The Ministry of Suffering

We aim to avoid suffering at all costs.  I mean who likes hardships and trials, right?  But as I looked at the story of Joseph, I learned a little something about suffering. When was the last time you looked at suffering as a ministry?  Well, folks, it actually is.  Check it.

1) Joseph's ministry through suffering

You probably know the story of Joseph.  He was his father's favored son who eventually got sold into slavery, living in and out of jail, interpreting dreams, and eventually becoming Pharaoh's right hand man.  However, we can all agree that Joseph has been through things that none of us will ever want to go through.  As his brothers came to Egypt he forgave them and the whole family ended up living with him, but eventually his father passes away and his brothers are scared for the things they have done.  They fall on their knees and offer to be Joseph's servants.  But look at what Joseph says.

Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Genesis 50:19-20

Joseph realized that it is by his suffering, that many people were saved.  He accepts the fact that his brothers meant evil against him but God allowed that evil to proceed, that good may be brought out to the land.  His years of suffering were preparing him for another line of ministry.

2)  Your ministry through suffering

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 tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

The verse is pretty straightforward.  There are people whom you can reach because of the difficulties you have had to go through.  The story Joseph had may be similar to the story that God may be allowing in your life.  Now, please understand that God is not happy to see you suffer, but He allows it because through your suffering, other souls may be touched and ministered to.

You may be wondering to yourself, "God, why did you allow my parents to get a divorce?" or "God, why did you allow my grandpa to pass away?"  I personally don't have all the answers.  However, I believe there will be a day in which you will meet a wayworn soul whose parents are going through a divorce, or who just had a loved one pass away.  Because of the things you have gone through, you will better be able to connect with that individual.  

I love my job but I also realize that I have a rather different background than the academy students I work with.  Most of my boys waste their time playing Kendama (that really annoying stick and ball game, which I will never get), while back in the day, I wasted my time playing Call of Duty.  These guys are blasting classical music in their rooms while I used to blast hip hop and rap. A majority of them were homeschooled 'till eighth grade, while I went to Loma Linda Academy all the way through high school.  So, sometimes there's a disconnect.  However, I realize that God allowed that to happen, because there's always that one individual who might have come from the deep inner city and doesn't have a family that's got it all together.  Sometimes the only one that can connect with him is a kid from Loma Linda who knows what it's like to not have it all together.  And at the end of the day, I don't glorify my past; but I realize that through it, there are people that God uses me to reach out to.  

“Your suffering is preparing you for another line of ministry”