Ten Things Suffering Achieves
by Harry Zeiders (Rector of Resurrection Church, Emporia VA)
Parishioners at Resurrection Church, Emporia, VA were invited to pray through a list of 10 things that suffering achieves, followed by a series of Bible (ESV) passages and examen questions for each item, arranged as stations to be used in the context of a solemn Good Friday liturgy. I distilled this list based on word studies of the following Greek New Testament lexemes: ἀδικέω, βάσανος, ζημία, θλίβω, λύπη, πάσχω. This study was inspired by Relational Spirituality: A Psychological-Theological Paradigm for Transformation by Todd W. Hall and M. Elizabeth Lewis Hall.
Suffering arouses our emotions.
Suffering reveals to whom we are really attached.
Suffering challenges our trust in God.
Suffering purges us.
Suffering disrupts our agenda, disorients us, empties us, accelerates our learning curve, and highlights Christ’s power.
Suffering puts us in solidarity with others who suffer.
Suffering calls us to obedient endurance.
Suffering makes us more like Jesus.
Suffering unmasks the world’s rejection of Jesus.
Suffering aches for God’s full reign.
Obviously, the 5th item above combines several accomplishments of suffering. The 10th station below has no examen.
1st Station: Suffering arouses our emotions
Rehearsing Scripture
• And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death.” (Matthew 26.38)
Examining Ourselves
• What does this show us about Jesus?
• When I suffer, what emotions are stirred?
• With whom or with what kind of person is God prompting me to share this living word?
2nd Station: Suffering reveals to whom we are really attached
Rehearsing Scripture
• And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26.39)
• Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” (Matthew 26.42)
• Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26.53)
• Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23.46)
Examining Ourselves
• What does this show us about Jesus?
• When I suffer, to whom or to what am I attached?
• With whom or with what kind of person is God prompting me to share this living word?
3rd Station: Suffering challenges our trust in God
Rehearsing Scripture
• And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27.46)
• When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. (1 Peter 2.23)
• Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1 Peter 4.19)
• The devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested. (Revelation 2.10)
Examining Ourselves
• What does this show us about Jesus?
• When I suffer, how am I tempted to doubt or change my faith in God or my beliefs about God?
• With whom or with what kind of person is God prompting me to share this living word?
4th Station : Suffering purges us
Rehearsing Scripture
• Fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3.13-15)
• For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it . . . As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief . . . For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret. (2 Corinthians 7.8-10)
• But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. (Philippians 3.7-8)
Examining Ourselves
• What does this show us about what God wants?
• How can I allow suffering to purge me?
• With whom or with what kind of person is God prompting me to share this living word?
5th Station : Suffering disrupts our agenda, disorients us, empties us, accelerates our learning curve, and highlights Christ’s power
Rehearsing Scripture
• Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. (John 21.18)
• As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. (Acts 22.6-11)
• But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12.9)
Examining Ourselves
• What does Jesus want from us?
• When I suffer, how can I let go, and how will I allow God’s good reign to be the agenda in my life?
• With whom or with what kind of person is God prompting me to share this living word?
6th Station: Suffering puts us in solidarity with others who suffer
Rehearsing Scripture
• If one member suffers, all suffer together. (1 Corinthians 12.26)
• Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1.3-4)
• Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. (Philippians 4.14)
• For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews. (1 Thessalonians 2.14)
• Resist the devil, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. (1 Peter 5.9)
Examining Ourselves
• What expectations does God have of us in each Scripture above?
• When others suffer, how can I resist the temptation to insulate myself from them and their suffering?
• With whom or with what kind of person is God prompting me to share this living word?
7th Station: Suffering calls us to obedient endurance
Rehearsing Scripture
• We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance. (Romans 5.3)
• Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. (2 Thessalonians 1.4)
• In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. (Hebrews 5.7-9)
• For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. . . . If when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2.19-21)
Examining Ourselves
• What expectations does God have of us in each Scripture above?
• When I suffer, what steps do I need to take in order to endure and in order to be found obedient?
• With whom or with what kind of person is God prompting me to share this living word?
8th Station: Suffering makes us more like Jesus
Rehearsing Scripture
• We share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings. (2 Corinthians 1.5)
• I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish . . . that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. (Philippians 3.8-10)
• Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2.21)
• But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4.13)
Examining Ourselves
• What expectations does God have of us in each Scripture above?
• In my past when I have suffered, how was God trying to use and redeem my suffering so that I would end up being more like Jesus in my life?
• With whom or with what kind of person is God prompting me to share this living word?
9th Station: Suffering unmasks the world’s rejection of Jesus
Rehearsing Scripture
• Tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word. (Mark 4.17)
• Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. (Matthew 24.9)
• For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. (Acts 9.16)
• For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. (2 Corinthians 12.10)
• For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake. (Philippians 1.29)
• Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake . . . for the sake of His body, that is, the Church. (Colossians 1.24)
• Share in suffering for the gospel. (2 Timothy 1.8)
Examining Ourselves
• Why does God allow suffering?
• Have I assumed — or pridefully expected — that only good things should happen in my life and that no bad things should ever happen to me?
• With whom or with what kind of person is God prompting me to share this living word?
10th Station: Suffering Aches for God’s Full Reign
• Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? (Luke 24.26)
• So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. (John 16.22)
• The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8.16-18)
• For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. (2 Corinthians 4.17)
• For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. (Hebrews 10.34)
• Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. (1 Peter 4.3)
• Do not fear what you are about to suffer. . . . Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2.10)