Leading Through Suffering

Many people want to know why Christians suffer. Why is it when you are trying your best to live for God that your life can all but fall apart? Shouldn't our lives be blessed if we are serving God? In our minds, "blessing" means prosperity and comfort, but God's Word often paints a different picture.

Looking at David's life in I Samuel, he was faithfully serving God. Yet, it is during his faithfulness that he faced some of his most difficult challenges. It was during this time that King Saul tried time and time again to kill him. He had to run for his life and was often dependent upon others for help to survive. Then, in the middle of this miserable time in his life, God did something strange; He gave him a group of people to lead.

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1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

I Samuel 22:1-2

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I can assure you, the last thing David wanted at this time was to be responsible for 400 people. He probably felt like he could barely keep his head above water, let alone support and encourage that many others. After all, look at this crowd. "...and everyone that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him". I wonder if David ever thought, "Maybe this is why I am suffering. So that I can relate to these people".

The Apostle Paul wrote, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (II Corinthians 1:3-4). Two things we learn from this:

1. We suffer so that we can know the comforting of our Heavenly Father as He cares for us.

2. We learn from Him how to comfort others during their like-suffering.

Though he did not feel like it, David was in a perfect position to care for these people. He knew what they were going through. He knew that God was with him. Because of this, he could teach and encourage them that God was with them as well. He shepherded the people just as the Lord was his shepherd.

Father help us to not get so caught up in our complaining that we miss helping others in our time of suffering. May we not just ask "why?", but also ask "how?" How is it that you want us to be a blessing through our suffering? May we submit to Your will and trust that it is good.