Suffer with God Not Against Him

by Rhett Pritchett

In a fallen, sinful, and broken world we all experience suffering in some way, shape, or form. Granted suffering doesn’t visit each of us in the same way or with the same intensity. Nevertheless, suffering WILL touch us all. It’s no different for God’s people; in fact it is PROMISED. Jesus told his disciples, “In the world YOU WILL have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world (Jn. 16:33).” His word of hope to them is not that they may escape this world without suffering, it’s that they can hope in Him in the midst of the suffering they will most certainly encounter. Much pain, confusion, and bewilderment has been experienced by us all for assuming that somehow, we would be the exception to the rule and make it through this life unscathed.

I have to confess, as someone who has suffered, I can read articles about suffering and quickly experience involuntary eye-rolling. This happens when the author makes bold proclamations about enduring in the midst of suffering but lacks the transparency that ensures you that they have fought the battle themselves. If I would have written anything about suffering for most of my life, I would have been the person causing the eyes to roll. I say that, because for the vast majority of my life, there wasn’t much of any suffering. What suffering I did experience was usually of the self-inflicted variety.

Suffering really hit me all at once, or so it seemed. Over a period of about 5 years, it seemed like I could never come up for air. I was working in youth ministry in the context of generational poverty. I witnessed suffering as never before. While there were times of encouragement, there were lots of discouragement, sadness, and feelings of hopelessness. A couple years into my ministry I descended into a fog of depression and extreme anxiety that would last for nearly 3 years. It was to the point that some days getting out of bed seemed like a victory. Following that, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. We walked through surgery, chemo, and radiation. When I look at my wedding pictures, I see a guy who looked younger, had more energy, and had no clue that one day he’d be cutting off his wife’s hair when it started to fall out from chemotherapy. After walking through that process, we found out that the cancer had come back. That led to more surgeries and treatments. There were also several deaths in our family. I don’t say this to get sympathy. I say it so when it comes to suffering, you know I’m not the blog version of a travel agent, trying to take you somewhere I’ve never been.

What is so amazing about this period of suffering, is that my wife and I would both say that God worked on us in incredible ways and strengthened our faith in Him and our love for one another. God was incredibly good to us in the midst of it. When my anxiety was at its worst, God did a miracle in my life. The gospel suddenly and dramatically pierced my heart in way it never had. The truth is, I always had deep struggles with assurance of salvation I would question nearly everyday if I was truly saved. I believed the gospel was true and true for just about anybody but me. What a gift to be assured of the love of Christ right before walking through a cancer battle. If I had been where I was before God overwhelmed me with His love, I have no idea how I would have responded. My wife, Amber also tells anybody who asks about this season that God rescued her faith through battling cancer. Before that, she was distant from God and angry with Him. Struggling with my anxiety and how it had impacted our lives, she was bitter towards her Father. In a time when we could do nothing but rely on Him, He drew her back and gave her a renewed faith and love for Him.

I’m so thankful to God for His deep work in us and preserving us through it all. He was our Savior and Sustainer in ways that are beyond description. I’m also thankful because every suffering story doesn’t end this way. Often suffering can lead people away from the Father for an extended season, or they entirely abandon the faith they once professed. If that doesn’t happen, some depart from the God of the Bible and create their own god. They create one that fits therapeutic categories and gives them permission to respond to suffering and live any way they please. I don’t say that without empathy, I know that temptation. My experience with suffering wasn’t without them. I know what its like to lament deeply why things are the way they are. I know what it’s like to have deep questions that are filled with hurt and in the moment not like the answers the Bible gives you. It is hard, incredibly hard. Suffering is a dangerous time. We can experience God’s grace in ways that are transforming, or we can run from Him in ways that have disastrous consequences. Struggle is inherent to suffering, but there is a massive difference between struggling with God and struggling against God. I’m thankful that my wife and I experienced God’s love and protection in a way that led us to struggle with Him.

Something that often gets left out of the suffering scenario, is a 3rd party. I’m referring to Satan, the Great Deceiver and the Prince of Lies. While believers have the assurance that our Heavenly Father will work in all things (including our suffering) for the good of those who love Him, we can also be assured that Satan is a roaring lion seeking to devour us and use our times of suffering to draw us from the Father who loves us. Notice I said “times” of suffering. I’m under no allusion that my suffering was a one-time deal. As long as I’m in this world, more will come. We’ve let cheesy horror movies make a joke out of spiritual warfare and cause us not to take our enemy seriously. I assure you; Satan didn’t close up shop and go on vacation because we got modern medicine. Thankfully, we have the sure confidence that in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, Satan has been defeated along with sin and death. We know that the day is coming when he will ultimately be dealt with, cast into the Lake of Fire and able to deceive no more. Until that day comes, he is on the move and he is good at what he does. He lies, he manipulates, and he blinds people to the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We must remember the good news of who God is, what He has done, and who we are in Christ! This is vital in our times of suffering. We have the truth of the gospel, the scriptures for comfort and guidance, prayer, and our family in the local church to care for us. These are the gifts God has given us to reject the lies of the enemy and cling to our identity in Christ as we struggle with God in our suffering.

I’ve linked an article from John Beeson at The Gospel Coalition that is helpful in learning what it means fight the lies of Satan in times of suffering.