Embracing Suffering: God's Purpose in Our Pain

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting in God's Sovereign Plan

In the journey of faith, understanding God's sovereign plan can be challenging, especially when it involves suffering. The story of a mission to the Wani tribe illustrates that God's plans often include difficult paths, yet they are purposeful. Just as the crucifixion of Jesus was part of God's predetermined plan, so too are the events in our lives. This perspective challenges believers to trust in God's sovereignty, even when circumstances are painful or confusing. It invites us to see beyond our immediate understanding and to have faith that God is working for a greater good. [38:53]

Isaiah 46:10-11 (ESV): "Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's plan? How can you begin to surrender this area to His sovereignty today?

Day 2: The Power of Redemptive Relationships

The transformation of the Wani tribe from enemies to family is a testament to the power of God's redemptive work. This story shows that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace and that He can use our sacrifices to bring about reconciliation and healing. It challenges us to view others through the lens of God's love and to believe in the possibility of transformation, even in the most unlikely circumstances. As ambassadors of reconciliation, we are called to participate in God's work of redemption in the world. [40:32]

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (ESV): "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation."

Reflection: Think of a relationship in your life that needs healing. How can you take a step towards reconciliation and demonstrate God's love in that relationship today?

Day 3: Embracing Suffering as a Refining Process

Suffering is often seen as something to be avoided, but it can be embraced as part of God's refining process. Through trials and pain, believers gain credibility and the ability to minister to others who are suffering. It is often in our deepest pain that God reveals His greatest purposes, shaping us into His image. This perspective encourages us to see suffering not as a punishment but as an opportunity for growth and transformation. [45:10]

1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV): "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent trial you have faced. How can you view this experience as part of God's refining process, and what steps can you take to embrace it as an opportunity for growth?

Day 4: Trusting in God's Timing

The loss of a loved one can be a profound test of faith, yet it is also an opportunity to trust in God's timing and plan. This experience reminds believers that God's promises are not limited to this life but extend into eternity, where all things will be made right. Trusting in God's timing requires patience and faith, especially when His plans differ from our own. It invites us to rest in the assurance that God is in control and that His timing is perfect. [51:33]

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV): "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you are waiting for God's timing. How can you cultivate patience and trust in His perfect timing today?

Day 5: Living Out the Great Commission

God's passion for reconciliation is expressed in His Great Commission, calling believers to be His ambassadors. This role involves not just sharing the gospel but living it out, demonstrating the transformative power of God's love to a hurting world. As followers of Christ, we are invited to participate in His mission, sharing His love and grace with those around us. This calling challenges us to be intentional in our relationships and to actively seek opportunities to share the hope we have in Christ. [53:09]

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV): "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Reflection: Identify one person in your life who needs to hear about the love of Christ. How can you intentionally share the gospel with them this week, both in word and in action?

Sermon Summary

In reflecting on the profound journey of faith and sacrifice, I shared the story of my father and his friends who ventured into the jungles to reach a violent tribe before the oil companies and government intervened. Their mission was driven by a deep conviction that God’s promise in Revelation 5:9, to have members of every tribe and nation in His presence, required action. Despite the danger, they were excited to share the gospel with the Wani tribe, who were known for their violent ways. Through a unique method of gift exchange, my father and his friends established a connection with the tribe, which eventually led to a face-to-face meeting. Tragically, this encounter ended with their deaths, but it was not in vain.

The aftermath of their sacrifice was transformative. The very people who killed my father became family to us, illustrating the power of God’s redemptive work. This story challenges the notion that God merely allows suffering; rather, it suggests that He plans it for a greater purpose. The realization that God could plan such events was difficult to accept, but it aligns with the biblical narrative of Jesus’ crucifixion, which was also part of God’s predetermined plan.

The journey of understanding God’s heart for the world continued with the loss of my daughter, Stephanie. Her sudden death was a pivotal moment that tested my faith. It was an opportunity to demonstrate trust in God’s sovereignty, even in the face of unimaginable pain. Through this, God reshaped my heart, allowing me to see the world through His eyes and deepening my passion for His mission.

The story of my father and Stephanie underscores the importance of embracing suffering as part of God’s plan to mold us into His image. It is through these trials that we gain credibility and the ability to minister to others who are suffering. God’s great passion is expressed in His Great Commission, and He calls us to be ambassadors of reconciliation, sharing His love with a hurting world.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s Sovereign Plan: The story of my father’s mission to the Wani tribe illustrates that God’s plans often involve suffering, but they are purposeful. Just as God planned the death of His Son, He can plan the events in our lives for a greater good. This challenges us to trust in His sovereignty even when we don’t understand. [38:53]
2. Redemptive Relationships: The transformation of the Wani tribe from enemies to family demonstrates the power of God’s redemptive work. It shows that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace and that He can use our sacrifices to bring about reconciliation and healing. [40:32]
3. Embracing Suffering: Suffering is not something to be avoided but embraced as part of God’s refining process. It is through our scars that we gain the credibility to minister to others, and it is often in our deepest pain that God reveals His greatest purposes. [45:10]
4. Trusting in God’s Timing: The loss of my daughter Stephanie was a profound test of faith, but it was also an opportunity to trust in God’s timing and plan. It reminded me that God’s promises are not for this life alone, but for eternity, where all things will be made right. [51:33]
5. The Great Commission: God’s passion for reconciliation is expressed in His Great Commission, and He calls us to be His ambassadors. Our role is not just to share the gospel but to live it out, showing the world the transformative power of God’s love. [53:09]
** [53:09]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[24:14] - Christmas Memories and Expectations
[24:43] - Mission to the Wani Tribe
[25:38] - Revelation and God's Promise
[26:08] - Documentary and Interviews
[27:06] - Understanding the Wani Tribe
[28:02] - Gift Exchange Strategy
[29:22] - Friendly Friday Encounter
[31:05] - Anticipation and Tragedy
[33:23] - Reflections on Sacrifice
[34:03] - God's Role in Suffering
[38:53] - Planned Purpose in Pain
[45:10] - Embracing Suffering
[51:33] - Trusting God's Timing
[53:09] - The Great Commission

