No Pain, No Gain

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the

glory which shall be revealed in us.

Romans 8:18

It wasn’t too long ago that I heard a definition that marked out the difference between pain and

suffering. Pain, the person said, was a temporary happening, a moment of something hurting

us. Suffering, though, could go on for any length of time beyond pain, because suffering was a

response to pain. Now, I don’t know that that definition is foolproof, but it did make me think a lot

about the difference between some of my own pains and sufferings, and how there are some

things that I have carried far, far longer than the moment of pain being inflicted.

The Greek word for “sufferings” in Rom. 8:18 refers to something one has endured, a misfortune

if you will. Certainly, many sufferings are not simply external, but they have much power within,

don’t they? From a little research, suffering touches generally upon one or more areas at the

same time: mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. We can go through some rather frail times

as believers, can’t we? I’m sure that sometimes every one of those boxes is checked and it’s no

light thing for any of us to endure. Nonetheless, may I offer you a bit of hope towards your own

sufferings?

Paul gives us a perspective on suffering that is transformative and can help equip and sustain

joy in our lives despite what we endure. Paul says that they “are not worthy to be compared with

the glory which shall be revealed in us.” He also writes in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “Therefore we

do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being

renewed day by day. 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. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things

which are not seen are eternal.” Paul sees suffering in relationship to glorification and reward,

not simply in isolation. If you or I begin seeing our pain and suffering detached and without a

point, without a destination, you know what’s going to happen? We very easily begin “spiraling

out,” losing our steam, our joy, our hope, our love for God, our desire to move forward and may

become disillusioned to the beauty of our Lord.

How many of us have ever gone to gym or gone for walk or done some push-ups or jumping

jacks? Did we do those things for the sake of doing them, or for a particular outcome? Of

course, unless we’re a bit psycho, we do it for the outcome. When we lose sight of the outcome,

so goes the discipline. Suffering is sometimes a result of our active choices, bringing pain into

our lives as we live for Jesus that wouldn’t be there if we’d just lay off. (Don’t lay off). Many

times, though, it happens without our say and blows into our lives like a storm we couldn’t

foresee. God in His wisdom knows that either way, the sufferings we endure as His children will

prepare us for glory and He intends to make it a beautiful occasion when we realize and

experience the fulness of all we’ve been promised in the Scriptures. Please, please do not

detach your sufferings from Your loving Father today. The pain is for the gain of something that

will never be taken away and you will never regret it though you may be praying it away today.

Ther are many times in a believer’s life where they will pray for change that may not happen

immediately and sometimes never does come. God has a bigger, better plan and He has a destiny for each of His children that none would ever dare ask Him to take back. God loves you, my friend. Be braver than lions.

Sam Stringer

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by

permission. All rights reserved.