I'm reading Acts right now, and since Pastor Withington preached through the entire book not so long ago, I've been referring back to my sermon notes as I read through the book. I was reading my notes for his sermon on Acts 8:1-8 yesterday, and I came across this paragraph.

"I have come more and more to understand how central and defining suffering is to the Christian life. It is not an occasional pepper to the general Christian life. Christ Himself is named by prophecy a "Suffering Servant." When we came to Him for salvation, we are united with Him in His death, and participate in His sufferings. And what does the Bible say about suffering? Second Corinthians says that our present light afflications are producing glory. Paul counsels us in Romans 5 to glory in tribulation so it may produce sanctification.

"God uses suffering intentionally to produce fruit."

I've realized over the past year to year and a half that one of my primary reactions to suffering is surprise. Why in the world would God make me go through uncertainty, temptation, tangled friendships, disappointment and disenchantment, loneliness, strife, weariness of spirit? Why were there those times when I had no support? Why were there those times when I was helpless, when I couldn't change things or fix them, and just had to watch them or endure them? When I looked ahead and realized what more could happen, I always thought "But that's ridiculous. Why would God put me through that? That's just painful, it can't happen to me. Doesn't He love me? How can He put me through that! - He's supposed to make everything work out!"

That kind of response is fundamentally skewed. I shouldn't have been surprised when I was called to go through trials. It would have been far more reasonable to expect it. The Christian life is no bed of roses. To quote Pastor Withington again, "What will happen to someone who tries to swim upstream, against his environment, against sin, against the author of darkness? He will suffer. He can just expect it."

But our Brother has overcome and has sat down at the right hand of God. One day we'll achieve the rest and see the glory too. And that's why I have to keep my eyes fixed on Him. I'm walking by faith, not sight.

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen." (2 Corinthians 4)

I can expect suffering. But that's very different from despairing.