No matter what trouble you’re facing today, you’ve got good news: you’ve got a pledge from God that he is for you through thick and thin.
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SHAUNA: I’m Shauna on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope.
Over the decades that Joni’s been sharing her story with you on this Christian radio station, she’s heard from so many of you. And what does she hear most often? Well, let’s let Joni explain.
JONI: Your emails, your notes tell me that you actually enjoy hearing my perspective on suffering [well, it’s really not my perspective; it’s what God’s Word says]. And now over the years, I’ve said lots of things on the subject of suffering, but one of the most often repeated things you’ll hear me say is, “God has not redeemed us to make our lives happy, or healthy, or free of trouble. He has redeemed us to make us more like Jesus.” Oh friend, that phrase really resonates, not so much with people who are into the health-wealth gospel [which is really no gospel at all]; but it resonates with, well with mothers of disabled children who are struggling, or elderly widows who have lost their husbands and are lonely; it has helped people deal with chronic pain or people who wrestle against depression.
People find courage in the idea that God is not interested in making us happy, he’s interested in making us more like Christ. What a valiant way of looking at life. It’s like another thing you often hear me say, “God permits what he hates to accomplish that which he loves.” And that’s just ten little words, but, oh, how invigorating. God permits what he hates to accomplish what he loves. He even did that with his own Son’s crucifixion. He permitted something that he hated: the awful, cruel death of his beloved Son to accomplish something he prized above even that terrible sacrifice. And what in the world could be worth such a horrible price? Well, our salvation, as well as his glory. And the same is true for us. He permits awful things to happen, like my broken neck, so that he could accomplish something far weightier and far more wonderful; something that dwarfs even the tragedy of quadriplegia—Christ in me, the hope of glory.
Oh friend, this is what makes the good news so great. The Gospel of Christ is neither glib nor superficial; it’s not about being healthy or wealthy. It is far deeper than that. It’s like what Charles Spurgeon once wrote [and please listen to this], Spurgeon said, “We preach no rickety Gospel which will not bear your weight! The Gospel is no chariot whose axles will snap. It is no foundation of sand that may sink in the day of flood! The Gospel is the everlasting God pledging himself by oath that he will write his law on your heart, and that he will keep you!” Oh friend, that is good news; that is a rugged and robust Gospel, that’ll carry you through hell or high water.
It describes perfectly the God that we can trust, for Psalm 105 says, “He always stands by his covenant.” So, no matter what trouble you’re facing today, you’ve got good news: you’ve got a pledge from God that he is for you through thick and thin. He is not against you; he is for you; he is for making you like his Son. And if Jesus learned obedience through the things that he suffered, as it says of him in the book of Hebrews, then are we above our master? Should we insist on a lesser load? I don’t think so. Not when you consider what suffering is accomplishing.
SHAUNA: Listening friend, that’s a hard lesson, but a good one. And we want to hear your response. So go to joniradio.org. Let us hear from you today!
© Joni and Friends