gain. It sucks, it hurts, and it makes you want to cuss, but listen…it’s the way of the cross.   It’s the way to Jesus. Jesus said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you?”

You ready to begin now?

Let’s do this…

The Discipline – Suffering for the purpose of Godliness.

 The Art of the Suffering

Paul invites us to step up to this discipline… “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” 2 Timothy 2:3^NIV . It’s the sound of the leader of the army calling his soldiers to battle. To accept this call to battle takes discipline because our instinct is to run from pain or to take the easy road.

The art of suffering unfolds in a couple different ways.

1) Suffering Well -  We all suffer for different reasons, but how we handle that suffering is what distinguishes us as followers of Christ. Suffering well comes from the hope we have in Christ. Instead of running from the pain, we suffer well by leaning on Jesus through our trials. Then not only does Jesus see us through the pain, he makes us stronger because of it. This leads us to the second part of the art of suffering.

2) The Road Less Traveled - This is when we know that the road ahead of us is going to be painful; however, we take the road anyway. This means we choose to suffer. We recognize that as soldiers of the cross, we have to take the road of blood, tears, and sweat now and again.

Please understand, suffering is somewhat subjective, what one person is devastated by-- another person might shrug off. On a small scale example, finger nails on a chalk board are torture to my ears, but to another they may not even notice it. Nonetheless, we all experience pain and suffering in different ways. Therefore, don’t judge another person’s suffering. Worry about your own.

Now, I could have include a video clip here of the Passion of Christ and exposed you to the visual suffering that Jesus went through. However, to really understand this art of suffering isn’t to witness Hollywood’s version of Jesus’ suffering? Instead, this week’s story will take us back to the words of the OT prophet Isaiah as he lays out the journey of the suffering Jesus will endure. Read it devotionally, and understand this while you read it. Jesus knew every word you are about to read long before he took that first step on the road to Calvary.

 

The Story Foretold - The Suffering and Glory of the Servant (Isaiah 52:13-53:1-12)

¹³ See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. ¹⁴ Just as there were many who were appalled at him— his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness— ¹⁵ so he will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand. 53 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? ² He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. ³ He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. ⁴ Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. ⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. ⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. ⁸ By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. ⁹ He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. ¹⁰ Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. ¹¹ After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. ¹² Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

 

Questions to consider: What is most striking about the description of Jesus’ suffering?  How about verse 10… “it was the Lord’s will to …cause him to suffer?” Enduring your own sufferings is one thing, but give some honest thought to this…could you allow your child to suffer? If so, how much before you step in to stop it? What is more painful, to suffer yourself or to watch one you love suffer? Lastly, is there someone you would suffer for? Think of the names of the ones you would suffer for, which means, if they were in pain (suffering incredibly) you’d take their place if you could? Why would you do this?

 

Personal Commentary:

I’ll admit…I had several other disciplines in mind before this subject of suffering. There are only 13 in this D90X study and I wasn’t even sure I was going to include  this one in my study, but suffering has been on my heart as of late. I’ve spent that past week watching my oldest daughter suffer in the hospital. She’s ok.  She will be home soon and well on her way to a healthy recovery. It was a surgery she needed. Without it, she would likely endure a shorter life span with more health complications and suffering. In the grand scheme of things, it was an easy decision. Allow her to endure a few months of suffering so that she could avoid a lifetime of it. As easy of a decision as it might have been, it still didn’t keep the tears away. No matter how necessary the suffering, it still hurts and it especially hurts when it’s someone you love deeply who is enduring it. I’d take her place in a heartbeat just as any loving father would.

 

Now, this passage in Isaiah above is obviously a foreshadowing of the suffering that Christ would endure. It’s referred to many times in the NT as such. However, Isaiah’s original audience is the people of Israel, God’s people, God’s children. Little did they know that they were sick. They were going to be surgically removed from their homes. Much suffering was in store for God’s children, but God knew it was necessary because in the grand scheme of things it would be temporary. But their suffering pales in comparison to the suffering written about in Isaiah 53. This is a suffering God not only allowed, but planned for. Furthermore it’s a suffering that Jesus was well aware of. On that road into Jerusalem that week before his crucifixion his moves were deliberate steps on the road less traveled. Every step was one step closer to his suffering.  And yet, even as he journeyed that road, the scriptures tell us he wept, not for his upcoming suffering, but the suffering he knew was in store for the people.

                                                          Further Reading: Romans 8:17-18; Phil. 3:10

 

 

The Application Questions:  

1)            Do a suffering inventory: In what ways have you suffered? How much of your suffering has been because of your own poor choices? How much of your suffering has been God developing your character? How much of your suffering has been deliberate steps on the road less traveled? Overall, have you suffered well?

 

2)            GROUP DISCUSSION: Discuss your problems with suffering? Has anyone ever been mad at God because of the suffering he has allowed in their life?  Share with each other how you dealt with that anger. Share your experiences of how God helped you through your suffering and how God has helped teach you to suffer well. Share with one another how grateful you are for your sufferings because of the growth that has come because of it.

 

3)            Finally, what difficult steps of faith have you been putting off because you fear that they will be too painful? Some practical examples of the “road less traveled” are tithing, waiting for marriage before you have sex, and biblically addressing a problem/conflict instead of gossiping about it. These are just a few practical steps of faith that many avoid because of fear of difficulty or pain.

 

4)      Gut check question: Think about the names of the people you would suffer for if you could. Now think about this, when you don't suffer well in this life or you avoid suffering (the road less traveled), what are you teaching them? You're teaching them not to suffer. Your teaching them to take the easy road when they can. Therefore, when you do endure suffering "like a good soldier" you are in a sense, suffering for them. You are showing them the road of suffering is a worthy one to travel.

Strengthening your discipline of Suffering:

 Psalm 34:17 (NIV) - The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

 One way of strengthening your discipline of suffering well is to lament your suffering. A lament is a holy complaint to God. Suffering causes an era of emotions that need to be vented from time to time. This is like a relief value for the pressure that builds up. Without the proper spiritual venting a Christian will not suffer well, instead you just become a hurt person who hurts others. For more information on lamenting, check out Jason’s lesson at…. http://bit.ly/18TGCNg

Praying through today’s discipline: Before you finish and log off, spend some time in prayer considering your suffering. Have you suffered well or not? Maybe you need to begin to deal with some of the resentment you have with God or others because of your suffering. I encourage you to listen to the following song by Jeremy camp called He Knows. It’s about how God knows your suffering and with his help you can get through it.

 

 

For further instruction in the Art of Suffering:

1)    One book in the preferred reading for D90X is The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg. This book will give you encouragement to stick with the disciplines, but its final chapter is about enduring suffering.

 

2)    There are books that have been written on the subject of Christian suffering and why God allows it. The only one D90X recommends is C.S. Lewis book the Problem with Pain, if you have read something helpful post your recommendation in the comments.

 

3)    Read some scripture on suffering and put it to practice. For example, if there is a “road less traveled” you’ve been avoiding, memorize some of these scriptures, commit them to prayer, and take some steps of faith on that road.