The Math of Suffering

Jeremiah prays to the Lord: Your words came to me, and I devoured them. Your words became my joy, the delight of my heart, because I bear your name, O Lord God of Armies (Jeremiah 15:16). Amen.

Charlie was a ten-year-old boy who was finding fourth grade public school math to be the challenge of his life. His parents did everything they could to help him with his math. But nothing worked.

At the beginning of the next school year, Charlie’s parents enrolled him in fifth grade in the Lutheran elementary school in town. The math was even harder because it was fifth grade and it was now in the Lutheran school. When Charlie came home after his first day in his new school, he immediately went to the dining room table, pulled out his math book and worked diligently for an hour straight on math.

When the first quarter report card came in the mail, Charlie’s parents saw that not only did Charlie have a straight A in math, but his teacher also added the note that Charlie had the highest math grades of anyone in fifth grade!

Charlie’s parents were ecstatic! They were thrilled at the remarkable progress of their previously math-deficient son. They quickly found Charlie and began peppering him with questions. What had driven Charlie to become so good at math so quickly?

Charlie gave up the secret. He said, “I knew those people were serious about when I first walked into the lobby of the Lutheran school and I saw the guy they nailed to a plus sign!”

Charlie had done the math. In his mind, he figured it was more advantageous to get better at math than get nailed to a plus sign … like Jesus. In Romans 8, St. Paul uses a mathematical equation when he writes, “I conclude that our sufferings at the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). Paul writes, “I conclude …” that Greek word can mean, “I count …”.

It’s as if Paul did the math. He states that our present sufferings are completely insignificant – not even worth comparing – to the glorious future that God will eventually reveal in us. Paul doesn’t minimize the pain. Instead, he maximizes the hope. As Paul is doing the math, he places on the scale the heavy weight of “present sufferings.” On the other side of the scale, he places the infinitely heavy weight of eternal glory. The suffering is real, but it’s temporary. The broken hip, the replaced knee, the cancer, dementia, loneliness, depression, high gas prices, low work sales, hurtful comments and cold shoulders, or whatever else you’re suffering right now – all of them will one day end. All of it will be worthwhile when Christ returns and gives you the eternal glory he won for you.

I used to tell my daughters that they need to know how to read, write, speak, and do math. Once they can do those things, then they’ll be fine with whatever they do in life. Once you can do Paul’s math, then you’ll be fine with whatever the Lord allows you to endure in life. You need to know this divine math because the Devil will use your suffering to try to drive a wedge between you and God. Many times, his weapon of choice is the comparison equation. He points to other people similar to you in age and circumstance. He whispers that they don’t seem to have anything near the suffering and pain that you have. Then, he lets your sinful nature do the rest. He lets your sinful nature drag you away into the dungeon of self-pity.

But the Lord of your life has something to say about this. He speaks through the apostle Paul, who knew all about severe suffering. Paul gives us the only comparison equation that really matters. Your temporary suffering is a droplet in comparison to the oceans of joy that await you in heaven. That’s why Jesus came. That’s why he suffered and died for your sins. That’s why he rose. That’s why he lives.

Paul continues with his math calculation by adding the variable of creation and its suffering to the equation. He writes that it isn’t only humans who suffer, but all of creation that suffers. Paul personifies “creation” when he writes, “In fact, creation is waiting with eager longing for the sons of God to be revealed. For creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in the hope that even creation itself will be set free from slavery to corruption, in order to share in the glorious freedom of the children of God (Romans 8:20-21).

Paul explains that creation is eagerly waiting for the sons of God to be revealed. These sons – and daughters – of God are Christians who are children of the Heavenly Father, siblings of the Son of God, and baptized believers through the working of the Holy Spirit. Christians are living in a flawed world. They are bombarded with the effects of sin within their nature, upon their bodies, and from the outside world. These sons and daughters of God appear beaten and bruised, worn out and weary. Their true status as divine royalty is hidden from the world. But creation understands more than created humans. One day – on the Last Day – the divine royalty of the sons and daughters of God will be revealed.

Just as we Christians long for the day for this futile world of suffering and sin, decay and death to end, so does all of creation. Right now, we have perishable, dishonorable, weak, and natural bodies. But on the Last Day, we will be set free and receive imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). Creation is also waiting for this day. For on that day, creation will be set free. This world will be remade to be perfect once again like in the days of the Garden of Eden.

