Enduring Suffering: Finding Hope and Purpose in Pain
Summary
Today’s reflection centers on the reality of suffering and the tools God gives us to endure it well. Drawing from personal experiences as a mother and disciple, the journey of suffering is not just theoretical but deeply practical and lived. The pain of watching children suffer, the heartbreak of divorce, and the challenges of parenting through adversity all point to a truth: suffering is unavoidable, but it is not without purpose or hope.
Jesus, fully God and fully human, entered into our suffering. He experienced the full range of human pain, weariness, and temptation, yet without sin. His humanity means He is not distant from our struggles; He is our High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses and stands as our mediator before God. This truth is foundational: we can trust Him both to deliver us from suffering and to walk with us through it.
A key tool for suffering well is a life rooted in prayer. Jesus Himself, in the Garden of Gethsemane, prayed with loud cries and tears, asking the Father to remove the cup of suffering, yet ultimately yielding to God’s will. This teaches us that it is not wrong to ask for relief, but the greater act of faith is to surrender our desires to God’s purposes. Building a daily rhythm of prayer and communion with God equips us to face suffering with resilience and hope.
Another essential aspect is understanding that being heard by God does not always mean getting the answer we want. Jesus was heard because of His reverence, not because His suffering was removed. God’s response is always rooted in His wisdom and love, and our confidence rests in being known and answered by Him, even when the answer is to endure.
Obedience in suffering is not about earning God’s favor or escaping pain, but about aligning our hearts with His will. Jesus learned obedience through what He suffered, not because He was ever disobedient, but because He experienced the cost of obedience in the flesh. Our suffering does not mean God has abandoned us; rather, it is often the place where we are most deeply formed and where God’s purposes are most powerfully revealed.
Ultimately, Jesus’ suffering brought about eternal salvation for all who obey Him. Our own suffering, when surrendered to God, can become a means of blessing for others and a testimony to God’s faithfulness. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him, we are invited to suffer well—not in our own strength, but in the strength and hope He provides.
Key Takeaways
- Jesus’ humanity means He fully understands our suffering. He was not immune to pain, weariness, or temptation, but entered into the fullness of human experience so He could be our sympathetic High Priest. This gives us confidence that we are never alone in our struggles, and that our Savior truly knows what it is to suffer. [58:33]
- A life of prayer is essential for enduring suffering well. Jesus’ example in Gethsemane shows that honest, persistent prayer—bringing our deepest desires and fears to God—prepares us to yield to God’s will, even when it is hard. Building spiritual rhythms before suffering comes equips us to stand firm when trials arise. [01:00:11]
- Yielding to God’s will is the heart of suffering well. Jesus prayed for the cup to pass, but ultimately surrendered to the Father’s plan. True faith is not measured by getting what we want, but by trusting God’s wisdom and goodness, even when His answer is not what we hoped for. [01:04:10]
- Obedience is always necessary, even in suffering. Jesus could have avoided the cross, but chose to obey for the sake of God’s greater purpose. Our suffering does not exempt us from obedience; in fact, it is often in the crucible of pain that our obedience becomes most meaningful and transformative. [01:18:43]
- Suffering does not mean God has abandoned us or that we are unloved. Jesus’ suffering was not a sign of God’s displeasure, but the means of our salvation. In our own pain, we can be assured that God is with us, shaping us, and using our endurance as a testimony to His faithfulness and grace. [01:16:58]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Honoring Mothers and Mentors
[04:10] - Lessons from Parenting and Prayer
[10:30] - Teaching Children to Pray Through Suffering
[15:20] - The Reality of Suffering in Family Life
[19:55] - God’s Call: Teaching Our Children to Suffer Well
[23:40] - Jesus: Fully God, Fully Human
[28:15] - Why Jesus Had to Suffer in the Flesh
[33:00] - Jesus as High Priest and Sympathizer
[38:20] - The Practice of Prayer in Suffering
[44:05] - Yielding Our Will to God’s Will
[49:33] - What It Means to Be Heard by God
[54:10] - Reverence, Humility, and Entitlement
[58:33] - Obedience Learned Through Suffering
[01:04:10] - The Bigger Picture: Suffering and Salvation
[01:10:00] - Enduring Well and Blessing Others
[01:16:58] - Communion: Remembering Christ’s Suffering
[01:27:20] - Closing Prayer and Encouragement
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Tools for Suffering Well
---
### Bible Reading
- Hebrews 5:7-9
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.
