A Fresh View On Joy + Suffering
The intersection between joy and suffering is hard to process. Hearing someone talk about joy in the midst of suffering can feel deeply conflicting. How are we supposed to find joy in the midst of pain? That is a perfectly fair question. It is certainly ok to feel a tension around the combination of these two human experiences.
The idea of suffering and joy being experienced together is something that is often talked about in Christian circles. I would love to add some thoughts and nuance to that discussion. Maybe we can call this a fresh view in light of how, I believe, the idea of joy and suffering has been misinterpreted.
Here is a common quote and teaching that followers of Jesus share when discussing the subject of suffering...
“Consider it joy when you face trials or suffering.”
This is actually a direct quote from Scripture. And it is a direct quote often shared apart from the fuller context of what is being taught. Direct quotes from Scripture are hard to dismiss, even when they are quoted out of their full context. It is hard to say that something is not correct or does not feel right when it comes from a biblical passage. For some reason it feels uncomfortable to say that a Bible passage does not feel right. And maybe it does not feel right because the thought that someone is trying to convey is not the intent of this particular passage. A text without context is a pretext for any point a person wants to make. And this often becomes a pretext about suffering that is confusing to people who are suffering.
When I hear people quote this in the vein of teaching people that God wants us to be joyful about our suffering, I immediately ask a series of questions.
Did God create suffering in his original design or is this a byproduct of the fall?
Does God find joy in our suffering?
Is suffering the object of joy for followers of Jesus?
How will this make a person facing impending death, disease or horrific loss feel if they hear someone make this statement?
These questions are important to answer.
Let me address these questions and this idea about joy and suffering by answering three questions.
What is joy?
Where does this idea come from in the Bible?
Are we supposed to be joyful about suffering?
A Definition of Joy
Joy in the New Testament comes from the Greek word χαρά. Chara is the feeling of internal gladness or happiness.
The Bible describes joy in all of its dimensions. Joy is a multi-faceted internal experience. Let me explain the facets of joy in relationship to human suffering.
Joy is not the absence of pain. Joy and pain do not cancel each other. Joy can be present in the midst of human pain. Some people think that the internal human experience is compartmentalized—as though we can only experience one primary human experience at a time. The problem with that mindset is that the human experience is never one-sided. We can feel a variety of emotions in a specific context of life.
2 Corinthians 6:10: sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.
2 Corinthians 7:4-7: take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds. For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
Joy is connected to hope. Hope gives us opportunity for joy during painful moments in life. During the challenging human moments of life, we have the opportunity to experience joy in light of our hope. Hope does not dismiss human suffering. Hope allows us to be present in our pain and also find joy that we have better days ahead as followers of Jesus.
Romans 12:12: Be joyful in hope.
Psalm 30:5: weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Joy can take place in suffering. According to the book of James, a deep sense of joy can take place in moments of suffering. Let me explain this further and add some nuance that is often not discussed when this passage or idea is shared.
Joy in Suffering
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” - James 1:2-4
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” - Romans 5:3-5
The book of James and Romans teach us that we can find joy in suffering. However, neither teaches that the object of our joy is suffering. We don't rejoice in the actual suffering that we are experiencing. How can we find joy in something that is the antithesis of God's original design? God did not create a world with suffering. God created a world void of suffering. Suffering entered human reality as a result of humans choosing to walk away from God's design and authority. From that point forward, suffering became a universal human experience.
A Nuanced View of Joy in Suffering
There is a difference between being joyful for our suffering and finding joy in our suffering.
The common cliché that is often taught about suffering is that we are to be joyful for the trials that come our way in life. As though pain, hardship and suffering are experiences to find deep inner delight in. No person, whether they are a following Jesus or not, finds joy in suffering. Suffering is not a part of God’s original design, and therefore should not be the object of joy. The object of our joy in not suffering. We don’t find joy in chronic pain, cancer, loss, depression, trauma, natural disasters, crippling anxiety, or any other form of suffering. God would never encourage us to be happy about pain and suffering. Jesus was not happy about the pain of the cross. He was not internally glad to face the suffering of the cross. He had so much internal stress mentally and emotionally about His impending suffering on the cross that he sweat drops of blood. His capillaries burst anticipating the scope of suffering that he was about to experience. Jesus felt pain, mental and emotional distress and deep soul conflicting anticipation. And that experience of suffering does not dismiss the fact that there was hope that He anticipated as well. "Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross." (Hebrews 12:2) This hope of resurrection and new life for countless humans led to a deep-seated sense of joy around what His suffering on the cross would accomplish.
James does not teach people to be joyful for their suffering. James teaches us that we can find moments of joy in our suffering. Another way to put this is, there is a difference between joy for a trial and joy in trials. Can a human find an object of joy in the midst of suffering? Yes. There are objects of joy in our lives when we are suffering. Notice that these verses don’t end with joy in suffering. They both go on to give a reason for our joy using a conjunction of reason, “because.” "Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:3-4) The reason that we can find joy in suffering is that God is present and working in our lives during moments or seasons of suffering. God is the object of our joy.
He is present in our lives when we are suffering.
He is at work in our lives when we are suffering.
He can do good even when things are hard.
We can allow good to come into our lives even in the hard.
We can grow in our faith and character as followers of Jesus through seasons of suffering.
James does not dismiss the pain of suffering. He simply gives us a view of suffering that sees a dimension beyond the pain—God is with us and working in us. We are not alone. We still have life to live. We still have purpose. We still have an identity. We still are being formed into the Image of Christ. And suffering can be a catalyst to deep soul growth.
During the hardest seasons in my life, I have grown the most as a follower of Jesus. Suffering has this ability to make you think deeply about life and press into the most important values that life has to offer.
Who am I becoming?
Am I becoming the person that I want to become?
What is, truly, the most important aspect of life?
How is the health and priority of my relationship with God?
How is the health of my relationships with the people I love?
What will I change in myself and my life through this reflection?
What can I do to deepen my trust and friendship with God through this challenging moment in life?
The formation that takes place during suffering can transform every aspect of life. Suffering has a way of opening our heart to the most important aspects of life. Suffering has a way of reengineering the most valuable pursuits in life. As we persevere, we have the opportunity to lean into these deep soul questions. As we persevere, we have an opportunity to be formed into the person we were created to be. And this is ultimately the longing of every human heart, to be the person we were created to be.
Suffering is not God's design. However, God can do formative and beautiful things in our lives in the midst of suffering. That is the hope we have as followers of Jesus in moments of suffering. And that is our source of joy during moments of suffering. You can find joy in a God who is present. Working good. Even in the hard. And you can also honestly express your pain to a compassionate God. Who you can trust. Even in the fragile and painful moments of suffering.
Ultimately, our relationship with God is the source of our joy in suffering.
There Are Better Days Ahead.
Much Love + Peace,
Wesley Towne, Founder + Speaker