Living through difficult times

The past year I’ve gotten to know a lot about pain. As a result of the kidney surgery there’s a scar that runs about 14 inches, from front to back, around my right side. I also have pain from the scapulectomy. Any time a bone as large as the shoulder blade is removed, there’s going to be a lot of cutting by the surgeons.
Suffering is universal to the human experience. Basically, it’s anything that makes us exclaim, “Oh no, not this!” or “Oh no, not that again!” By concentrating on good times during bad times, you can get past the problems, past the suffering, even past the pain.

One benefit of suffering is that it establishes your credibility as a witness for Christ. You’ve heard about walking a mile in another person’s shoes. I certainly can attest to that. In particular, I can speak to Christians who are down, bitter, and complaining about everything bad happening to them. Prior to my experience with cancer, I wouldn’t have been able to say to them, “You know, maybe you’re looking too much at yourself, focusing too much on your needs and not enough on the needs of others around you. Perhaps you would be helped by concentrating more on the needs of the Body of Christ and the unsaved world around us. Sure, you’re suffering, but that doesn’t exempt you from being a witness or servant for God. The fact is, some of your friends are going to spend eternity in hell, and you’re in a position to do something about that—but not unless you get beyond your private pity party.”

Let God’s grace and strength transform what looks like a problem for you into an opportunity to witness to other people. “[W]e are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NASB). God has plans that are still at work in your life. He hasn’t completed His work in you, so get with His program. Honor Him in the midst of your suffering. Your example may indeed have eternal consequences for those in your sphere of influence who have yet to believe in Jesus Christ.

Larry Burkett (1939-2003)