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Just like our new friend He'man Paul also suffered emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. But Paul suffered physicallly as well!

2 Corinthians 1:3-11 says:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

According to Paul the purpose of suffering is found in verses 3-7. First, our All-Merciful Father wants to comfort us. When He comforts us, we are able to comfort others. And finally, when we share in the sufferings of Christ, we also share in his comfort.

Peter reminds us of the ultimate purpose in suffering. "He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." (1 Peter 2:22–25).

The Situation of Suffering (v. 8-9)

Here is a list of things Paul suffered acording to 2 Corinthians 11:23–28 and 6:3–10.

1. Many imprisonments.
2. Countless beatings.
3. He was often near death.
4. Stoned once.
5. Five times he received 39 lashes from the Jews.
6. Three times he was beaten with rods.
7. Three times he was shipwrecked.
8. Toil and hardship.
9. Many sleepless nights.
10. Hunger and thirst
11. Often without food.
12. Cold and exposure.
13. Had daily pressure of his anxiety for all the churches.
14. Afflictions.
15. Hardships.
16. Calamities.
17. Dishonor.
18. Slander.
19. Being treated as an impostor.
20. Paul was adrift at sea for a night and a day.
21. In danger from rivers.
22. In danger from robbers.
23. In danger from his own people.
24. In danger from the Gentiles.
25. In danger in the city.
26. In danger in the wilderness.
27. In danger at sea.
28. In danger from false brothers.

Three Things to Remember

1. You are not alone (We, our, and us are used 22 times in 8 verses).
2. You will suffer beyond what you can bear (v. 8).
3. Your suffering may cause you to feel like your dying (v. 9).

The Solution to Suffering (v. 9-11)

1. You must rely on God!
2. You must remember the times that God delivered you and believe that He will deliver you again!
3. We must pray for each other (v. 11). 

Hope is Here!

I leave you with Paul's words to the Galatians, "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2).

Have you ever stopped and asked yourself what is the purpose of suffering? Do we need to suffer? Why?

Over the next few weeks, we are going to take a look at three men in the Scripture who were familiar with suffering Job is not one of them. I thought it might be beneficial to look at some other personalities in the scripture that get overlooked in the area of suffering, depression, and anxiety. Heman (Psalm 88), the Apostle Paul, and Jesus.

Today we are going to take a look at a man named Heman. His song is found in Psalm 88 (provided at the end of the article). I admire Heman because he was willing to be vulnerable, honest, and real. As one reads through Psalm 88, there is no doubt that this man was struggling with anxiety and depression.

In Psalm 88 we can clearly see three different types of suffering; emotional, relational, and spiritual.

We know emotional suffering today as depression and anxiety. Depression sneaks in on us when we begin to think and dwell on the past hurts and pains we have experienced. Our past emotional injuries produce feelings of depression, anger, or sadness. Juxtaposition to depression is anxiety. When we think about and anticipate future emotional injuries in view of previous painful experiences, this creates a feeling of anxiety.

When depression and anxiety lurk over our life, relational injuries occur and inevitably lead us to relational suffering. This has a negative impact, not only on us, but on our friends, family, and even our relationship with God. Once the damage moves into our relationship with God, we begin to suffer spiritually.

So, what is the remedy? This is not easily answered if honesty is the goal. The only glimmer of hope in the entire Psalm of Heman is found in the first verse, "Oh Lord, God of my salvation." In order to fix the immense brokenness in our lives, we must look to the one who is familiar with our suffering. That is the man, Jesus! Why Jesus? Consider Hebrews 4:16-17, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Jesus wants to give you grace and mercy in the midst of your painful circumstance. All you need to do is humbly approach His throne of grace.

If you are suffering and would like a friend for the journey, please reach out. It will be our great privilege to walk with you through the ebb and flow of this broken world.

Praise Jesus, He is the answer to ALL things!

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Psalm 88

O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you. Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape; my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O Lord; I spread out my hands to you. Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me. They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together. You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.

19% of the US population suffers from depression and anxiety.

That is 63.2M in the US! 15% (49.9M in the US) have a serious mental illness, 5% (16.6M in the US )have serious thoughts of suicide. And in 2020 we lost 44,834 people! A recent report indicates that these numbers are up 30% in 2021.

In Hebrews 5:7–10, we are told, "In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek."

Jesus understands your suffering. He is a friend that is familiar with suffering, pain, and grief. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15) When you find yourself suffering, turn to the one who knows best.

Hope is here, reach out if you need someone to walk with you through the dark times.