Suffering in Ministry
The past year has been stretching—though, honestly, what year hasn't been? Having just navigated a particularly heavy season personally and as a family, I’ve been contemplating the idea of suffering. I’d like to share some insights from my study of 2 Timothy.
“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”
— 2 Timothy 2:3
In this verse, Paul likens the Christian life to being in a war—a metaphor he often employs in his New Testament letters. Here, he focuses specifically on suffering: “Share in suffering.” In Philippians 3, Paul connects this suffering with a deeper relationship with Christ, emphasizing that sharing in suffering brings us closer to Him. Similarly, in Ephesians 6, Paul instructs the church to put on the whole armor of God, reminding us that our struggle is not merely against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil.
Throughout his letter to Timothy, Paul urges him to embrace suffering (1:8, 4:5). Timothy faced increasing persecution in his church, which made suffering a daunting prospect. This brings to mind Stephen, who boldly preached the gospel, illuminating Israel's hidden history and calling the people to repentance before becoming the first martyr of our faith. Suffering and persecution are not new to Christianity. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, proclaimed, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven; for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).
The prophets were persecuted, Jesus' disciples faced hardships, and we should expect the same: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). In 1 Timothy 1:18, Paul urges Timothy to “wage the good warfare,” encouraging him to be like a soldier whose captain is the Lord Jesus Christ. It was Christ, our commander, who gave His life to save us from our sins and secure an eternal relationship with God.
Timothy, a young leader of an influential New Testament church, is being called by Paul to share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ. Consider the suffering of a soldier: it comes from following orders and battling an enemy. Simply put, if you are carrying out the commands of your commander, suffering is inevitable.
If the commanding officer orders you to take the hill, you charge forward with courage to defend your territory. If he says to wait, you remain vigilant. If he instructs you to capture the enemy, you risk your life to obey. A good soldier is loyal, obedient, courageous, dependent, and unwavering. These are the qualities Paul exhorts Timothy to embody.
How Do We Suffer Today?
How do we experience suffering for Christ and His gospel in our context? We take bold steps of faith, risking our reputations and investing our resources to share the message with our neighbors, our city, and the nations. We endure financial strain, social ostracism, and the loss of comfort—the ease of a cushy lifestyle, the chance to be close to family and friends, the pride of earning our income, and the stability of normalcy. Yet, this is a war. There are casualties, and as good soldiers, we are called to suffer because our Commander in Chief has commanded it. He warned us that we would face persecution because the world hated Him, yet He remains present in our sufferings, having suffered an unjustly excruciating death on our behalf.
I hear Paul's words in Romans 12: “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual act of worship.” We must remember the essence of our calling. Jesus consistently invited His followers not to a life of unending bliss but to Himself: “Follow me.” The call to follow Jesus leads us to a better land (Revelation 21), but the path there requires relinquishing control, dying to our wishes, hopes, dreams, and comforts for the sake of Christ, our Commander.
We cannot lose our zeal in the war for souls. It is a profound mission to see the lost converted, the enslaved freed, the captives given hope, the sinners transformed into saints, and the blind discover their purpose and true, lasting life. The work we do is labor-intensive. We give everything we have and let go of many comforts for the sake of Christ and His mission. Yet, how sweet it is to know Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith, who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross. He was despised and rejected, a man of sorrows acquainted with grief, yet we esteemed Him not. He was oppressed, afflicted, mocked, falsely accused, beaten, and killed. He gave His life, leaving His place in heaven to bear the full weight of temptation and suffering at the hands of the enemy. Yet He did not cower, fail, or flee from pain or discomfort. Instead, He laid down His rights, His position, and ultimately Himself for sinners who nailed Him to the cross. He died for those who deserved it least.
If we are to follow Him, we should not expect ease, comfort, or a cushy life as the norm. Instead, we should anticipate walking the same path He did, navigating a world filled with mockers, doubters, and those who reject us. We should expect to die like a grain of wheat, to take up our cross—our weariness, toil, disappointments, humble circumstances, awkward lifestyles, late nights, early mornings, prayers for provision, and pleas for souls—and walk the road to Calvary. Jesus promised that whoever seeks to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for His sake will save it. This follows a profound promise: “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” What a perplexing truth: to die is gain. God help us... Amen.