The Unseen Struggle: How Our Hearts Shape Our Suffering
When adversity strikes, we often focus on the external circumstances that are causing us pain. However, the Bible teaches us that our suffering is more profoundly shaped by what’s in our hearts than by what’s happening around us.
As someone who has walked through a season of physical weakness and chronic illness, I can attest to the fact that our hearts play a significant role in how we experience suffering. My journey has taught me that the way I respond to difficulties is more determined by what’s inside me than by the challenges I’m facing.
The Power of Unrealistic Expectations
One of the things that made my suffering harder was unrealistic expectations. Despite having a solid theological foundation, I somehow expected that I would always be strong and healthy. When my body began to fail me, I was caught off guard, and my expectations were shattered.
Unrealistic expectations can make suffering feel like a surprise attack, leaving us reeling and unsure of how to respond. But the Bible warns us about the nature of the world we live in, reminding us that we will face troubles and hardships. By having realistic expectations, we can prepare ourselves for the challenges that lie ahead.
The Heart: The Center of Our Personhood
The Bible teaches us that the heart is the center of our personhood, the causal core of who we are. It’s the source of our attitudes, choices, reactions, decisions, and responses to the situations we face. When we suffer, our hearts are revealed, and the true thoughts, attitudes, assumptions, and desires of our hearts are exposed.
This is why people respond differently to the same situations of difficulty. Our hearts are unique, and what’s inside us determines how we will react to the challenges we face.
What Are You Carrying Around?
As you navigate your own struggles, it’s essential to ask yourself what you’re carrying around that might be causing you to trouble your own trouble. What are the thoughts, desires, dreams, expectations, cravings, fears, and assumptions that are shaping your responses to the situations you’re facing?
Remember that as a child of God, you are not alone in your suffering. The One who created the world and rules it with wisdom, righteousness, and love is in you, with you, and for you. Nothing can separate you from His love.
A New Perspective on Suffering
Suffering is an inevitable part of life, but it’s not just about enduring hardship. It’s an opportunity for us to grow, to learn, and to discover the depths of God’s love and care for us. By recognizing the role of our hearts in shaping our suffering, we can begin to see our struggles in a new light.
Instead of trying to escape or avoid suffering, we can face it head-on, knowing that God is with us and that He will use our struggles to refine us and make us more like Christ. As the apostle Paul wrote, “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).
Leave a Reply