Are your good deeds always rewarded? Mine are not. Sometimes I work hard and still suffer. Does that happen to you? Sure it does. But the opposite happens too, doesn’t it? Sometimes we sin and fail but God is merciful and He gives us success anyway, right?
If we could see the story arc of our entire lives, surely the grace would greatly outweigh the suffering.
But sometimes the hurts still seem so unfair, don’t they? Sometimes we feel like we have done everything right, but the results still turn out wrong. And it’s not fair, is it? But maybe we are shortsighted. I think we have tunnel vision. Remember: we are sinners, and apart from Christ, we deserve only an eternity in hell. Anything better than that is a blessing. Secondly, though we are saved, we still have an enemy. We live in a world at war. Is a little suffering—or even a lot of suffering—really that surprising? Not to the Apostle Peter:
“Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. But to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that when God’s glory is revealed, you will be thrilled by that process” 1 Peter 4:12-13.
Peter says don’t be shocked when you suffer. It’s what happens to believers. Instead find joy in it. It shows that God is with you, and it will make you love Him more. Not only that, the suffering will increase your capacity to share in His joy.
Consider this. Everyone in heaven will be happy, right? No more tears, right? And yet we know that there are varying degrees of rewards in heaven. But if everyone is happy, how can one person have a greater reward than another? One person will experience more rewards than another because God can give one person a greater capacity to experience God’s joy than another.
Does that make sense? Consider this analogy:
My nephew Jeffry and I may both attend a performance of Beethoven’s 9th symphony, one of the greatest musical achievements in history. And we may both enjoy it. But Jeffry, a classical performer and composer all his life, will hear things and enjoy things that I will miss completely. His musical gifts and training—his years of experience working as a musician—have greatly increased Jeffry’s CAPACITY to appreciate Beethoven.
Heaven will be the same way: we will all enjoy it, but those of us who have “labored in the fields of the Lord,” will have a greater capacity to experience God’s joy. And one way that capacity increases is through suffering.
“To the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing so that at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exaltation,” 1 Peter 4:13.
So let’s choose not be shocked by suffering. Let’s not be discouraged.
But rejoice—that is, praise God and mean it—because suffering on earth increases our capacity to enjoy heaven. And in heaven we will receive eternal rewards for our good deeds.
Finally, think about this: keep serving God and doing well. When you do a good deed on Monday, for example, and you get good results, enjoy the results and be thankful. And when you do a good deed on Tuesday and get bad results, “do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, as though some strange thing were happening to you,” but choose thankfulness and praise, knowing that God has chosen to reward you for Tuesday’s deed after you arrive in heaven—and those rewards are always better!
Dear Lord, help us rejoice in the many blessings of this life, and to trust you when we face fiery trials. Help us not to be shocked or surprised. Give us faith to rejoice in our trials, even to give thanks, knowing that you will reward us in heaven. Increase our capacity to love you and to share your joy. We surrender our lives, our circumstances and our emotions to you. Amen.
ΑΩ
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