The Promise of God in Threatening Pain

Weliveinasocietythatispetrifiedofsuffering.Eachdaystartswithathousandmomentsofflinchingat
painatouralarmclocks,attheshowerscoldwater,atmissedemailsthatthreatenlossandtragedy.We
resentsufferingandwhatitcouldmeanforus.Jobbewailsthatsufferingloomswiththeshadowofdivine
disappointment:Ibecomeafraidofallmysuffering,forIknowyouwillnotholdmeinnocent(Job9:28).
Lastnight,IboltedontothefootballfieldtofacetheMiamiDolphins.Iwaseager,surgingwithlife,
energy,andstrength.ItwasthelastpreseasongameofmythirdseasonintheNFL.Theballsnapped,and
withasnapofhisfingers,GodmercifullyshowedmehowsmallandweakIamcomparedtohisgrandand
glorioussovereigntyoverallcreation.
AsIwashitfromthesideinmyknee,Ifeltthepop,felltothegroundinexcruciatingpain,andknewmy
yearwasoverbeforeithadevenbegun.
IntheNFL,itseasytopubliclythankGodwhenwewin,whenwearevictors,whenwefeellikegods.I
wanttotaketheopportunitytothankGodwhenIamafraidIwanttothankhimforthreethings:
1.

hispromisetocareformeinthemidstofthreateningpain;

2.

hismeaning,whichhespinsoutofthethreadofsuffering;and

3.

hisjoy,whichresonatesmostbeautifullywhensuperficialpleasuresfade.

GodsSovereignCare
Afewwrongangles,andIwashit,fallingtothegroundinpain.Allofasudden,fivepeopleranouttome.
MyfleshandSatanwouldhavemebelieveathousandstoriesinthatmoment.Youredone.Youre
worthless.Youregoingtoloseeverything.Youcantkeepup.Yourepathetic.Butthemorereal
storyechoedthroughmyheart.AsIlayonthefield,GodsSpiritthroughthewordwhisperedinmyear,
WeknowthatforthosewholoveGodallthingsworktogetherforgood(Romans8:28).
Thatversewasapromisetome.Godworksallthingstogetherforgood.ItwasliketheHolySpiritwas
repeatingitinmyheart,overandoveragain,witheachsurgeofpainthroughmyknee,Forthosewho
loveme,Iworkallthingstogetherforgood.Godcaresforhispeople.Wecantbankonprosperitygospel
promises.TheycantstandthetestofGodscurseovertheworld.ButGodpromisestocareforusbetter
thananyworldlyshepherd.
Whenwetrustintherichestpowersoftheworld,GodsaysthroughJeremiah,Allyourlovershave
forgottenyou;theycarenothingforyou(Jeremiah30:14).ButGodstillworkstomovethegospelintoour
livesthroughpeoplewhodelightinChrist:Iwillsetshepherdsoverthemwhowillcareforthem,andthey
shallfearnomore,norbedismayed,neithershallanybemissing,declarestheLORD(Jeremiah23:4).
Neithershallanybemissing.Notevenme.NotevenwhenIfail.NotevenwhenIhavenothingtooffer.
DeclarestheLord.Itshisdecree:Garrettshallnotbeleftoutsidehiscare.PraiseJesus.

GodsMeaningMakingSovereignty
Inthatmomentofpain,IhadastrangepeaceofGod,whichsurpassesallunderstanding(Philippians
4:7).Ihadheartfeltassurancethateverythingwasgoingtobeokay.ButIwasassuredofsomethingmore
important:
Thisseasonofsuffering,thisinjury,isagift.
NotonlywasIremindedofRomans8:28,thatallthingsworkforgood,butalsothatwhathappenedwasa
giftinsomanyways.SufferingisalwaysanotheropportunityforGodtobeglorifiedandforhissatisfying
gospeltobemadeknown.KingDavidholdsthetwoincleartension:TheLordupholdsallwhoarefalling
andraisesupallwhoareboweddown....Youopenyourhand;yousatisfythedesireofeveryliving
thing(Psalm145:14,16).DavidisntsayingthatGodwillneverletussuffer.HeissayingthatGod
fulfillsthelongingwhichoursufferingbringstothesurface.
Godmakesmeaningoutofoursuffering,becauseheissufficientinit.Throughsuffering,Iseeinmyown
heartthesedesiresgiventothethrone.ThatsGodsbiggestgiftinsuffering:tohavesomethingtakenaway
fromyou,andstillfindjoy.Afamilymember.Ajob.Anidol.Godsatisfiesus,notinspiteofour
unwantedcircumstances,butinandthroughthem.

GodsJoyDeeperThanWorldlyPleasures
HowdoesGodsatisfyusinsuffering?Throughjoy.
IfGodsexistencehaseverbeenaffirmedtome,ithasbeenaffirmedinsuffering.Likewesaidabove,
whenGodgivesuspeace,itispeacethattranscendsunderstanding.ButwhenGodgivesusjoy,itisthatI
mayknowhimandthepowerofhisresurrection,andmaysharehissufferings,becominglikehiminhis
death,thatbyanymeanspossibleImayattaintheresurrectionfromthedead(Philippians3:1011).The
sufferingthatweexperiencewithChristisnotthesearingpainofaphysicalexperience.Itistheemotional
painofsuffocatingourparasiticidolsthelaborpainsofjoy.
Ournaturalinclinationistoexperiencefear.Ourheartsbyinstinctrespondtosufferingwithfear,
frustration,andquestioningGodssovereignty.
ThatswhatGodisalreadyshowingmeinthisandthroughthis.Heisnotonlyshowingmepeace,but
delightandjoy.Itsagift,anditshowsmethejoyofanintimateandlovingandcompassionateGod.

Sufferers,WaitforGod
ReturnwithmetoJob.WesawhiminJob9,ontheropes,gettingbeatenup,wonderingwhetherGodwas
theonewearingthegloves.ButJamescalledhimsteadfast.ThatsanodddescriptionforJob.HowwasJob
steadfast?HehungintherelongenoughtojoyfullyrestinGodsloveforhim.Behold,weconsiderthose
blessedwhoremainedsteadfast.YouhaveheardofthesteadfastnessofJob,andyouhaveseenthepurpose
oftheLord,howtheLordiscompassionateandmerciful(James5:11).
Sufferers,waitforGod.Morethanthat,waitwithmeforhim.LetsseewhattheLordspurposeisforus,
theonewhoiscompassionateandmercifultohissheepwhomhewillnotforget.