Suffering as a Form of Ministry

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In Romans 5:1-5, Paul begins by saying that we can boast in our hope of sharing God’s glory. Then he explains where this hope comes from:

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.


How do you react to hardship and difficulty? Do you run from adversity? Do you believe that you have a God-given right to be happy? Do you look for people to blame when you face trials and struggles?


Paul teaches that suffering is normal for the Christian – at least for the Christian who wants to know true hope. Do you remember the many things that Paul had to endure, how many hardships he went through? And yet he said that he had learned the secret of being content in every situation (Phil 4:11).


As Americans we tend to idolize happiness and success. We think we deserve to be happy, that God wants it that way. When folks bring this attitude into church, people gripe or leave when they don't get their way. They have never learned that suffering is a major part of the Christian life. Jesus didn't die to make you happy! He died to save us. And we likewise are to die to self so that others might live.


Of course, I say this with the realization that there are SO many people who do give unselfishly day in and day out. Praise be to God for the long-term commitment of these great souls! The words of some, however, reveal different hearts. People say, "I" "me" "my." Some are looking at what church can give them, not what they are to give the church.


People leave ministry all the time because they aren't happy. It's tough, and sometimes I admit that I daydream about working in a different profession. And for some people, it is probably the right decision to leave ministry. There are so many things one should consider: the needs of one's family among them!


But Jesus didn't call us to the ministry of success. He called us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow him. That's a path of ministry that is biblical and right.


God wants us to know hope. He knows that the “happiness” we idolize is really an empty and meaningless feeling. (Read the book of Ecclesiastes if you don’t believe me.) And the path to true hope, says Paul, goes through suffering. Through suffering grab onto the hope that does not disappoint.

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