God's Grace in Suffering

The Deafening Sound of Suffering:

He winced as he adjusted his body. The blanket laid across his legs as he sought to find a position for the remainder of the night.^[1] Dialysis had begun, and the silence deafened the long track set before him. He took a sigh as to gather his bearings. The house was somewhat quiet with the early winter winds pressing against his tightly knitted suburban home. The room was dark with a blue miniature light piercing through his electrical charger. It broke through the black canopy that made up the night sky. To any normal person, it could seem like a peaceful, amicable evening. However, amid the long hallway filled with family photos, there was an aforementioned reality that life had become heavy. A weightiness had grown. A gravitas had become their new normal.

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does God allow suffering? Isn’t He good? Doesn’t He love us? These are questions that run across our minds from time to time. They show themselves more frequently when loved ones are lost to what seem to be pointless tragedies. How do we make sense of these experiences?

The Redemption of Suffering through Christ:

Though I don’t pretend to know the answer to all of life’s calamities, I do find confidence in the fact that God has spoken, and He has given us insights into His good and perfect will (cf. Rom. 12:2). Therefore, four meditations as we consider God’s grace in the midst of suffering: (1) we live in a fallen world, (2) our identity is grounded in Christ, (3) as followers we get to share in the sufferings of Christ, and (4) as followers suffering becomes a mechanism that conforms us into the image of Christ.

A Christless World. A Christless world means that we live amid a creational order that’s in stark contrast to its Creator (cf. Rom. 1:18-32). Suffering assumes brokenness and brokenness infers a thwarted existence defined by rebellion (cf. Isa. 24:4-5; Eccles. 7:29; Rom. 8:22). Therefore, suffering is a natural consequent to living in opposition to God. The world is broken. Humanity is broken.^[2] Brokenness, in turn, points to the reign of sin. To this end, the Apostle Paul contends that “sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12). Sin promises life but cannot hold its vow. Sin cannot breed forth life. Sin can only produce death, and this death is marred by chaos, destruction, and discord (cf. Gen. 2:17; Pro. 14:12; Rom. 7:13; Jas. 1:15).^[3] Sin is real; therefore, suffering is real. And followers of Christ are called to hate sin and its residual effect. We shouldn't be surprised, then, when suffering touches every fabric of our lives. We live in a world marred in brokenness wrought forth by sin.^[4] This present wold is under the guise of sin's reign.

Identity in Christ. Redemption, however, is that Christ has given Himself for the church so that “we should be called children of God” (1 Jn 3:1).^[5] And as covenant children, we live in contrast to the ways of this fallen world (cf. Rom. 12:2), we live in accords with our covenant King—Christ Jesus Himself (Jn. 15:1-11). We have been “delivered . . . from the domain of darkness and transferred . . . to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col. 1:13). Suffering, then, is the stark reality that our redeemed life is in war against the reign of darkness (Jn. 1:5; Eph. 5:8; 6:12).^[6] There are clear boundary markers to showcase our allegiance, our identity as His covenant people. And as children, we must “suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:17).

Consequently, suffering becomes a grace from God that reminds us that we don’t belong to this world, that our eternal rest is not found here (Jn. 15:19; Phil. 3:20; 1 Pet. 2:9). Instead of being fooled like frogs in a boiling kettle, God gifts His children with adversity in order to awaken them to the eternal truths grounded in Christ. He doesn’t leave us marinating in the foolish façade of worldliness (cf. 1 Jn. 2:15-16). Rather, he disciplines us like children so that we might walk in newness of life (cf. Heb. 12:4-12; Rom. 6:4). Similarly, the author of Hebrews exhorts wayward believers to remain steadfast in their suffering. Looking to Christ, he says, “Although [Jesus] was a son, He learned obedience through what He suffered” (Heb. 5:8). Suffering, in turn, was the pathway by which Christ ensured salvation for the elect. Likewise, suffering for the believer tempers and strengthens their resolve to obediently follow in the way of Christ. Simply put, suffering becomes a badge that ties a believer to their identity in the Savior.

Sharing in Christ’s Suffering. However, this badge isn't merely an empty, priceless medal. It’s an invitation into the excellencies of our union with Him.^[7] We—covenant children—are afforded the privilege of suffering with Christ.^[8] Notice how the New Testament invites us to delve into the sufferings of Christ (this is not an exhaustive list):

Matthew 5:10 ESV, “10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Romans 8:17 ESV, “17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.”

2 Corinthians 1:5 ESV, “5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”

Philippians 3:10 ESV, “10 that I may know him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in his death,"

Colossians 1:24 ESV, “24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the church,”

1 Peter 4:13 ESV, “13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.”

Suffering—a suffering redeemed through the Gospel lens—grants a believer the privilege of knowing Him deeply and intimately, in experiencing Him amid covenant faithfulness as brothers through joyful obedience (Heb. 2:17-18).^[9] Suffering, like nothing else, becomes a pathway unto which the depths of Christ’s love, compassion, and mercies are experienced. We find the character of God amid hardship and adversity. We meet His loving kindness in the depths of heartache and turmoil. We find that through it all He's enough, He's our satisfaction. As the Prince of Preachers—Charles Haddon Spurgeon—spoke when preaching through Philippians 3:10,

Beloved, how many there are who have heard of Christ and read about Christ, and that is enough for them! But it is not enough for me, and it should not be enough for you. The apostle Paul did not say “I have heard of Him, on whom I have believed,” but “I know whom I have believed.” To hear about Christ may damn you, it may be a savour of death to you. You have heard of Him with the ear; but it is essential that you know Him in order that you may be partakers of eternal life. My dear hearers, be not content unless you have this as your soul’s present portion.[10]

To share in Christ’s suffering, then, is to imitate Christ and find that we don't belong to this fallen world. We find that we belong covenantally through Him and to Him. As Jesus spoke of the disciples in the High Priestly Prayer, He says, “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the Truth; your word is Truth. As You sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate Myself, that they also may be sanctified in Truth” (Jn. 17:16-19). By sharing in His sufferings, we come to realize that this world is not our home, that His kingdom is breaking in and awaiting final consummation.

