I. The Word

13“Be silent before me so that I may speak;
Then let come on me what may.

14“Why should I take my flesh in my teeth
And put my life in my hands?

15“Though He slay me,
yet will I hope in Him.
Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.

What is the mission, purpose, of suffering? What good is it? Why is it here? What does it do that we need? It does what lifting weights does to your muscles, what having children does to your selfishness, what dieting does to your health, what burying a seed does to a plant, what a wildfire does to the soil, what practice does for a skill…it grows our faith. Why is faith important…because we all have it! The question is not do I have faith or not, but what do I have faith in? God wants to grow your faith, your trust, you dependance, your joy, your contentment, your belief…in Him. Not in what He can do for you, but what He can do in you and through you!

Know the mission of suffering by knowing the Lord of suffering!

That was my call to our church this past Sunday. The only way I know to survive the loss of something beautiful is to have a deeper anchor that is more beautiful. If my family, my “wealth”, my health, or my comforts are in any way the most deep and most vibrant of anchors of my joy that can death not strip me naked or my joy? Can death not leave my contentment beaten and half dead?

If Jesus, the Lord of suffering, is the reason, the anchor, of my joy and contentment then what can take that away? I can exclaim with Paul, “O death where is your sting?” when death itself cannot separate my greatest love from me (Rom 8:31-39)

Below are two things that I love:

1. A video of Levi Lusko talking at a Passion conference about suffering that was one of the main influences on my talk this Sunday. It was his quote that I left you all with, “Death can either take you to your treasure or from it, depending on where you keep it. So hide it where it is most secure.” LOVE THAT!

2. A sermon by my man Charles Spurgeon. This dude is the real deal. I cannot encourage reading his works on anything enough. His influence on me is as deep and profound as anything outside of Scripture itself.

As you ponder this famous and remarkable text in Job listen to Levi’s witness, and Spurgeon’s wisdom. Think about how you want to react when your treasures here on earth meet their ruin and expiration. Think about what God means to you. Is He The treasure? Is He more than enough for you? Is He the one non-negotionable in your life that you have to have? Is He Lord? Is He worthy to be? Do you even know Him, or just know about Him?

Here is Spurgeon’s sermon on the text above.

Here is Levi’s interview: