Asking ‘How’ In Suffering…

How are we supposed to endure the suffering of this broken and fallen world? If you've ever wondered how you could endure, you're not alone. Four times in the book of Job, the primary character asks the question 'how long?' The Psalmists utilize the same question numerous times.

For those with leprosy at the time of Christ, endurance was a daily struggle marked by isolation, shame, and despair. Cut off from family, community, and worship, they lived with the unbearable question: How long must I suffer? How can I keep going until I am healed? In Matthew 8:1-4, we see a powerful moment when a leper dares to approach Jesus. Falling to his knees, he cries out, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus does the unthinkable—He reaches out His hand, touches the man, and says, "I am willing. Be clean!" Immediately, the man is healed.

This story reminds us that no matter how long we suffer, Jesus sees us, draws near, and has the power to restore. Though we may not always receive immediate healing in this life, His touch assures us that He is both willing and able to make all things new.

For those who experience chronic illness, endurance is not just about waiting—it is about hoping. But how do we continue when our bodies are weak and our hearts are weary? How do we hold on when healing feels far away? Endurance is about learning how to lean on God's strength when our own is depleted, how to cling to His promises when hope feels distant, and how to find purpose in the midst of pain. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that God's grace is sufficient and that His power is made perfect in weakness. Endurance, then, is not just about surviving but about allowing our suffering to refine our faith and draw us closer to Christ.

In Revelation 21:1-7, we are given a stunning vision of the future where God promises to wipe away every tear, and there will be no more pain, mourning, or death. What we experience now—whether illness, loss, or hardship—will be no more. The day is coming when there will be no more costly treatments, no more needles, no more pills. God will make all things new and free us from the bondage of decay. Until that day, our suffering is not in vain. God is working in us, and when we ask "how long?" He answers with a promise that will help us endure: Soon, He will make all things new, and suffering will be no more (Rev. 22:7).