Making the Most of Suffering

“If I should lose everything, it is better that I should lose it than keep it if it is God’s will: The worst disaster is the wisest and the kindest thing that I could face if God ordains it.” – C.H. Spurgeon

I dare you to read that quote again.

Now, I dare you to pray it aloud.

Now, I dare you to pray it aloud… and mean it.

Pretty hard to do, huh?

After all, we are only human and no one in their right mind likes to endure sufferings and hardship, let alone complete deprivation. And yet, Charles Spurgeon – and the Apostle Paul before him – were able to “count it all joy” should they lose everything but gain Jesus.

Here, then, is the rest of Spurgeon’s humble prayer…

“Send me what You will, my God, as long as it comes from You; there never was a poor portion that came from Your table to any of Your children.”

“More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from out of dead.” Philippians 3:8-11 (BSB)

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 (ESV)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President