Honoring God in Suffering

A good man who had lived an unusually long and noble Christian life, honoring God in many ways, once expressed fear that he might fail to honor God in suffering when it should come. Not all Christians truly honor God in trial and sorrow. While all things go well with them, while there is no loss, no adversity, no sore sickness or keen sorrow — they are bright, shining believers — glad-hearted, rejoicing.

But when trials come, their brightness grows dim. We should watch our life most carefully, lest we fail to honor God when affliction or trouble comes. We forget that it is quite as wrong to fail God in our witnessing in this way, as it would be to fail him in truthfulness, in honesty, or in any of love's duties . Anybody can be cheerful — when there are only pleasant things in the circumstances of life. But the test of Christian life is in being glad when it is not easy — of shining when it is dark all around us.

Indeed, our mission in this world is to enlighten it; hence there is greater reason for shining, when the darkness surrounds us. It is not for the daytime that we have lamps in our houses and on our streets, but for the night . They would be strange lamps that would burn while it is day, and then go out the moment it grows dark.

Yet that is the kind of lights some of us are. We are bright and joyous while all goes well — and then when trouble comes, the light in us goes out. That is not the kind of gladness our Master expects in us. We are to shine through the darkest nights . We are to rejoice always . We are to sing our songs of noblest faith, in the times when the world's people are most cast down.

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