When Jesus returns on the Last Day, he will finish the job for his fallen creation and the crown of his creation. Jesus will destroy all evil and everything that has been affected by it. He will remake everything the way it should be – from our own mortal bodies to the lowliest microbe and the greatest star. This is what we are waiting for – the day when God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain, because the former things have passed away. … [Jesus says,] “Look, I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:4, 5b).

St. Peter writes about the restoration of creation and our response as Christians to this new creation, “On that day the heavens [sky and space] will pass away with a roar, the elements will be dissolved as they burn with great heat, and the earth and what was done on it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed, what kind of people ought you to be, living in holiness and godliness, as you look forward to and hasten the coming of the day of God? That day will cause the heavens [sky and space] to be set on fire and destroyed, and the elements to melt as they burn with great heat. But according to his promise we look forward to new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (1 Peter 3:10-13).

Paul uses dramatic imagery to describe how badly creation is longing for the Last Day. He writes, “For we know that all of creation is groaning with birth pains right up to the present time.” Childbirth is a powerful metaphor.

I’m a guy, so I don’t know this from experience – although, I know it from being in the hospital room four times – childbirth involves intense, agonizing pain. For you moms, you understand from experience that this is not a meaningless pain. It’s pain with a purpose. This extreme pain leads to excessive joy and excitement for a new life. One moment you’re crying out in pain, crushing your husband’s hand, and cursing Eve for the curse she brought on you … and the next moment the nurse is placing your beautiful, newborn child into your arms.

St. Paul is reminding us that the pain in this world is followed by the joy of living in the new heaven and new earth as the new home for God’s renewed children. Our pain isn’t meaningless or empty. Our good and gracious God is using it to produce something infinitely beautiful.

Only a son or daughter of God understands this truth – the funeral for the Christian isn’t a permanent end. It’s the birth of a new beginning. We will arrive in our new home with a refurbished body, renewed soul, and brand new clothing.

In this equation, Paul keeps adding more onto the scale of life after the Last Day to outweigh the suffering in our current day. He adds how creation and God’s children both groan. “Not only creation, but also we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we eagerly await our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:23).

The firstfruits was the initial harvest that guaranteed the rest of the harvest was coming. In our baptismal waters, the Holy Spirit grants us the fruits of faith, forgiveness, and spiritual life right now. But these fruits are still tainted – just like the fruit on your trees may be small, blemished, and wormy. So, our spiritual fruits are tainted right now. Our faith can be small. Our forgiveness only follows sin and repentance. Our spiritual life is often blemished and wormy. We groan inwardly because our spiritual souls have tasted the freedom Christ won for us. But our physical bodies are still waiting for the harvest on the Last Day.

We are awaiting “our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” We believers are already spiritually adopted as God’s sons and daughters. St. Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Indeed, as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. … If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26, 29). We are spiritually adopted as God’s sons and daughters, yet we look forward to enjoying that adoption bodily, when our bodies are freed from the effects of sin in the resurrection.

Paul ends his comparison equation with hope. “Indeed, it was for this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for something we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patient endurance” (Romans 8:24-25).

We might hope for earthly victories over foreign enemies, financial woes, failing health, or our favorite sports nemeses. Christ’s victory over the Unholy Trinity of Sin, Satan, and Death means that we now live in a confident, victorious hope over these same enemies. We live in certain anticipation that on the Last Day, Jesus will return to rouse us from our earthen beds and reunite our resting souls with our renewed bodies.

Paul says we “eagerly wait with patient endurance.” Some of us here may not be the most patient of people. Waiting patiently doesn’t mean sitting around passively or ignoring our pain. “Patient endurance” implies an active, courageous endurance. Like enduring an ultra-marathon or enduring physical therapy or enduring long hours of training on the athletic field or enduring chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Patient endurance isn’t passively sitting around letting Satan and sin beat down on you. Patient endurance is actively trusting God, serving others, and holding our heads high through trial. We know there will be a finish line, an end to the practice, and a completion of the therapy.

Whether you’re good at math or not, trust that St. Paul’s math equation will be completed in your favor! Amen.

Jeremiah announces this promise from the Lord: They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, because I am with you to save you and to rescue you, declares the Lord. I will rescue you from the hand of the wicked, and I will deliver you from the grasp of the ruthless (Jeremiah 15:22-23). Amen.