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Revelation 5:9
Acts 2:22-23
2 Corinthians 5:17-20

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Observation Questions:

What was the primary motivation for the speaker's father and his friends to reach out to the Wani tribe, despite the dangers involved? [24:43]
How did the speaker describe the transformation of the Wani tribe's relationship with his family after the tragic event? [40:32]
What was the speaker's initial reaction to the idea that God might have planned the death of his father and friends? [38:53]
How did the speaker's understanding of suffering change after the loss of his daughter, Stephanie? [51:33]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does Revelation 5:9 challenge the notion of who is included in God's plan for redemption, and how did this influence the speaker's father's mission? [25:09]
In Acts 2:22-23, it is mentioned that Jesus' crucifixion was part of God's predetermined plan. How does this perspective help in understanding the speaker's view on suffering and God's sovereignty? [39:52]
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 speaks about becoming a new creation in Christ. How does this passage relate to the transformation seen in the Wani tribe and the speaker's family? [44:40]
What role does suffering play in the process of becoming ambassadors of reconciliation, according to the speaker's experiences? [45:10]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you faced a difficult situation. How did your understanding of God's sovereignty influence your response? [38:53]
The speaker's family formed a bond with the Wani tribe despite the past. Is there someone in your life you need to reconcile with? What steps can you take towards that reconciliation? [40:32]
How can you embrace suffering in your life as part of God's refining process, rather than something to avoid? What might that look like practically? [45:10]
The speaker's loss of his daughter was a profound test of faith. How do you respond to loss or disappointment in your life? What can you do to trust in God's timing and plan? [51:33]
The Great Commission calls us to be ambassadors of reconciliation. What is one practical way you can live out this calling in your community this week? [53:09]
Consider the speaker's journey of seeing the world through God's eyes. What is one area in your life where you need to ask God for His perspective? [45:59]
How can you actively participate in God's mission of reconciliation, even in the face of personal suffering or challenges? [52:19]

Sermon Clips

In Revelation 5:9, it says that at the end of time God is going to call into his presence or he's going to have in his presence members of every tribe and nation and tongue of people. My dad was thinking the same thing: how can God keep his promise, which we know he does, if nobody goes and tells these people? [00:25:09]

I don't think God tolerated my dad's death. I don't think he turned away when it was happening. I think he planned it; otherwise, I don't think it would have happened. This isn't something that was easy to come to; this was a hard realization for me to come to. [00:38:50]

The people who killed my father and his four friends have become family to us. When this movie was being made, they asked me to bring a delegation of Wani up to Panama where they filmed it because there was more infrastructure there. The Emba Indians, a tribe in Panama, played the Wani. [00:40:32]

Why is it that we want every chapter to be good when God promises only that in the last chapter he will make all the other chapters make sense? He doesn't promise us that we'll see the last chapter here. You know what I knew when Stephanie was dying? [00:51:33]

I believe God planned my daughter's death, but you know what I realized as people started asking me to go around and speak? I realized that there was a deficiency in my heart and in my life, and it was that I could not see the world the way God saw the world. [00:45:10]

I watched my sweet wife accept this is God's will and God's plan. You know what God has done through this? He changed my heart. He broke it, he shredded it, and in the process, he helped me see what he sees. I thought that the worst thing that could happen in life was that people would go into a Christless eternity. [00:52:19]

His great passion is expressed in his Great Commission, and he has given it to measly, wimpy people like you and me, not because he needs us but because he knows that we need him to need us so that we can find significance in our lives. He has made us his ambassadors of reconciliation. [00:53:09]

Part of the process of becoming new creatures is suffering. So why do we try to get out of the very thing that makes us the people that we want to be so that God can use us? It is one of the biggest barriers to us going overseas and taking the gospel. [00:44:48]

I prayed and begged God and told Jenny I can't keep doing this. I go out and I'm speaking from my head to people, and it doesn't work. I can't keep going. I can't speak unless I can feel the passion of this. So I started praying, God, please let me have your heart for the hurting world out there. [00:45:59]

I thought that the worst thing that could happen in life was that people would go into a Christless eternity. There is something worse than that: it is that our loving Heavenly Father, the God and creator of the universe, is being separated every day from the children that he desperately loves. [00:52:59]

I believe that Jenny and I have three boys, and then finally we got it right and had a little girl. I made her promise me that she'd never grow up. She broke her promise, went away to college, and then a time of suffering came because Youth for Christ asked Stephanie to travel for a year with a group of theirs around the world sharing the gospel. [00:46:59]

I stood a mendicant of God before his royal throne and begged him for a priceless gift that I could call my own. I took the gift from out his hand, but as I were depart, I cried, but Lord, this is a thorn, and it has pierced my heart. [00:55:24]

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