So, we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV

Specific verses in Scripture minister to us at pivotal times in our lives, reminding us of the sovereignty of God and of the hope we have in Christ as we make our pilgrimage in this world. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, among others, has been such a verse for me personally in the moments of facing trials and difficulty in life over the past several years. I find myself focusing on this light momentary affliction. When life gets complicated and the suffering is palpable, it doesn’t seem light and momentary. In fact, there are times suffering and challenges seem to be on a revolving door with one issue after another and no time to come up for air. Then there are the moments of reprieve where all seems to be going smoothly, and it is in those moments we may be tempted to be waiting for the other proverbial shoe of calamity to drop. Perhaps it is just me who thinks this way. At any rate, another shoe dropped in our family on Good Friday, and it sent me to a place of weeping, prayer, and thanksgiving.

Two years ago, my husband was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Currently, he has one lesion in his spine, and this tiny 2mm lesion has made the lower half of his body numb yet mobile while causing other unpleasant and uncomfortable symptoms, one of which affects the nerves to his urinary system, resulting in the use of catheters. There have been some scary moments with UTI’s and sepsis due to this complication, and it was in this trial that God helped me to understand Biblically how to pray. In His mercy and grace, He comforted me in my anxious thoughts when my husband was very sick, He brought peace to my soul when I was weary, and He helped me to see what the Word had to say about prayer. It has been in this light momentary affliction that He began preparing us to know what it meant to suffer well and to trust Him in His sovereign ways. Knowing how to suffer well and doing it is easier said than done, and truth be told, I’m at ground zero as a disciple.

Last year, my husband had a surgery to aid in the urinary retention brought on by MS. A device was implanted to stimulate the nerves to his bladder in hopes that it would decrease the need for catheters. It was a success, and over the last six months, he has been catheter free. All seemed well, and then the shoe dropped. A few weeks ago, his incision scar opened up in his lower back and began to drain. We traveled to see his doctor, and the recommendation was to relocate the battery with another surgery. In a matter of a few days leading up to the surgery, some concerning changes evolved that led to the decision by the doctor to remove the entire device from his body. He had developed an infection not only around the battery pack, but a bed of bacteria had formed over the wire going into his spine.

Before I knew the details of what they found, we had already been told that plans had changed, and he would need to have it all removed, with surgery repeated in a couple months once he had healed from this procedure. After I left my husband’s bedside, I stepped outside the hospital to process the gut punch we had just received. I cried. I prayed, and I gained composure to thank God for His mercy in getting us there at the right time, His time. I contacted close friends and family. Yes, I broke down for a few minutes. Looking back on that Good Friday though, I thank God for the change He has brought in my walk with Him, and I am thankful that He works all things for the good of those who love Him. He is gracious and kind beyond my comprehension.

How is my husband’s seeming setback “good”? How can we rejoice? My friend, there is always a reason to praise God and to be thankful. If they had gone through with the other surgery before this infection made itself known, God only knows how serious this could have been. It was not the outcome we wanted, but I have come to understand that nothing passes through God’s hands without Him knowing or permitting it. It does not mean that there are no emotions or moments of weakness before the Lord. However, peace in God is not in getting my will but trusting His will. I do not know what will happen with the next surgery and if it will be successful. I do not know if he will even need it. I prayerfully ask God to strengthen my husband and to heal Him, and even if He does not heal him, or if we do not get the outcome we would desire, God’s ways are better. This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory. We look to Christ for our hope, our joy, and our strength.

Suffering is a foreign concept in the movement which I was once affiliated. To receive a negative doctor’s report or to talk about “your sickness” was a lack of faith, and it was a denial of the report of the Lord. Suffering was not God’s best. Praying God’s will be done was weakness, and you had to be careful who you asked to pray for you because they may pray against what you are praying and hinder your breakthrough or healing. Coming out from under a spiritual covering was also detrimental because it would only be a matter of time before you succumbed to the attacks of the enemy. Oh, how little I thought of God’s omnipotence and sovereignty, and how much I thought of my own seeming power and authority.

Reading these once held beliefs now brings clarity as to my prior enslavement to false teaching. People suffer in this movement in various ways. They simply do not talk about it. Though suffering is unpleasant, and I would rather not suffer, the truth found in God’s Word has allowed me to breathe in the midst of suffering and to rejoice in the eternal hope promised by my beloved Lord and Savior. The truth revealed in Scripture has brought freedom to talk about difficult moments and trials rather than pretend they do not exist.

For the one who needs to hear this who has come out of beliefs systems such as these: do not be ashamed when you suffer. Suffering is promised to believers in Christ. Whether it is suffering for the sake of the gospel or suffering on account of living in a fallen world, suffering conforms us to the image of Christ in our sanctification, and it draws us closer to God. It humbles us, reminding us of our need for God. It helps us to have compassion for others. It kills pride and selfishness. Suffering reminds us of our need for fellowship among other believers as we ask them to join us in prayer and as they help bear our burdens.

Suffering happens to us all. When the other shoe drops, we want to suffer well. We want to trust in the Lord even in our questions and weaknesses. We are not guaranteed a “yes” to all our prayers, but we rejoice no matter the circumstances or outcome. We have eternal hope because of Christ, and we look to His promises for comfort and peace, remembering that there is always a reason to rejoice as we endure these light momentary afflictions.

Listen to this episode as we look at suffering in the life of a believer, with an personal update related to this topic: The Lovesick Scribe Podcast: This Light Momentary Affliction on Apple Podcasts