Purpose in the Pain
In the 1600s, French Bishop François Fénelon once wrote, “[Christians] are willing to let God do what He will with them, provided always it be something great and perfect. But they have no notion of being cast down and crushed, or of being offered as a sacrifice to be consumed by the divine flames. They seek to live by pure faith, yet want to retain all their worldly wisdom, to be as children, yet great in their own eyes. But what a spiritual mirage this is!” Well over 300 years later, a British evangelist named Leonard Ravenhill echoed a similar truth by simply stating, “Most Christians pray to be blessed; few pray to be broken.” Countries, cultures, and time separated these men, yet the truth of God's word is unchanging, and there is certainly "nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9b).
The Christian may, in his spirit, desire to bear more fruit for God's kingdom, but in his flesh, he doesn't want to experience the pruning that may come with it. Hebrews 12:3-6 declares, "Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? 'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives'" (ESV). The author of Hebrews reminded believers that experiencing hardships and trials does not mean God has abandoned them. On the contrary, God uses sufferings to strengthen their spiritual endurance, refocus their minds on the heavenly, and shift their hearts back to holy living.
How many times have children heard their parents tell them, when they are tasked with chores or have to study for tests, “It builds character”? Jokingly, I have said this same thing to my kids almost anytime I hear them complain about doing something. The reality is that when we are experiencing hardships, it is difficult to see character actually being “built.” Once the hardship is over, and there is time for reflection, our growth becomes clearer. May we come to the place where we rejoice not only in the sunshine, but also in the rain.