Conformity to Christ. In sharing the sufferings of Christ, believers are given a grand opportunity through the Spirit to be conformed into the image of the Son (Rom. 8:29). This means, at least in part, that a believer’s suffering is not aimless. Though we may never understand the intricacies of God’s divine plan for our lives, we're assured that the present difficulties aren't lost in the mind of God. That His aim and purpose—though many—are to conform us into the image of Christ. Or simply put, our present calamities are God’s way of weening us from the world and tempering us unto eternity. As Paul says, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col. 3:2).

Suffering, then, becomes a chisel in the Master’s hand chipping upon the canvas that makes up our very lives. It's producing a masterful work for His glory (Eph. 2:10). The Master Builder is weaving in us a character, an attribute, and a posture to reflect forth Christ onto the world. Christ-filled suffering communicates that our satisfaction isn't found in mere comfort nor pleasure. Rather, it's Christ that becomes our ultimate joy.^[11]

God’s Kindness in Drawing Us to Himself:

Understanding God’s grace in suffering doesn’t minimize its emotional gravitas nor its resounding effect. Sadness, grief, and heartache are genuine human experiences (especially in a fallen, broken world). Grace allows us to feel these things in their entirety. Let that sink in! We can feel entirely because we—followers of Christ, the Creator of the heavens and the earth—understand the value of life, we by God’s grace grasp the fullness of its significance. Since, in Christ, we can value the gift of life, we, even more, can truly mourn its loss. And, at the same time, the emotional weight does not—it cannot—drown out our hope in the newness of life that we have and will have in the face of our Redeemer, Christ Jesus Himself. By having Him as our anchor, we have the mercy to embrace the emotional gravitas that suffering brings and, simultaneously, remain steadfast in the fact that Christ is Lord overall, even over death itself!

In saying that, only an all-wise Creator God can redeem such harsh realities like death. Death becomes a tool in His mighty hand. This means, at least in part, that suffering does not go to waste. Its not meaningless. Quite the contrary, for the believer, suffering becomes a grace of God to remind us—as the New City Catechism Question 1 reminds us—that we are not our own but belong body and soul to God our covenant Lord. Therefore, suffer well. Suffer for His Namesake. Soli Deo Gloria!

---

***footnotes***

^[1] In remembrance of Tougy Her whose worries were not lost to himself. The Lord knows your heart and is ready to minister to you. May you find greatest pleasure and ultimate joy being in His presence as we speak. Also, to Kennen Her, my nephew, who loved his uncle and sought to minister to him in the midst of suffering. How you mourned for your uncle moved me. The Spirit convicted me to be ready in season and out of season to give a response for the hope that I have in God (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Pet. 3:15).

^[2] See Garry Williams, “Total Depravity and God’s Covenant with Adam (1): A Case for the Covenant” in Ruined Sinners to Reclaim: Sin and Depravity in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective, ed. David Gibson & Johnathan Gibson (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2024), 567-590.

^[3] See Garry Williams, “Total Depravity and God’s Covenant with Adam (2): The Imputation of Adam’s Sin” in Ruined Sinners to Reclaim: Sin and Depravity in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective, ed. David Gibson & Johnathan Gibson (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2024), 591-632.

^[4] See Thomas H. McCall. Against God and Nature: The Doctrine of Sin. Foundations of Evangelical Theology. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2019.

^[5] See Jeremy R. Treat, “Atonement and Covenant: Binding Together Aspects of Christ’s Work” in Locating Atonement: Exploration in Constructive Dogmatics, ed. Oliver D. Crisp and Fred Sanders (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015), 101-117.

^[6] See Jeremy R. Treat, The Crucified King: Atonement and Kingdom in Biblical and Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 40-45.

^[7] See Marcus Peter Johnson. One with Christ: An Evangelical Theology of Salvation. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013.

^[8] Sinclair B. Ferguson, “Sons of God” in The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2013), 87-96.

^[9] See Sinclair B. Ferguson, “‘Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine’? Definite Atonement and the Cure of Souls” in From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective,” ed. David Gibson & Jonathan Gibson (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 607-632.

^[10] Charles H. Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. X (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2024), 65.

^[11] See John Piper, Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2025.

---

McYoung Y. Yang (MDiv, SBTS; ThM, MBTS) is the husband to Debbie and a father to their four children. He's a Pastor of Preaching/Teaching at Covenant City Church in St. Paul, MN and the Executive Editor of Covenant City Church Content Team. Along with his ministerial duties, he's a homeschool dad. McYoung is continuing his doctoral studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO, and his ambition is to use his training as a means to serve the local church in living life through the Gospel lens.