A Christian’s suffering never makes sense.
Shane Barnard understands this truth. After his father’s untimely death, he and his family desperately sought God’s comfort. They clung to the word of God and, in the deepest moments of sadness, were brought to worship. The song below: “Even if you kill me? (Even if you kill me), you were born in this experience.
- Job lived that song.
- The Psalms advocate this song.
- And John Piper preached the message of this song throughout his ministry.
- Thanks to God’s sovereign care for you.
- Every pain in this life brings you a glory that will last forever.
I come, God, I come to return to the Lord Who was broken He who was torn Down You knocked me down to get up You say that you do everything out of love for me to find you in your suffering
Even if you still kill me, I’ll praise you, even if you take things away from me, I’ll always bless your name, even if you ruin me, I’ll always worship, I’ll sing to the one I need
My heart and my flesh may fail The earth beneath us will end But with my eyes, with my eyes I will see the Exalted Lord that day Here is the Lamb who was killed And I will know that every tear was worth
And even if you kill me, I’ll always praise you even if you take things away from me, I’ll bless your name.
Even if I cry today, can I have that cup? You’re even more than I need.
[Not only is all your affliction momentary, not only is all your affliction light compared to eternity and glory there, but it is also intentional. Every millisecond of your pain of fallen nature or fallen man, every millisecond of your misery in the path of obedience produces a special glory that you will have accordingly.
I don’t care if it’s cancer or a criticism, I don’t care if it was a slander or a disease, it didn’t make sense. That’s something! It doesn’t make sense. Of course, you can’t see what it produces, don’t look at what it looks like.
When your mother dies, when your son dies, when you have cancer at 40, when a car passes through the sidewalk and throws you out, doesn’t it?It’s not. This creates an eternal weight of glory for you.
So don’t be discouraged. But take these truths and focus on them every day; use them every morning. Stay alone with God and preach His word in your mind until your heart sings with the certainty that you are a new creature and that God is taking care of you. ]
Even if you kill me I will congratulate you even if you take things from me I will bless your name even if you ruin me I will always sing to the one who is all I need, I will sing to the one who is all I need