The disciples went through a great deal of suffering, loss, and grief as Jesus prepared to return to His Father.Jesus consoled His followers by promising to convert their grief into joy.Jesus said these words as He and His disciples were leaving the upper room and making their way to the Garden of Gethsemane: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice.You will experience grief, but it will eventually turn into joy.” (John 16 vs 20).
Can you imagine living with Jesus for three years, and then He leaves?
The depth of despair for the disciples must have been intolerable. Fortunately, for us God turns sorrow into purpose. We have The Holy Bible, and a global Christian Family of nearly three billion people.
Travis Formoso, March 25 2022, writes for ‘Association for Biblical Counselling’, stating, “Charles Spurgeon once said that “The road to sorrow has been well trodden, it is the regular sheep track to heaven, and all the flock of God have had to pass along it.” – https://biblicalcounseling.com/resource-library/articles/joy-in-the-midst-of-sorrow/
In Genesis 35, Jacob goes through terrible suffering at the loss of the love of his life, Rachel during childbirth. We glean some fascinating lessons from this Biblical Account that can help us recognise that sorrow isn’t our destination. Rather, God uses sorrow for purpose.
Contextually, Jacob was duped by his uncle into marrying Leah, Rachel’s sister. Jacob eventually marries Rachel, and rivalry between sisters births horrific polygamy in Jacob’s household, which God uses to create the twelve tribes of Israel. God uses Israel to show up the futile beliefs of pagan culture and their pseudo-gods, and uses Israel to destroy nations who were responsible for horrifying atrocities on humanity. God also used Israel to bring Jesus who revolutionised human history forever.
In Genesis 35 vs 18-19, On Rachel’s deathbed she comes to realise her folly through the birth of Benjamin. Her sorrow of being barren which led to polygamy for Jacob, later rectified by God by her giving birth to her own child, brought her into revelation that the God of Jacob never abandoned her, though her father, Laban’s idols she stole never did work to help her fall pregnant. She came into repentance.
Have you ever done something stupid and in the corrective consequences realised why you were wrong, and God was right all along?
I have. I still get in God’s Way sometimes and then repent, correct, and change as God grows me towards who He says I am. Our ego/ flesh is so fickle, fragile, and filthy. The longer I walk with Jesus the more I become aware of how desperately I need Him to purify me. The sorrow of being a corrupted being brings me into deeper relationship with God and that grows me into better obedience to His Will.
We see that Rachel’s sorrow being changed to purpose through the gift God gave her of bearing a son, Benjamin, through the line of Benjamin.
So what can we learn from sorrow to help us draw closer to God as He turns sorrow into purpose in our lives?
Christians-should-know.org offers some insights.
To quote:
‘One: God never wastes pain because through pain, God transforms head knowledge into heart knowledge. Pain makes theological theory become a reality to us because under duress, the heart is in a better disposition to be responsive to divine teaching. Grace therefore applies its truth more effectually by an appropriate set of circumstances. We no longer have a dry intellectual knowledge of God; instead, knowingabout God is transformed into knowing God. The result is the possession of wisdom and understanding that is branded upon the heart by palpable experience. As Job said in Job 42:5, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You.” And as Martin Luther once said, “Were it not for tribulation, I should not understand the Scriptures.”
Two: God never wastes pain because through pain, God reveals the corruption of our sinful nature. In the comfortable life, we act. In adversity, we react. The difference is that action is planned and tempered, but reaction is an unfiltered response based on what is deep down inside of us.
Pride is the root of all sin, and pain takes down the mountain of pride in a man’s heart. This is fitting because that mountain is what raises obstacles against the Word and disputes with God’s providence. Pain is therefore God’s forge to soften the heart: it is impossible to form iron when it is cold, but make it red hot, and the Lord can stamp on it any impression He pleases. Accordingly, no one “thirsts and hungers for righteousness” (Matthew 5:3–6) without first having an earnest appreciation of just how unrighteous their heart is. In pain, God gets deeper than superficial sins and gets to the root of the problem: the inherent corruption of our nature.’ – https://what-christians-should-know.org/god-never-wastes-pain-faith-trial-heart-consider-adversity/
The question we need to dare is not, “Why sorrow, but Father what are You teaching me with this sorrow?”
Amen
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