Throughout the Bible, God gives us stories. When properly understood, they reveal a plan for courageously facing the future. By looking at the past, we are able to successfully walk through whatever obstacles, known and unknown, lie ahead. In I Samuel 4-7, the capture and return of the ark of the Lord wonderfully illustrates this great truth. Note Samuel’s faith statement: Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer (stone of help), saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us (1 Samuel 7:12 NIV).” In essence, he was saying to the people of his day that they had not come to the end of their struggles and that there were still more trials ahead. Nevertheless, their past journey had provided insight into gaining strength – and ultimately victory – in all future battles.
Present Application
When I was thirty-five years old, I was introduced to the first of three seasons of suffering that have defined my life and informed my understanding of the sovereignty of God. On July 27, 1978, our youngest son, four days before his seventh birthday, was killed by a car in front of our house. In 1994 -1995, I went through 18 months of depression. Then, starting in 2003, for nearly 20 years, I watched as Alzheimer’s slowly robbed the love of my life of her personality and eventually on May 23, 2023, she was ushered into the presence of her Savior. Let me emphatically note that God did not take my son’s life, he was not responsible for my depression, and he did not give Linda Alzheimer’s. All three result from living in a fallen world; however, God, in his infinite wisdom, did allow each of these seasons of suffering to touch me, my wife and my family.
Why? Even though I cannot provide a definitive answer, I do have some clues. Since the late 1960’s, the priorities of the American church have shifted away from the centrality of the sovereignty of Christ, His will for His people, and ultimately His plans for all human history. Taking its cues from secular society, by and large, it is now all about our personal happiness. As a result, the role of suffering in producing spiritual maturity has been overlooked, if not intentionally denigrated.
In 1961, during my first year of college, I distinctly remember hearing a classmate sing the old hymn, “God Leads Us Along.” Its message became foundational to my wonderful wife Linda’s and my understanding of how God directs the daily lives of His children. The essence is summed up in the refrain:
Some through the waters, some through the flood,
Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
In the night season and all the day long.
Thankfully, most of the time, our personal suffering allowed us to grasp that the intense pressure created by difficult times enabled us to truly value life, have greater empathy for others, and be better equipped for service in the Kingdom of God. But, what about those times when our best efforts to understand resulted in shaking knees and wobbling faith? We then reached beyond our present circumstances and desperately clung to two scriptures which embody unfailing truth:
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine” (Isaiah 55:8 NLT).
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 NIV).
Everlasting Hope
Last Thursday on Jeffery’s fifty-third birthday, I carried flowers to his grave and told him — even though I seriously doubt that he was listening – “I enjoy thinking about what you and your mother might be doing; I am much closer to seeing you again.” That part of my conversation can easily be understood by anyone who has lost a loved one. My next statement was a theological faux pas: “I hope you and Mom have a good day!” Immediately, realizing the absurdity of anyone in Heaven NOT having a good day, I broke out laughing. As I was walking away, remembering his sense of humor, I imagined that if he had been listening, he was laughing along with me! It was a good day!
Ron Harvard Ministries 