Stay and Suffer

 

I am a recent convert, and after my baptism, decided to join a ministry. To my horror, there is much judgment and politics and my first reaction is to fight or flight. Fight is not really an option and flight is rather cowardice. Then a fellow brother-in-Christ came to me and suggested – there is a third option: why don’t you choose stay and suffer?

Stay and Suffer? You must be mad! Why would I submit myself to further harassment and humiliation? Why would anyone deliberately choose to suffer?  It is against human nature!!!

Or is it? As I cooled down and contemplated about it, there are indeed people who choose to stay and suffer.

Whether it is the mother who stay and suffer for her autistic son, or the wife who stay and suffer for her cancer stricken husband, or the son who gave up marriage to stay and suffer for his dementia mum, staying and staying so as to suffer, is an option. A choice made. A decision upheld.

Staying requires courage and perseverance.

Our Lord Jesus Christ knew what was coming, yet he didn’t choose to fight or flight. He chose to stay and suffer. He is our ultimate model that there is hope in suffering, there is beauty in suffering and there are rewards in suffering.

As I shared this in my ministry recently, most were repelled by the word “suffer” and some suggested that I replace it with “sacrifice”.

“Stay and Sacrifice” they say. As if there is more pride and glory in sacrifice than suffering.

But our Lord Jesus Christ did not call us to suffer in silence.

Suffer for the right reasons. Suffer for good, and don’t suffer for evil. Suffer for because if it is not me, then who?

As for me, staying and suffering means looking upon Jesus  Christ and trying to suffer like He did.  Knowing that there is a greater destiny, that suffering is self-purification and that others will see Christ in the suffering.

And as the scripture taught us, God will never give me a burden too heavy that I cannot bear, and there is always the Holy Spirit who was sent to help me.  Hence, I pray to our Lord our God, that as I choose to stay and suffer, no matter how difficult this journey may be, that God will lead me to where He wants me to, that I may do His Will, and that my reward is only “I fought the good fight, and I have finished the race”.

Amen.