PURPOSE IN THE PREACHER’S PAIN

I am allergic to pain. When possible, I scrupulously avoid it—but, it is not always possible. If you are a preacher, you will be subjected to pain. We live on a broken planet, filled with broken people. The curse on humanity, brought by the depravity in our sinful state, will at times lead people to rebel against us. Their rebellion is against God and His rule, but since they cannot get to Him, they attack His emissaries. 

Eventually, every preacher will face the need to make decisions that are unpopular with a carnal crowd. He will be called to express convictions that are assailed by those driven more by culture than Scripture. Rejection, ridicule, pressure, and persecution are thorns in our side—thorns that accompany creation under the curse.

Then, there is the pain we all are subjected to—sickness, sorrow, stress in our family, shortage in our finances, and the like. We can grow weary from the daily demands of life and ministry. Being a man of God does not exempt us from adversity. Paul’s life stands in marked contrast to the false “prosperity gospel.”

The issue is not whether we will have pain.  The question is, “How will we respond?”  We wonder, “Is there purpose in the preacher’s pain.”  The overarching purpose for all of creation—for time and eternity—is this, “the glory of God,” (2 Cor.4:15). That is at the heart of the text we will consider. 

1.      THE PURPOSE OF OUR PAIN IS THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S GLORY IN CHRIST. 

⁷ Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. ⁸ We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; ⁹ we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that Jesus’s life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh. (2 Cor.4:7-11 CSB)

It is the glory of Christ that we show in our response to suffering. Twice Paul says, “so that,” pointing to the purpose in the frailty of our flesh (v.7), and that Christ would be “displayed,” (twice repeated, v.10-11). The old King James has, “manifest”—the manifestation of Christ’s life. 

What a treasure we have—the life of Christ indwelling!  The wonder of it all, is that He has chosen to manifest it by placing that glorious One in a jar of clay!  God allows us to be cracked pots—broken by the ravages of life—ready for the garbage dump. Yet, in a weak and worthless being, God’s extraordinary power is displayed!  Who gets the glory?  Only the treasure—Christ, the glorious One!

The preacher may suffer affliction, confusion, hostility, and brutality. Yet, the promise of God is that we will not be crushed under the weight of our burden, we will not be overcome by despair in our perplexity, nor abandoned by God when attacked by men, neither destroyed when struck down by those who hate us. 

Jesus was betrayed, bruised, beaten, scorned, scourged, struck, crowned with thorns, and crucified on a tree. Following Him, is to walk the Calvary Road that He trod. It was in His death that Christ brought life—in dying and rising from the dead, He vanquished death. Here is the principle, “Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (John 12:24) 

2.      THE PURPOSE OF OUR PAIN IS THE PROCLAMATION OF GOD’S GLORY IN CHRIST.

¹³ And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we also believe, and therefore speak. ¹⁴ For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you. ¹⁵ Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God. (2 Cor.4:13-15 CSB)

It is the glory of Christ that we speak in our response to suffering. Two times in these verses, the Apostle mentions what is spoken—in a quote from Psalm 116:10 and in his example in following that imperative.  Don’t miss the connection between what Paul believed and what he proclaimed. 

Satan seeks to undermine our faith—to whisper words of doubt. If we are not careful, we may allow the painful circumstances to give credence to the lies. Then, we can find ourselves speaking words of complaint, anger, bitterness, and unbelief. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. 

Rather than complain about his pain, Paul chooses to celebrate God’s providence. He proclaims his confidence that life will overcome death, that grace will conquer sin, and that the present woe will be overwhelmed by eternal worship. He restates the Romans 8:28 promise in saying, “everything is for your benefit” (v.15). In his pain, the preacher proclaimed the Gospel—resting in grace and offering grace. More and more people would be impacted in the ongoing proclamation as the witnesses’ commitment, despite their suffering, gave credibility to their claim!  If Paul (and the other Apostles) had not seen Christ in resurrection glory, it makes no sense that they would suffer and die for a lie!

Paul chose to be thankful that he was counted worthy to suffer for Christ. Others would join him in thanksgiving and thereby magnify the glory of God.  Preacher, what do you say about your difficulty?  Do you whine about your suffering or witness for your Savior?

3.     THE PURPOSE OF OUR PAIN IS THE TRANSFORMATION BY GOD’S GLORY IN CHRIST.

¹⁶ Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. ¹⁸ So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor.4:16-18 CSB)

It is the glory of Christ that we share in our response to suffering.  Imagine—the very glory of God within us, transforming us from glory unto glory, making us more and more like Jesus!  We share in His life and experience His glory. 

This is why we cannot give up.  Whatever painful problem we face today, we know that eventually it is going to be better. That will ultimately be eternity, but how glorious!  God may give us a reprieve from our pain now. Difficulties today may yield to deliverance tomorrow. This will not last, however. More storms are on the horizon. These bodies of ours are subject to the grinding wheels of time, that at last turn us to dust.  

The outer person is decaying. I see it in the mirror. That is only the old house I am living in. It is not fit for eternal habitation, anyway. The inner man—my true self in Christ—is getting stronger and stronger, even as my body grows weaker and weaker. This is salvation in three tenses: I have been saved from sin’s penalty (justification); I am being saved from sin’s power (sanctification); I will be saved from sin’s presence (glorification). 

I need the proper perspective.  My afflictions placed in the scales of God’s purposes are momentary and light when weighed against the incomparable weight of eternal glory!  Shall I mourn travelling the temporary trail of tears, when it is leading to the destination of everlasting joy?

If we look around us, we will grieve. Let us look above us and be glad!  There is an unseen world that can only be seen with eyes of faith.  Yet, it is eternal. That which we see in the flesh is doomed for the trash dump. 

Preacher, we have a choice. We cannot always evade pain.  That is not the choice. What is in our hands is to choose to embrace God’s purpose in our pain.

I think of this scene in the Fellowship of the Ring as Frodo, the hobbit, complains to Gandalf, the wizard, about the burden he carries:

Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.

Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times; but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.