Oak Hill Church of Christ 1-5-25 Message: "Suffering May Be Its Own Sermon"

Oak Hill Church of Christ preaching minister, Randy Sterling, delivers a message on carrying our suffering with dignity and looking to God for real change.

There's a trite, humorous saying that goes: "The trouble with life is that it ends." Indeed, a great many people have spent a great deal of effort trying to stop or reverse the eventuality of death. There's even a gentleman who gets transfusions from his teenage son in order to receive health benefits. There's a tremendous amount of fear regarding what happens beyond the veil of death; so avoiding it seems like a wise choice.

However, some would argue there are plenty of fates worse than death. Since death, for those who trust in God is merely a transition to an ideal, incorruptible state, the misery of suffering on Earth becomes a paramount concern.

Various kinds of illnesses corrupt the body and steal the mind. Some can even seem to leave the person trapped within their own body, helpless to communicate, far before their eventual passing.

The question for the Believer in Christ is this: We trust God to keep His promise to us after death, but what about suffering during life?

God through Jesus gives us several responses. One is that perhaps the suffering (as of the blind man which Jesus healed) is meant to serve as an eventual testimony of God's power both to the sufferer and the wider public. God will perform a powerful transformation which will touch people's hearts.

Two is that God intends for the trial of suffering to be one that brings spiritual change and growth. Paul, with his 'thorn in the flesh' prayed God to deliver him from the suffering he was afflicted with, yet God would not. Sometimes, the struggle of suffering is meant to build inner strength, and to give us an opportunity to turn to God.

Three is that the suffering is the result of sinful behavior. Jesus, many times during his healing miracles, forgave sins instead of commanding wellness. There is a strong connection between a frail constitution and a sickened soul. Paul writing to the Church at Corinth talked about illness which was the result of wickedness in the Church.

Whatever your sickness or suffering, whatever its cause, consider taking it as an opportunity to deepen your faith. Come to God through Christ and ask for deliverance, ask to be made well, ask for whatever your need is, and let God change you. The malady may not always be removed, but your soul will be strengthened, and you never know when your steadfastness and courage in the face of suffering might be the sermon someone with their own suffering needs to hear.