- Luke 22:39-46
Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking the Father to remove the cup of suffering, yet ultimately surrendering to God’s will.
- 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.”
---
### Observation Questions
1. According to Hebrews 5:7-9, what did Jesus do in the days of his flesh when he faced suffering? What was God’s response to his prayers?
2. In Luke 22:39-46, what do we notice about how Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane? What did he ask for, and how did he end his prayer?
3. In John 16:33, what does Jesus promise his followers about the reality of suffering and the hope they can have?
4. The sermon mentioned that Jesus was both fully God and fully human. What are some ways the sermon described Jesus’ humanity? ([23:40])
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that Jesus, though he was God’s Son, “learned obedience through what he suffered”? What does this teach us about the purpose of suffering in our own lives? ([01:15:39])
2. The sermon says that Jesus was “heard because of his reverence,” but his suffering was not removed. What does this tell us about how God answers prayer? ([01:09:17])
3. How does Jesus’ example in the Garden of Gethsemane help us understand what it means to yield our will to God’s will, especially when we are suffering? ([01:04:10])
4. The sermon shared personal stories of suffering, especially as a parent. How does knowing that Jesus suffered and understands our pain change the way we approach our own suffering? ([01:16:58])
---
### Application Questions
1. The sermon talked about building a daily rhythm of prayer before suffering comes. What is one specific way you can strengthen your prayer life this week, even if things are going well right now? ([01:00:11])
2. When you are in a season of suffering, do you tend to pray for relief, for strength, or for God’s will to be done? How might your prayers change after hearing how Jesus prayed in Gethsemane? ([01:04:10])
3. The sermon said that being heard by God doesn’t always mean getting the answer we want. Can you share a time when God answered your prayer differently than you hoped? How did you respond? ([01:09:17])
4. Jesus’ obedience in suffering brought salvation to others. Is there a way your endurance in a hard season could be a blessing or encouragement to someone else? Who might that be? ([01:21:46])
5. The sermon challenged us to let go of entitlement and the idea that we “deserve” better. Are there areas in your life where you feel God owes you something? How can you practice humility and surrender in those areas? ([01:12:46])
6. Think about a current or past season of suffering. Looking back, can you see any ways God was shaping you or revealing his faithfulness through it? ([01:16:58])
7. The speaker shared how teaching her children to “suffer well” was part of her calling as a parent. If you are a parent, mentor, or friend, how can you help others learn to walk through suffering with faith and hope? ([19:55])
---
Closing Encouragement:
Remember, suffering is not a sign that God has abandoned you. Jesus, our High Priest, is with you in every trial. Let’s fix our eyes on him, pray honestly, yield to God’s will, and encourage one another to endure well—not in our own strength, but in the hope and power he provides.
Devotional
Day 1: Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest
Jesus is both fully God and fully human, which means He not only has the power to deliver us from suffering but also deeply understands and sympathizes with our weaknesses and pain. He experienced hunger, exhaustion, sorrow, and temptation, yet without sin, making Him the perfect mediator between us and God. Because He walked through the same struggles we face, we can trust Him to help us both in and through our suffering, knowing He is able to identify with every trial we endure. [00:58]
Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)
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.
Reflection: Where in your life do you need to trust Jesus not just as Lord, but as the One who truly understands your pain and stands with you in it?
