The Fellowship of His Sufferings
I’m going to end this series of posts about friendship with Jesus by saying a word about suffering. While “suffering” may seem too big a word to include many of the relatively minor hassles and irritants in our lives, even these lesser interruptions can be unrelenting and disruptive enough to make our days depressing and our relationship with Jesus unsettling. So in this post, “suffering” includes every negative thing that happens in our lives which Jesus has the power to change and even prevent — but doesn’t. There’s the rub. How do you feel close to someone who doesn’t respond to a friend’s cry for help – and won’t even explain why? What you get instead is the silent treatment; at least that’s what it feels like.
Whole books are written about this topic (a good one, by the way, is God on Mute, by Pete Greig, the person who started the 24/7 prayer movement). I’d be foolish to even begin to address it in a single blog post. Mainly, I just want to acknowledge that it’s an issue, and say that the Scriptures acknowledge that it’s an issue, and that even Jesus acknowledges that it’s an issue: ”In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world!” So if Jesus has overcome the world, why is there still trouble? I could offer some answers to that question, and they would be good answers, but they would also be inadequate. People in AA often talk about the importance of “accepting life on life’s terms.” The bottom line is, if we want a relationship with Jesus, it’s going to have to be on his terms. And the terms are these: even though he could prevent and stop the suffering in our lives, he’s not always going to do that. If we want to be in this relationship with him, we have to accept that, without questioning either his love or his judgment. This is all going to be over very soon. Even now he will use it all for good, if we’ll continue to love him and trust him (Romans 8:28).
Our Friend knows all about suffering. He doesn’t just remember the suffering he experienced on earth, he shares the suffering we and those we love are experiencing right now. It’s all part of our knowing Christ and his knowing us. The apostle Paul learned to embrace both Jesus’ cross and his resurrection: “I want to know Christ, and the power of the resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Fellowship with Jesus includes healing and sickness, success and failure, progress and setbacks, strength and weakness. Ultimately, the only answer to the question of suffering that Paul needed was the cross.
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.
The fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.
Another picture comes to mind. It’s our being yoked to Jesus: “Come to me all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus doesn’t always take away the burden, but he promises to stay yoked to us and help us carry it. He may not always answer the questions we ask him, but he will often give us other questions to ponder and learn from. We are his disciples, and he promises to use it all to help us become like him.
Fellowship. The fellowship of sharing in his sufferings. It’s all part of the relationship — if we’re willing to accept the terms: “If any want to follow me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
