That I might know Him II – The fellowship of His sufferings

Nobody wants to suffer, at least not anybody I know. Clearly some suffer more than others, but we all suffer at some level or other. It seems to be part of life. Peter admonishes us “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you” (1 Peter 4:12). We may not have a choice as to whether we suffer, but we do have a choice as to how we respond to that suffering.

I have sometimes joked “These things are sent to try us.” I pause and then say “And they do, they certainly do try us – Oh mi nerves!” Whether they are from God or the Devil, or are consequences of our own poor choices is not always immediately clear, but as the quotation from Peter suggests “they are to try us”. I have observed that we tend to fall into two camps, either we allow our pain to refine us, or we allow it to push us the other way, into bitterness, revenge thinking, and taking it out on others. It's not that we can't switch either. God will help us move from bad to good, if we let Him. For the Christian the question is “Will we stand or will we fall?”

I hear some protesting “But it's not fair!” We don't always see things clearly, but certainly life is not always fair. Christ Jesus Crucified was not fair! What is clear is that if God is just (and He is), there has to be a heaven and a hell. There has to be a day of reckoning. We can choose justice or mercy. What I can't choose, is mercy for me and justice for him. It does not work that way. If we want to choose mercy, we must live mercy. I need His help to do that.

In an earlier post I talked about the fact that He suffers for us and with us. The quotation from Philippians 3 that we are talking about, takes it one step further and talks about “the fellowship of His sufferings” (verse 10 NKJV). The NIV translation “share in His sufferings” is weak. The Greek word is “koinonea”. It is a rich word describing the sort of intimacy and selfless living that characterized the early Church, where they were “of one heart and soul ... Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, ......and they distributed to each as anyone had need” (Acts 4:32-35). As His followers, we need to move a lot closer to the essence of this, but that's for another day. The point though, is that it is Christ's intention that our suffering foster and cement a relationship with Him that has the depth of this koinonea type fellowship and more (because He will never let us down!).

One picture that I have of this, is that of buddies in a war. The drawing together in danger and the constant looking after each other's back, forms a bond between them that (when they survive), lasts a lifetime. For me this is something to pray into. “Lord I know that we are in a war, and that You constantly watch my back. It's not that You don't allow suffering, but You are always there. Help me to see it, and to stop resisting the people and circumstances that You allow into my life. You have promised that You will not allow me (when I embrace Your help), to be tested above my ability to endure (1 Corinthians 10:13). You have also promised that You will use every evil thing to refine me, to draw me closer to, and to make me more like You (Romans 8:28,19). You never promised that it would be easy, nor that I would not be stretched to the uttermost! Help me to cling to Your promises, and to be to You, like a buddy in the war we are most certainly in. Show me how to respond in each and every circumstance, but not only this, help me in the wherewithal of that response (Philippians 2:12,13). Help me Lord, for I am week and prone to wander. Thank You Father, that when I stumble and fall short of Your Glory, You are always ready and willing to pick me up and help me start over. Help me to draw close to You now (James 4: 8). In your precious name I pray - Amen”