Three Simple Ways A Christian Can Navigate Through Suffering, Part II
Yesterday, I wrote about one way a Christian can navigate through suffering: by focusing on personally and spiritually growing their relationship with God.
A few months ago, God showed me another way to navigate through suffering. But to set it up, I must express some frustration. I was very frustrated with my diagnosis of cancer — with my condition of having cancer. I had cancer, I underwent treatment, the cancer disappeared and things started to make sense. I sensed that God had been trying to get my attention and now He had it. I learned to embrace the stillness and saw His workmanship. And the cancer was gone. Mandy and I spent some time planning the future. I was so excited. I was ready to take on the world for Jesus. But then the cancer came back. My frustration level increased exponentially. How could I accomplish some of my new dreams? How could I fulfill what I felt God Himself had shown me? I spent weeks in this cycle of confusion.
It was during this time that I had a dream: I was at a restaurant with Mandy and my parents. I was in a wheelchair; I could not walk very well due to the amount of pain I had in my abdomen. The restaurant was full of people. In a nearby section of the restaurant, there was a table that was elevated above the others. There was a man and a woman sitting there. The woman was in a wheelchair and she could not walk at all. The man saw me in my wheelchair and asked me to bring him some butter. I took some butter from our table, stood up, and hobbled over to their table. When I got to their table, I did not give him the butter, but instead I spread the butter on the woman’s legs with my hands. She then smiled and stood up out of the wheelchair. She walked around the restaurant. Everyone in the restaurant was smiling and happy. Mandy brought my wheelchair over and I fell back into it and she pushed me back to our table. Someone near us asked me why I didn’t use the butter on my body. I replied, “Because this is the way God wants it.”
I instantly woke up and God brought to mind the story of Paul in Acts 28 that I had read earlier that day.
Acts 28:8-9 — It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him. And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases came and were cured.
The concept that hit me was that Paul suffered greatly from a thorn in his flesh. Scholars have speculated, but we really do not know what this thorn was. We also know that Paul asked God to remove that thorn from him three times (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). How frustrating must it have been for Paul to undergo physical pain, ask God for healing and then not receive it? Would that frustration have not been exacerbated when Paul was then used by God to heal others? I recognized that Paul was constantly ministering to others THROUGH his own pain, suffering and problems. He did not wait for his pain, suffering, problems to go away first. And neither should I.
The second simple way a Christian can navigate through suffering is to focus on ministering to others — through the suffering, not after it is completed.
If I was a healthy man who did not have to worry about insurance premiums and deductibles, then there is so much I could be doing for the kingdom. But my illness and my pain and my suffering do not IN ANY WAY preclude me from getting involved in kingdom work. The focus simply becomes: how can I minister in my current condition?
I have three distinct groups of people that I can minister to even though I have cancer and I sleep a lot. All three groups are people God has put in my way to minister to. They are, in order of importance:
- My wife and kids — my primary mission in life is to minister to my wife and then to my children. Now, even though I am sick, I must lead them. There are many things I used to be able to do with Mandy and with the kids that I can no longer do. I am physically limited from doing them. But we have modified our way of life to better allow for quality time together. We implemented a nightly devotional time where the five of us sit and discuss something about God and then we pray together. This takes half an hour but is easily the most meaningful thing we have done in years — we were just too busy to do it before.
- My employees — Although I don’t work much anymore, I still have a team of nine people who look to me as their boss. From a task-standpoint, these nine people are very efficient and capable of getting their work done. But God has shown me that even if I am not their boss anymore, I can still be a spiritual leader to them just by hanging out with them. Everyone is married and most have children — there is much we can share with each other about living life together.
- The rest of you — the third group is a little less defined. It is the people God has put in my path who are following my story. These may be folks who read my blog, other relatives and friends who know me, people I go to church with, doctors, nurses, etc. Basically, I want to be as transparent and honest as possible about how I feel so that no matter who reads my story can be impacted for God’s glory.
So I have realized that even though I have big dreams about what a healthy Zac would do, there is much for sick-Zac to do. When you find yourself suffering try to divert the attention away from you as soon as possible. Stop the whining and the complaining and try to figure out what ministry Jesus has for you right now? How can you use your suffering to give God glory and increase His kingdom?
I am suffering from pain in an emotion sense much more than a physical one. These two entries were just what I needed to hear. To put it all into perspective. It is not about me. I need to take that focus and put it back on Christ. I love how you ended. “When you find yourself suffering try to divert the attention away from you as soon as possible. Stop the whining and the complaining and try to figure out what ministry Jesus has for you right now? How can you use your suffering to give God glory and increase His kingdom?”
Thank you. Continue on in His name. To God be the glory.
I pray for your suffering, Kristy — may you find out why you are going through it.
I am in the third group and have certainly benefited and grown because of your ministry.
When God first broght an enforced stillness to my life, I decided this was a good time to plan all the wonderful things I would do and all the ways I would serve Him once the pain was gone and the time of enforced stillness over….then, I learned the pain was going to be a way of life for me.
Now, I am learning to serve and obey Him in the midst of suffering! He continually provides opportunities and continually pours His grace into my life – His grace really is sufficient.
Blessings on you today, dear Zac.
Yes!!!!
“When you find yourself suffering try to divert the attention away from you as soon as possible. Stop the whining and the complaining and try to figure out what ministry Jesus has for you right now? How can you use your suffering to give God glory and increase His kingdom?”
My husband said the same thing to me the other night after I’d spent another session crying/whining/complaining about my own emotional pain. Thank you for sharing what God is teaching you through this – he’s using your words to speak truth in my life! Praying for you and your family, Zac!!
