When we find ourselves in seasons of suffering there are two primary perspectives we can have.
Before we consider the two perspectives, let’s define perspective. In this context perspective describes the way you view your suffering. You might think of it as the lens through which you choose to view your suffering.
One perspective is to view God, His character, and His promises through the lens of your suffering. This is our sinful and default position, because when suffering enters our life it presents itself as bigger than God. This dangerous and distorted view puts suffering in the position of power. This perspective allows suffering to define God, His character, and His promises – ultimately creating an idolatrous and false god.
The second perspective is to view your suffering through the lens of God, His character, and His promises. This is the way of the Spirit. This is the way of truth. This is the perspective that allows us to see our suffering for what it is. Suffering does not have free reign in our lives. Suffering is controlled and purposeful. Our good God who loves us is using the suffering of this broken world to accomplish His good ends.
Maintaining the right perspective is not easy. We know this from our own experiences of suffering, but we also know this from the record of Scripture. Many in the storyline of the Bible struggled to maintain the right perspective on suffering. Many of the Psalms begin from the wrong perspective, but line by line coarse correct until the Psalmist once again has a faithful and true perspective on God and our suffering.
The prophets bemoan their suffering, questioning Yahweh’s goodness, love, and sense of justice. One of my favorite examples is Habakkuk:
O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not hear?
Or cry to you “Violence!”
and you will not save?
Why do you make me see iniquity,
and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
So the law is paralyzed,
and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
so justice goes forth perverted.Habakkuk 1:2-4
The prophets often ask “Why are the bad guys winning and the good guys losing?” “Why are we – your children – suffering?”
In chapter 6 of his book, Suffering, Paul Tripp addresses our doubts and how Satan’s modus operandi is to get us to question God’s character.
The Enemy is seeking to make us doubt the goodness, love, presence, and power of God. he knows that if we begin to question God’s character and power, we will quit going to God and seeking his help. (Tripp, Suffering, 94)
Christians we must fight for the right perspective. We must fight to view our suffering through the lens of God, His character, and His promises. To conclude the chapter Tripp provides a few practical ways we can combat our tendencies and maintain a right perspective.
- Fight the Devils Lies
- Count Your Blessings
- Daily Confess Your Struggle to Believe
- Get Busy Being Who You are in Christ – focus on the spiritual disciplines and discipleship work we are called to.
- Encourage Other Doubters
- Let Doubt Drive You to Jesus