Suffering to Joy

Can I whisper something to the hearts of those experiencing suffering this Christmas? God is working despite all that this sinful world can throw at you- all that we experience in our broken bodies, in our broken relationships, and in broken creation. And while He is calling you upward to a life of faithfulness and obedience despite it, He is redeeming your suffering. We have a choice to plant our flag of faith upon the mound of anguish. Upon tombstones, upon sickness, upon job losses, upon whatever darkness we encounter in this world.

In the book of Ruth, we find women who have experienced tremendous loss and hardship in their family lives. Expectations of children and flourishing dashed by famine, relocation and death. When we look carefully at the difficulties experienced by Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, we see that their suffering was the catalyst to them becoming part of God’s redemptive story. But their faithfulness and obedience gave room for God to work and landed them the role as Jesus’ relatives.

God turns suffering on its head to bring about salvation. This is what He did at the cross, what He did in Ruth’s story, and what He does in our lives. God is the great Redeemer of all situations, even painful ones.

While in the midst of suffering, we can be tremendously discouraged. But Ruth reminds us to hold fast, continuing in faithfulness and obedience, because we know from her story that God can bring about the greatest miracles in our lives through our hardships. Because He is our Redeemer, and our joy does not hinge on the giddy excitement of gifts, Christmas lights, or even happy circumstances, we can still sing through our tears:

Joyful, joyful we adore thee
God of glory, Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before thee Opening to the sun above.
Melt away the sin and sadness, Drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness
Fill us with the light of day!

– Henry Van Dyke