26/11/2025
Wednesday 26th November
Why does suffering so often catch Christians off guard, as though it has no place in the life of faith?�
As a young teenaged Christian I was an avid reader of missionary stories and loved to read the works of Amy Carmichael. She served in India for 56 years from 1895-1951 without ever returning and hers was a life of two halves.
Before her accident in 1931, Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur was very active She travelled widely, throughout India rescuing vulnerable children and guiding the growing Dohnavur Fellowship. The work still flourishes today under Indian leadership and if interested you can find more details at dohnavurfellowship.org
After her fall which left her largely bedridden for the remaining two decades of her life Amy was now confined to a room, her work forced into new forms.
Unable to lead outwardly, Amy led through letters, counsel, poetry, and books that continued to shape the Fellowship and inspire people far beyond it.
Her suffering deepened her writing which became more contemplative.The physical stillness imposed on Amy drove her to more prayer, and guidance from the sidelines.
There was a big difference in the two halves of her life yet through it all she loved, served and remained faithful, whether on her feet or living from her bed.
Some falsely expect God’s journey with us always to feel comforting and peaceful. Yet the heart of our faith was shaped by the suffering of Jesus upon the cross. On the cross, love was revealed through pain. Obedience was maintained through struggle, and victory was won out of apparent devastation and utter defeat.
When Paul speaks of rejoicing in his sufferings, he is not glorifying pain for its own sake. Rather, he recognises that every hardship is able to draw people deeper into their discipleship with Jesus.
Jesus did not avoid the cross; He embraced it for the sake of redeeming His people. In doing so, He transformed suffering from something meaningless into something that was filled with divine purpose.
Trials will certainly still surprise us, but they need not defeat us. When suffering comes, let it be it a quiet invitation to walk in the footsteps of the One who suffered for us. In these moments we discover that Christ is not distant from our pain. He has gone before us, He is with us, and through Him, even our heaviest burdens can bear fruit for God’s glory.
Colossians 1:24…..Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
*******************
In this verse Paul is saying that he is glad to suffer if it helps God’s people. He is not implying that Jesus’ suffering on the cross was incomplete or lacking.
Christ’s sacrifice fully accomplished our salvation. No one can add or detract from it.
The writer to the Hebrews was absolutely sure about the sacrifice of Jesus being once and for all….. Hebrews 7:27“He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.”….Hebrews 9:26�“…He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
Hebrews 9:28“Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many…”Hebrews 10:10“…we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
What Paul is talking about in Colossians 1 is the suffering that still takes place as the message of Jesus is shared with the world. Because Paul belongs to Christ, he is willing to face hardship, prison, beatings, rejection, so that the Church can grow stronger.
In other words, Paul is saying:“Jesus suffered to save us, and now I’m willing to suffer so that others can hear about Him and be encouraged in their faith.”
Paul saw his difficulties as part of the cost of serving Jesus, and he accepted them with joy because he knew they were not pointless.
There are several spiritual “takeaways” even from a short, and at first sight difficult to understand verse.
1. suffering is not pointless or a sign that the devil is winning. It’s not a sign of failure or God’s absence; God can use it to strengthen and bless others.
2 We share in Christ’s mission.
Following Jesus means walking a path similar to the one he took. It may include struggle, sacrifice and from time to time discomfort for the sake of love.
3 Joy is possible in trials. Paul’s joy shows that suffering doesn’t need to crush us when we trust that God is working through it.
4 The Church is precious- even your little local church ! Paul’s willingness to suffer for the Church reminds us that believers are called to support, serve, and care for one another especially in the context of being part of something bigger.
Time for prayer
Lord Jesus,�When suffering comes and I do not understand it, help me to trust You.�
Teach me to see my struggles through the light of Your cross,and give me strength to follow You with patience and faith.�
I believe you are using my life,even the painful parts, for Your purposes and for the good of others.�
Hold me close when the way ahead seems dark and scary path feels dark and fill me with the peace that only You can give.�Amen.
The Dohnavur Fellowship is a Christian Organization that works towards holistic development running projects across the areas of Child Development, Education, Health care, Community Development & Conservation of Nature. Founded in 1901 by Amy Carmichael (fondly known as ‘Amma’) as a home for res...
