Updated Friday, June 27, 2008

The road of sorrow and the glory to come

By Milton A. Hollifield Jr.

BSC Executive Director-Treasurer

Whether it is the destruction of entire cities by the elements of nature or the general unease surrounding our modern economic times, an unspoken fear desires to understand what all these things mean. Of course, Jesus warned us not to be alarmed at what we see around us. In fact, he called them "birth pains" (Matt. 24:8). Birthing is a laborious and enduring process. The physical pain that accompanies childbirth or the mental and emotional toil associated with the workplace, the church, and even sometimes leadership in the home can be almost unbearable. Until that moment when the process has ended and the goal has been achieved it is difficult to believe that enduring the trial is worth the cost.

Yet the process which removes our self confidence and reduces our pride to the point that we truly realize just how dependent we truly are on God's mercy is not altogether a bad thing. We must get above the clouds to view the storm from God's perspective, and the way to achieve that altitude is by understanding exactly what the Bible gives us to help us do just that.

The Bible warns that this world is in a fallen state and remains under the curse of sin (Rom. 5:12). This realization finds its way to our doorstep because we recognize our own hearts bear sin's terrible stain of willful rebellion against God. In this sinful condition we work against God and strive to have our own way without caring about Him until we receive the gospel and He makes us new creations (2 Cur. 5:17). Yet still, suffering is not removed from us, but it is changed to accomplish a greater purpose in God's kingdom.

Consider the life of Dr. Helen Roseleaves - a medical doctor who served as a medical missionary in the Congo. After 12 years of work, a civil war broke out, and Helen was brutally beaten, raped and forced to return to her home in Britain. After the war, she returned to the Congo to assist in the rebuilding of the nation and helped establish a new medical school and hospital. Over and over again she speaks of the sorrowful valley she endured that allowed her to comprehend just how much God cared for her when she was called upon to bear witness of Jesus in the face of heartbreak and pain. The long valley that almost broke her heart is now used of the Lord to strengthen the faith of others who face difficult assignments for Jesus.

Should you find yourself on the road of suffering today, allow the great promise of Jesus Christ that comes to you through the pierced hands of a Savior who willingly sacrificed His life that yours might be redeemed. He calls you to trust His plan for you and join Him in the work of pointing others to His cross.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worked for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. - 2 Cor. 4:17