Day 2: Surrendering Our Will in Prayer
Jesus modeled a life of prayer, especially in suffering, showing us that even when we know God is able to change our circumstances, we must learn to yield our desires to His will. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed honestly and persistently, asking for the cup of suffering to pass, but ultimately surrendered, saying, “Not my will, but yours be done.” This teaches us that suffering well means building a daily practice of prayer and learning to trust God’s wisdom above our own, even when His answer is not what we hoped for. [01:04]
Luke 22:41-42 (ESV)
And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to pray, “Not my will, but yours be done,” and truly mean it today?
Day 3: Humility and Reverence in Suffering
Jesus was heard by the Father because of His reverence—His deep humility and fear of God—even as He faced the cross. He did not cling to His rights or demand exemption from suffering, but emptied Himself and submitted to God’s purpose. In our own suffering, we are called to lay down our sense of entitlement and approach God with humility, recognizing that we are here for His glory and not our own comfort. [01:11]
Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV)
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself feeling entitled to an easier life, and how can you practice humility and reverence before God in your current struggles?
Day 4: Obedience Is Always Necessary
Even though Jesus was the Son of God, He learned obedience through what He suffered, showing us that obedience is always required, even when it is hard or when suffering could be avoided by other means. Sometimes the only way out of suffering is through it, and God calls us to obey Him regardless of how long or difficult the trial may be. Our faithfulness in suffering is not a sign that God has abandoned us, but rather an opportunity to become more like Christ and to trust that He is with us in every step. [01:15]
Hebrews 5:8 (ESV)
Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
Reflection: What is one act of obedience God is calling you to today, even though it feels costly or difficult in your current season?
Day 5: Fixing Our Eyes on the Bigger Picture
Jesus endured the cross “for the joy set before him,” keeping His focus on the eternal outcome rather than the immediate pain. In our suffering, we are invited to look beyond our present circumstances and remember that God is working out a greater purpose, both for our good and for the blessing of others. When we fix our eyes on Jesus and the hope of what’s on the other side of hard, we find strength to endure, knowing that our suffering is not wasted and that we are never alone. [01:21]
Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Reflection: What “joy set before you” can you focus on today to help you endure your current hardship with hope and perseverance?
Quotes
Sometimes, just because God is able, that does not mean he will. And we have an issue as people, as humans, reconciling what God is able to do versus what he will do. And we've sat in churches, and we've listened to YouTube videos, and we've saw reels that said, God is able, God is able, God is going to, making you promises that he never said. [01:03:05] (35 seconds)
To suffer well, we must be able to yield our will to the will of the Father. Because in all of those passages I just read, he said, not what I will, but your will be done. Matthew 26, 42. Jesus prayed three times. Like, Jesus prayed three times the same prayer. [01:04:19] (27 seconds)
If you are in Jesus, you are heard. Proverbs 15, 29. Now, now, because we got to split the room, right? Because if you're not in Jesus, right, if you don't have a reconciled relationship to the Father through Jesus Christ alone, I can't promise you that he heard you, boo. Like, I can't promise you that he's going to respond. [01:06:09] (31 seconds)
If we want our prayers and his answer to be yes, pray his will. Surrender to his will. Yield to his will. And why was he heard? It says he was heard because of his reverence. If we just break this passage down, he was heard because of his reverence. What is reverence? Fear of God and humility toward who he is. [01:10:37] (28 seconds)
We are not entitled to anything. We don't deserve anything. My son had a nerve to tell me that I had to pay him for cutting my grass. I said, excuse me? Me? The one who went through 22 hours of labor, got cut from the rooter to the two, like, went through postpartum, like, the one who feeds you, the one who clothes you, the one who worked third shift and barely slept for eight months so I could provide for you. [01:12:39] (34 seconds)
Suffering don't mean that God doesn't love us, okay? It doesn't mean that you are not loved. I remember one day I called PT, and I was a mess. And I was just like, man, like, PT is just hard. I'm just feeling like God don't love me. Like, it was just one thing after another. [01:15:46] (20 seconds)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from May 11, 2025. Do you have any questions about it?