Broken Bread

Purpose in pain

We should take our eyes off our present suffering and fix them upon the eternal glory we will receive when we meet Him face to face. When we believe that there is a purpose in pain and it brings more glory to us, we can endure every hardship with courage and confidence.”

On the darkest night in the history of humanity, at the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus, our Lord, fell to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, do not give me this cup of
suffering” (Mat. 26:39). Luke records that He was in ‘great pain’ and ‘His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground’ (22:44). His mission on earth as a human was packaged with suffering and death. But, at the onset of the events, with full knowledge of how horrendous it would be, He became anxious and overwhelmed with grief. Though innocent, He would face the most horrific death of a criminal. The one who knew no sin would become the “Sin” of the entire human race (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus had to encounter an unanswered prayer that night. Nevertheless, He did not allow his anguish to subdue his mission and purpose. He humbly accepted the very purpose of God sending Him to earth, and He prayed, “Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine” (Mat. 26:39). Jesus found His purpose in pain. He endured suffering and excruciating death because of His focus on purpose. He knew it was God’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer so that many would be counted as righteous (Isa. 53:11-12).
Jesus experienced suffering from all spheres of life. He knew what betrayal was like. The same crowd who welcomed Him with palm leaves demanded His death a week after. His friend Judas sold Him for thirty pieces of silver.
The disciples who pledged loyalty to Him deserted Him when He most needed their support. Even Peter, who said, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You” (Mat. 26:35), rejected Him thrice. He experienced the pain of false charges, savage beating, and humiliation. He suffered the
intense agony of crucifixion and a painful death in front of a mocking crowd. Yet, His final words were, “It is finished” (Joh.19:30) and “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke. 23:46). Not only that His earthly life was finished, but the very purpose He came to earth was also fulfilled.
Though He endured an  unanswered prayer at Gethsemane, Jesus knew He was entirely under the Father’s perfect will and control.

Jesus is the Master and role model for a Christian. He knows our every pain and our deepest fears. Since He experienced human suffering, He can empathize with us so that we can approach the throne of our gracious God with confidence, where we will receive His mercy and find grace to help us when we need it most (Heb. 4:15-16). Suffering prepares us for more glory.
Apostle Paul writes in 2 Cor. 4:17-18, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” So, we should take our eyes off our present suffering and fix them upon the eternal glory we will receive when we meet Him face to face. When we believe that there is a purpose in pain and it brings more glory to us, we can endure every hardship with courage and confidence.

JOSSY BINZ<br> Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia

JOSSY BINZ
Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Jossy Binz is currently pursuing M.Div. from IPCTSK. She is a teacher and holds a Master’s in English Literature. She resides in Al-Khobar, KSA, with her husband and kids.

If you enjoyed this article, share it to reach a wider audience.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Telegram

Related Posts

Rate this article
5/5

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

Social Sharing

YouTube

Currently Playing
ADVERTISEMENT