Pain and Suffering, Part 3 – Finality
Detail from “The Last Judgment” by Michelangelo Buonarroti (1535-1541), Sistine Chapel, Rome, Source/Photographer The Yorck Project (2002) 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei (DVD-ROM), distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH. ISBN: 3936122202 (PD)
“…For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ…So then each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom 14: 10, 12).
Pain, suffering, and the possibility of death are sobering. Both believers and non-believers will face judgment. Not, however, in the same way. Christians will be judged by Christ with their works evaluated for rewards, rather than condemnation (John 3: 16).
Sin and Death
Nonetheless, contemplating the finality of life – the fact our days here are numbered – is a key to wisdom (Ps. 90: 12). Has our time been well spent? Do we need to reorder our priorities?
Such a review of our lives is bound to identify areas where we have failed to live up to God’s standards. Pain and suffering can actually help us focus, in this regard.
“Cancer is designed to destroy the appetite for sin. Pride, greed, lust, hatred, unforgiveness, impatience, laziness, procrastination — all these are the adversaries that cancer is meant to attack…All these things are worse enemies than cancer…Let the presence of eternity make the sins of time look as futile as they really are.”
–John Piper from “Don’t Waste Your Cancer” https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/dont-waste-your-cancer
Loss v. Triumph
We are likely to feel enormous relief when our pain abates or we recover from a long illness. Triumphant perhaps. But Paul was able to write:
“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain” (Phil. 3: 8).
The “all things” referred to include health and earthly happiness. For Paul, triumph was found in Christ. So, too, it must be for us.
“Cancer does not win if you die. It wins if you fail to cherish Christ. God’s design is to wean you off the breast of the world and feast you on the sufficiency of Christ.”
–John Piper from “Don’t Waste Your Cancer” https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/dont-waste-your-cancer.
This series will conclude next week with Part 4 – Transformation
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse
https://avoicereclaimed.com
A Lawyer's Prayers 
‘Pain brings focus…’ Indeed, and perspective. Thanks, Anna.
My pleasure, Erroll.
🙏 Life is short, and every moment counts. Pain, suffering, even illness, can teach us to turn our hearts fully toward Christ and value what truly matters.
Well said, Willie.
Thank you for sharing these words of wisdom. Our Heavenly Father is the Potter, and we are the clay. If suffering shapes us to be more in conformity with Christ, how can we complain?
Very timely, Anna. I find myself poring over my life these days and I must say there are many things I wish I would have done differently, if at all. At the core of my self-examination lies the thought “have I been obedient to God, or did I choose the easier path of following Him and what others wanted of me”? In other words, how often have I compromised being faithful to God with following my own heart? Sadly, the answer is yes, I have, yet His grace is sufficient.
The further along in our walk of faith we get, the more clearly we can see our faults, and the more deeply appreciate grace.
That would be me. Blessings to you my friend.