Excerpted from a sermon by Billy Graham:
Sometimes when I board an aeroplane there are dark clouds and it is raining. But in a few minutes the plane is above the clouds and the sun is shining.
I can assure you that above the clouds in your life, the sun is shining. God is still there despite any tragedy that you may be experiencing.
The Messages of Suffering
Suffering carries a message of mystery. The Bible says, “Great is the mystery of godliness” (1 Timothy 3:16, NKJV). We may never know [why tragedies happen] until God explains all things to us.
God never meant that there would be tragedy and prejudice, wars and hatred, lust and greed, jealousy and pride. God meant that the earth was to be a paradise, a place where there would be no death.
But man and woman rebelled against God. We began to suffer and we have been dying ever since. Physical death is just the death of the body, but the spirit lives on. If your spirit is separated from God for eternity, it will be lost forever.
But God has provided a gigantic rescue in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. That’s why Christ died on the cross. That’s why He rose from the dead.
In suffering there is also a message of humanitarianism. Jesus said, “I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink…” (Matthew 25:35, NKJV).
As fire swept through the MGM Grand Hotel [in 1980], I saw the emergency crews, the military people, the doctors, the nurses, and the people coming to donate clothes and food. I saw humanitarianism in action.
In suffering there is a message of unity. [In the Bible], Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, had been feuding and fighting. But when Isaac died, they came to bury him. Because of their father’s death, the two sons came together. Jesus prayed “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You” (John 17:21, NKJV). And that’s the way we ought to be as Christians—one in Christ.
Suffering holds a message of comfort. In 2 Corinthians we read, “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” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4, NKJV). Because tragedy happened to you, it gives you a greater sense of oneness with others who experience tragedy.
What Should Be Our Attitude?
First, it should be one of worship. We ought to say, “I don’t understand all the things that are happening in my life, but, O God, I trust in You.”
Second, we should ask God to teach us all He would have us learn about Him, about ourselves, about others, and how we can minister to those who are suffering.
Third, our attitude in suffering should glorify God. People are going to watch us as Christians. They will ask, “How did he react? How did she react?” The Bible teaches that there’s a glory in suffering (see 1 Peter 4:12–13; Hebrews 12:2).
A Warning in Suffering
In suffering there is also a message of warning. Are you prepared to meet God?
God took the initiative in giving His Son, Jesus Christ. God says, “I love you. I want to forgive you. I want you to go to Heaven.” But you must respond to Him.
First, repent of your sins. This involves a change in the way you think and the way you live.
Second, by faith you must receive Jesus Christ into your heart. Faith means total commitment.
Third, you must be willing to follow Him. That means reading your Bible and praying and witnessing. That means loving: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35, NKJV).
Moving Forward
The Source of Strength
True hope, peace, and strength in the midst of suffering come only through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
“We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37–39, NKJV).
Focus on Christ
Seek Him in prayer and study of the Scriptures. Give your concerns over to Jesus by asking Him to take care of you and give you peace.
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3, NKJV).
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7, NKJV).
Flee From Bitterness
Ask God to help you have a trusting, patient attitude. If you have an unforgiving spirit or a critical attitude, ask God to remove it from you and let Him fill your heart with His peace and comfort.
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, NKJV).
“Those who hope in me will not be disappointed” (Isaiah 49:23, NIV).
Seek Encouragement
Go to a Christian friend or pastor whom you trust and share what you are going through. Christ has called His followers to care for each other, especially in the midst of difficulty.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2, NKJV).