Advent Day 19: Benefits of Suffering (Isaiah 38:16-20)

 Isaiah 38 - Nathan Shields

(lyrics below) 

Isaiah 38:16-20

Lord, by such things people live;

  and my spirit finds life in them too.

You restored me to health

  and let me live.

17 Surely it was for my benefit

  that I suffered such anguish.

In your love you kept me

  from the pit of destruction;

you have put all my sins

  behind your back.

18 For the grave cannot praise you,

  death cannot sing your praise;

those who go down to the pit

  cannot hope for your faithfulness.

19 The living, the living—they praise you,

  as I am doing today;

parents tell their children

  about your faithfulness.

20 The Lord will save me,

  and we will sing with stringed instruments

all the days of our lives

  in the temple of the Lord.

This passage is from an episode in the life of King Hezekiah, one of the greatest kings of Israel.  But the Biblical authors did not consider him great due to his building projects or military campaigns.  His greatness was due to his faith in God in the midst of great uncertainty, anxiety and fear.  While most of the account about him focuses on how he stood up to the foreign armies seeking to destroy Jerusalem, there was also a time in his life where he was faced with a life-threatening illness.  It was after God cured him of that disease that he prays the words found in Isaiah 38:17 - "Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish."

These are not words that compute well in our world where we pop narcotic pain-killers like candy and follow "think positive" self-help gurus like they are Jesus.  How can pain, suffering, and hardship actually be beneficial to us?  How can they can actually be good? 

This idea brought back something I had heard about the great Saint of Calcutta, or as she is more commonly know, Mother Theresa.  I love the way Leonard J. DeLorenzo of the Church Life Journal (University of Notre Dame) puts it: "Mother Teresa left happiness to find joy. The difference between happiness and joy is that happiness avoids suffering and joy endures suffering in hope."  She left the happiness of her family and life in Europe to serve the poorest of the poor in India, the people often referred to as the "untouchables."

To be clear, I do not want to glorify suffering or to say that everyone should drop what they are doing and move to India.  I am not trying to guilt anyone into thinking that the only way to glorify God is to seek out suffering or become a missionary (though we could use more of them!).  

My hope this Advent season is for us to reflect on what it means that we have a God that came and suffered with us and for us.  Jesus did not come to "lord" his power over us, but to serve, heal, comfort, encourage, empathize, and most of all... forgive.  

Forgive us for the ways that we have caused pain.  Forgive us for the ways that we have rejected God's will and commands.  Forgive us for the ways that we have rejected God and cut ourselves off from Him!

Hezekiah gave praise and glory to God for healing, but was glad that he suffered because it brought Him closer to God by forcing him to place even greater faith in God's sovereignty and power to save him.  Similarly, Mother Theresa found joy in serving God and believed that suffering in order to do God's will was far more important than avoiding pain.  Jesus decided that it was far better to endure suffering so that we could be brought back into a relationship with the Father.  Sometimes there are things worth suffering for!

This Advent, instead of seeking to cover up our pain and acting as if we have everything figured out, let us draw near to God in the midst of our suffering, rejecting our self-salvation projects and seeking the joy of His presence with us, the gift of Immanuel, that He promised to us that first Christmas. 

Heavenly Father, we draw close to you and ask that in your mercy you might bring healing where there is pain and suffering, health where there is illness, and comfort where there is mourning.  Be our God in the midst of suffering and lead us to the resting place that you have prepared.  Grant us faith to know your will and rest in your love.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

Isaiah 38 by Nathan Shields

I walk slowly all of my years 
Tears are only evidence of
My love for you shield me not
Scars are but a necessary
Step towards you, I will see
this through
Restore my soul to health and make me new

My love do not be surprised
Sing for you are suffering with Christ
Fear not death, hell is undone
Pain is but a victory, so be happy
Open your eyes and see the

Glory of our God eternally