Worshipping Through Suffering

Let me first say I am not suffering in my life right now. But I know lots of people who are. And I've heard about lots of people who are.

And, brothers and sisters, our world is suffering right now.

Wars in the Middle East, war in Ukraine, Ebola, murders, suicides, cancer, poverty, natural disasters, and so many more. Listening to the news for a half hour makes things in our world seem pretty dire. It makes things seem pretty hopeless. But we know that there is hope. It's Jesus. But how do we worship Him when things seem to be falling apart all around us?

Here's what Jesus says on the subject, in John 16:33, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

This is our hope. This is our joy. This is our God! He has overcome the world. No matter the trouble we see.

But, how do we come before our God with hearts heavy with these trials of the world? How to we help people understand that God did not cause any of their trouble? How?

That, my friends, is a great question. One that I struggle to answer too.

Here is what I know.

1. Jesus loves people. He loves you. He loves me. He loves all those who are suffering right now.
2. God does not cause suffering. Plain and simple. (see John 16:33)
3. The Prince of this world (Satan) is a sneaky, conniving little beast, and he is blinding our neighbors. 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 says, "In their case the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

Here's what we can do.

1. Pray for our neighbors. Pray for our world. Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
2. "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)
3. Worship our God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I don't know what that looks like for you, but I know that God takes great pleasure in seeing His children worship Him. I know that everything we do each day, when done to the glory of God, is worship to Him. Worship is not just an hour on Sunday. Worship is our every day life. Worship is giving all glory and honor and praise to the only one who deserves it.

Do I know how to worship when you have cancer? No, but this woman, Kara Tippetts, does. Do I know what it looks like to worship in the midst of war in your country? No, but the people at Preemptive Love do. Suffering is different for all of us, and worship is different for all of us. Take hope in the knowledge that there is a God that loves you and died for you. I pray that we all learn and relearn over and over what it looks like to worship in every circumstance.