Thanks Tiffany — it is always nice when a truth of God’s repeats itself!
Zac, I thank God for you, and for your family who allow you to take the precious time to minister to us all. I’ve been whining a bit about back pain and how it is interfering with what I “need” or want to accomplish – instead of rejoicing in the forced dependence it brings.
Praying for your joy,
Deborah
Praying for your back pain, Deborah!
Zac,
These are great spiritual practices for all of us during any time or situation, not just suffering. Your testimony embodies James 1:2 for me. Thank you for sharing your story of faith with us!
Yes, Kurt, count it joy indeed!
Once again God spoke…because I know where you will be, and so does he…these came to my mind yesterday, I just didn’t get to send them.
Psalm 18:29, Psalm 98: 8, and Isaiah 55:12
I’m singing, too because of the miracle he promised, and the one I have prayed for without ceasing…pain control. Easter comes again. He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Enjoy this Easter weekend in his mountains.
You are helping me too Zac! Thank you.
from the third category all there is me to say is, amen.
Marlys
what an inspiration you are!! i found your blog off kelly’s korner and am SO glad i did. PRAISE JESUS for your life and the life you continue to LIVE!! you are making every day count and are still focusing outward…all to His glory. i know God is using you and your life in mighty ways and i will absolutely be praying for you and your family!!
Thanks for the encouragement, Meg!
Hi Zac,
Thank you for your testimony. I stumbled across your video the other day and was so thankful that I did. My mom is undergoing tests as there might be a possibility of breast cancer recurrence. I am faithful and so is she that God is in control.
However, my younger brother and sister are still young in their faith and have so many questions as to why…life is not fair…why would God let the cancer come back? I’ll be honest, I’ve asked the same questions and I’m thankful that your blog answers those questions for all of us.
I am praying for you and your family.
I just prayed for your mom and your family — no matter what the results may you rest in the peace that God is in control.
Thank you cousin Zac for sharing your heart with all of us in category three. I have seen several of my family and friend over the years struggle with cancer… but few have have been so open and as public as you, about how they’ve felt. Praise God you’ve been able to minister to so many through your blog. Please know that prayers continue for you and your familly from our home here in Colorado.
Thanks for the prayers, cousin!
Great stuff. Thanks for using this for Him. We showed your video last night at our youth ministry. Powerful stuff. We had 100 teenagers praying for you.
Thanks for sharing with the youth — they are the future!
Thank you Zac for sharing your life and suffering with the world!! You are an inspiration to me and my family. My husband was diagnosed today with diabetes and I feel like someone has punched me in the stomach already, I had mentioned to him the other day when we found out that this was a possibility that I could not imagine the feeling of being told that I had a lemon size tumor in my body that was cancerous!!! The words that you write put everything into perspective and I appreciate you for that….my family prays for you and your family on a daily basis!!!
Love you in Christ,
Beth Jones
Thanks for sharing, Beth — I just prayed for you and your husband — may you be able to navigate this diagnosis and disease faithfully.
Zac,
Thank you for this..
When you asked if I diverted my attention to others to cope with the pain I went through, I can truly say yes. Not that I had the physical pain you have, but I’m lucky to have the time before me to keep it up even though the pain is much less now. God really blessed me with the gift of practicing diverting my percieved needs to others through that period of pain. God allowed another person to come to Christ because of me sharing story again just last week. It just doesn’t get old! Its so cool to have the tools He has given me. My wife and I still pray for you guys every day. My kids have their own counterpart to pray for specifically every day. There is untold numbers of people who will meet this Jesus you are trusting just by watching and listening. Keep doing what you’re doing!
pete
Great news, Pete! Thanks for using your story for Christ.
Zac, you are such a great witness. Your insights are so spiritually right on.
I love and miss all of you. AJ
Thanks, AJ!
Dear Zac,
I do not know you other than through our Grace Group which Pastor Bob leads and your blog which has deeply touched me. My name is Lisa Draper and I go to Grace Community in Flagstaff. I have Lupus, Fibro and disc problems in my lower back. I struggle with pain and how God wants to use it. The scripture you share and your thoughts are encouraging and incredibly touching. I want to do what’s right. Just wanted to say thanks! The Draper Family is praying for you…
Praying for your suffering, Lisa. God is good.
Hi Zac,
I am still amazed at the grace God continues to give you. Thank you for teaching us the things you have learned and are still learning. I appreciate your example and your courage. We still pray for you daily and some times many times during the day. Your parents gave us a Christmas picture with all of you included and it is on my fridge…helps me pray more often. We are praying for your family as well. I’ll be watching for the next post.
Amy
Thanks for continually praying!
We have been very moved by your story and very blessed (through tears) by what you are writing. We are sharing it with others. You and your family are very much in our thoughts and prayers these days.
Gary and Mary
Thanks, Gardeens! Miss you guys.
Hey Zac…Thank you for sharing your insight and experiences with us. What you said about what can I do now, from this position Im in…to serve God…to minister…well that really sunk in. We take so much for granted…everyday….and when something doesn’t go well, we are quick to ask God why me? Why did you let this happen to me? When I lost my son I was so angry at God…my faith at the time wasn’t what it should have been anyways. But even through that anger God didn’t turn away from me, but used it to eventually bring me home again to Him. Praise God and His mercy and understanding, even when we have none…he does! Thanks again, Will pray for you and your family when I sign off here.
Im going throught sezuries right now and what you wrote put it in great perspective.
Now working on what he has planed me…