Eternal Life in Your Dark Night of Suffering
Suffering and affliction—even at Christmas—can be a good thing. How so?
Affliction can actually be a gift that causes us to experience the real meaning of Christmas. I’ve been reminded of this the past few days. My family had Christmas without me yesterday because I was (and am) too sick to participate. I haven’t opened any gifts and probably won’t. I’ve been too sick with Long Covid this year to put up a single Christmas decoration (something I don’t remember EVER doing in my life). It’s an odd year, to say the least.
But as I’m reminded today, Christmas has nothing to do with tangible gifts or decorations. What then is it about?
It’s about Jesus taking on human form to save us from our sins.
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
Christmas is about the Son of God setting aside the privileges of deity and taking on the status of a slave by becoming human. It’s about him living an obedient, selfless, sinless life, dying an obedient, selfless, torturous death on the cross—and rising from the dead.
Christ died to take the punishment for our sins. Because He conquered death, we can have eternal life.
We can know eternal life right now, in the middle of our afflictions. We don’t have to wait until after we die.
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)
Eternal life begins when we place our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. It’s then that we enter into a relationship with Him and begin to know Him intimately.
Suffering impairs our ability to live autonomously of god and His eternal life—to survive by the abilities of our natural man.
Suffering pushes us to the end of ourselves … to the place where the life of Christ and God’s Word become indispensable necessities. There’s no sweeter place to be.
“Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek and require the Lord [as their indispensable necessity].” (Psalm 105:3, AMPC)
When life is comfortable and easy, nothing nudges us to the point where God becomes an indispensable necessity for us—to the place where feeling, experiencing, seeing, and hearing Him are not options, they’re daily requirements.
This is how afflictions can cause us to drink in the thirst-quenching gift of eternal life—the gift of knowing Jesus. This is how suffering and afflictions can cause us to experience the real meaning of Christmas.
Jesus was born in a manger on that holy night to give you eternal life—thirst-quenching, refreshing life that offers you peace, contentment, strength, patience, hope, and joy today, no matter how dark your night of suffering appears to be.
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“Natalie Grace Nichols is experiencing God’s grace and freely expressing it. My wife, Betty, and I thank God for the ministry of Jesus through Natalie.”
“I’m so thankful that God is raising up women like Natalie for a new generation, providing biblically balanced teaching, encouragement, and comfort for people who are enduring life’s trials.”
