Finding Meaning in Suffering
Finding 'meaning' or 'purpose' in suffering can make it more bearable. Suffering is hard to bear but if something good can come out of it, then maybe the burden of care becomes easier to bear. At least there is a point to it? The suffering is not wasted?
That's kind of heavy stuff. Does it make any sense at all?
Could finding meaning in suffering be a depression getaway? Or does the thought of it make you even more depressed?
My faith brings meaning to my suffering. I believe in a personal God who walks with me and talks with me and hears my prayers. There is great comfort in having a friend like that. Having faith in a personal God is like having friends in high places!
As well as that personal relationship and the comfort it brings, there is a broader even deeper benefit that comes with that kind of faith. It brings meaning.
Because I believe in a God who loves me and has my best interests in hand no matter what seems to be going on in my life, therefore I believe that everything that happens to me happens for a reason. It is not a waste. It is not some kind of sick joke....
Even depression. I am not privy to the reasons for my suffering but I trust that God knows what he is doing and someday, maybe even today, he will bring good out of it or show me some purpose in this old depression.
One of my favourite devotionals helps me to find that meaning. The author gives many examples of how God permits and uses suffering. Does that make me mad that God does that? No, it makes me glad that he can do something with my suffering. I am thankful as I believe there is purpose in my suffering and in all kinds of suffering.
Here is an excerpt from that book which demonstrates what I am trying to explain:
From “Streams in the Desert” by Mrs. Charles E. Cowan
July 3rd entry
“One day in early summer I walked past a beautiful meadow. The grass was as soft and thick and fine as an immense green Oriental rug. In one corner stood a fine old tree, a sanctuary for numberless wild birds; the crisp, sweet air was full of their happy songs. Two cows lay in the shade, the very picture of content.
Down by the roadside the saucy dandelion mingled his gold with the royal purple of the wild violet.
I leaned against the fence for a long time, feasting my hungry eyes, and thinking in my soul that God never made a fairer spot than my lovely meadow.
The next day I passed that way again, and lo! The hand of the despoiler had been there. A plowman and his great plow, now standing idle in the furrow, had in a day wrought a terrible havoc. Instead of the green grass there was turned up to view the ugly, bare, brown earth; instead of the singing birds there were only a few hens industriously scratching for worms. Gone were the dandelion and the pretty violet. I said in my grief, “How could anyone spoil a thing so fair?”
Then my eyes were opened by some unseen hand, and I saw a vision, a vision of a field of ripe corn ready for the harvest. I could see the giant, heavily laden stalks in the autumn sun; I could almost hear the music of the wind as it would sweep across the golden tassels. And before I was aware, the brown earth took on a splendor it had not had the day before.
Oh, that we might always catch the vision of an abundant harvest, when the great Master Plowman comes, as He often does, and furrows through our very souls, uprooting and turning under that which we thought most fair, and leaving for our tortured gaze only the bare and beautiful."
So you see I believe that God can use anything, even my depression to bring about his greater purpose. Even use my depression for good. How? I don't know but I have faith.
Faith helps me. It gives meaning to my life, but the good parts and the bad parts.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you doing today? Do you think that there could be purpose to your suffering? Or do you think it is a big waste of time and God has turned his back on you? Would it be any comfort to you to think that there is purpose in your suffering?
