Hope and Suffering
Suffering is one of the great realities of life in this present evil world. No believer is exempt from it. We live in corruptible bodies, in a cursed creation, in a sinful world, and with sin still working in our flesh. Because of that, the Christian life is not a promise of earthly ease, physical comfort, or freedom from pain. Yet Romans 8:18 gives us the mind of Christ concerning suffering:
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
That verse does not pretend suffering is unreal. It does not minimize grief, sickness, loss, persecution, weakness, weariness, or pain. Rather, it places suffering beside glory and tells us that they are not worthy to be compared. The answer to suffering is not denial. The answer is a hope that is infinitely greater and makes the suffering pale in comparison.
Biblical hope is not weak wishing. It is not a fragile optimism or a false hope that says, “Maybe things will get better.” Our hope is rooted in what God has already accomplished in Christ and what He has promised to finish. Part of the mystery of Christ is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” in Colossians 1:27. That hope is certain because it rests upon the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures. The same God who justified us by faith has also sealed us by His Spirit “unto the day of redemption” (Eph 4:30).
This is why the hope of glory is not uncertain. We have already been blessed “with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3). We have already been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, “which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession” (Eph 1:13-14). The earnest of the Spirit is God’s present assurance of the future possession. We do not yet see the redemption of our body, but God has already given us the guarantee of it by the Spirit's dwelling in us by faith in the gospel.
Suffering has multiple facets. There is suffering simply because we live in mortal bodies in a corrupt world (Gal 1:4). There is also suffering that comes from sinful choices, for “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption” (Gal 6:7-8). And there is suffering for Christ, bearing reproach, affliction, and loss for the truth of the gospel (Php 3:7-11, Acts 9:16, 2Co 1:5-7).
Yet none of these sufferings should overthrow the believer’s hope. They may hurt deeply, but they are temporary. They may push us to our very limits, but they cannot separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord or take what’s been freely given. We have a glory that awaits us: “waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Rom 8:23).
This is one of the great comforts in Christ. God has not promised the Body of Christ physical healing on demand or a trouble-free life in this dispensation of grace. In fact, we don’t set our affections on this life at all, “for our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Php 3:20-21). Our hope is not that this present world will finally satisfy us. Our hope is that Christ will deliver us from corruption altogether.
That is why Paul continues in Romans 8, “For we are saved by hope” (Rom 8:24). This does not mean we are justified by the act of hoping. We are justified by faith in Christ. Rather, the salvation we possess includes a future expectation we have not yet seen. We are saved people, with redeemed souls, waiting for the full realization of what God has promised, the redemption of our bodies. “But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Rom 8:25).
Patience in suffering does not come from pretending we are strong. It comes from believing God’s word. The Spirit strengthens the inner man as the mind is renewed by truth. This is why Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:
“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Joy in suffering is not joy because pain feels good. Pain does not feel good. Loss does not feel good. Weakness does not feel good. The joy comes from knowing that suffering is not the end of the story, and that God uses it to grow us, comfort us in Himself, and magnify His life and sufficient grace through our weakness. Through the truth of His word, believed in the inner man, He changes our perspective and produces spiritual strength, maturity, comfort, and hope (Rom 5:3-5, 2Co 1:5-10, 4:7-18, 12:9-10).
The believer can have joy amidst suffering because our hope of glory is infinitely greater than our pain. We can rejoice because our sins are paid for, our soul is saved, our position in Christ is secure, our body will be redeemed, and our future glory is certain. We may groan now, but we groan as those who are waiting. We may suffer now, but the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Our hope is not weak. It is not wishful. It is not earthly. It is Christ Himself, our life, our righteousness, our Head, and our coming glory. When He appears, then shall we also appear with Him in glory (Col 3:4). Until then, we wait with patience, walk by faith, and rejoice in hope.
