Optimizing Suffering: Are You Getting The Most Out Of It?

When I arrive in Heaven, one of the very first things I will tell Jesus is, “Thank you for the suffering you allowed me to have where I was blessed to endure it with Your gracious assistance and the measured hope you gave me daily! For without which, I would never have had the opportunity to know and trust You with me. Your loving supportive presence and personal guidance led me through the storms of life. You were always there when I needed you. Not for a moment did you ever forsake me.”
You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.”
You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life.
Lamentations 3:57-58 (NIV)
It took suffering to humble me and become desperate for a savior friend – Jesus! And to all of you who are experiencing hardship of any kind, this poem is devoted to you. Suffer well my friends, suffer well! And soon, we will celebrate together in the splendor of heaven! May this poem assist you in suffering well!
“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, NKJV
Please this poem which was my attempt to put “Biblical Suffering Theology” into poetic language. May it be an encouragement to you!
I’m not in it to win any kind of suffering prize, I’m just trying to understand why in living, I agonize.
In life, I should have accomplished so very much more, But I always seem too busy fighting yet another suffering war.
Like others, my lack of spiritual successes, I try to rationalize, But my heart keeps telling me excuses and lies.
I self-justify why for God, I am getting so little done,
It’s because of my fear of bringing on more suffering from which I’m always on the run.
I too, could have done noble works like Mother Theresa or Billy Graham,
But because of my misuse of life’s suffering, I am who I am.
I let Suffering become the chief of all my excuses, I blame it most for life’s production abuses.
I tell myself that I was a victim of being dealt a losing hand,
Otherwise, my accomplishments would have been so much more grand.
But Biblically speaking, Suffering is to be viewed as my friend,
It alone is the difference between who I am and who I might have been.
But if I continue to treat suffering as my enemy,
I will have sacrificed my ability to develop empathy.
Because of God, things do not happen to me, but for me, Suffering is the tool God most often employs to grow me.
If, because of suffering, I allow myself to become a victim, I will miss God’s way of giving me wisdom.
If I dwell on what happens to me in my suffering I will miss what happens for me from my suffering.
Suffering is my steppingstone to achieve greater things, The more it is embraced, the more blessings to me it brings.
In the future from my heavenly home, when I look back,
I will then know that I could have done so much more but for suffering’s lack.
God, please give me courage so that I will strive for considerably more,
Sacrificing myself in harm’s way by allowing your love through me to pour.
Take away my fear of being misunderstood, Allow me to speak forcefully of all your loving good.
Give me understanding of how to communicate your healing love, In such a way that people know it’s from you above.
In my every meeting, may people see and feel your loving touch, And may they run to you to experience your loving clutch.
May they yearn for heaven’s loving atmosphere, And allow Jesus to take them there.
By being with me, may they really be with thee, And may their eyes be opened for your love to see.
May their hearts burn to have more of you, To make their lives reborn anew.
LaVon
(Loved by God to love you)