When someone you love is suffering, sometimes it's tough to discern what they actually need from you. Compassion? pity, a shoulder to cry on?
Well, today on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindahl presents a biblical model for coming alongside the suffering. He cites four practical steps. The first is compassion. Then instruction, exhortation, and fourth, intercession. In this study of 2 Thessalonians, Chuck reminds us that God doesn't promise to rescue us from hardship.
but instead he promises to walk with us through the hardship. Chuck titled his message, Light for Dark Days.
Now, these Thessalonians. We're going through hard times. I just learned this week in my study that Pliny the Elder. During the days of the Roman Empire, stated the first place Gentile Christians were killed was Thessalonica.
So we're not surprised when we come to verse 13 to discover that the first response. in encouraging the suffering is compassion. But we should always give thanks to God. for you. Brethren Okay.
By the Lord. It must have been wonderful to hear words like I give thanks to God for you. And you are, brethren, beloved. By the Lord. Those two statements drip with compassion.
The first one upholds the dignity of each individual who is suffering. I give thanks to God for you. And the second Affirms their security in the family of God. After compassion is the need for instruction, and I don't necessarily give these to you in a one, two, three fashion. They might.
They might change in the process of time as you express these to your suffering friend. But I think instruction is also needed. For the hurting. or by the herding. Notice how he puts it in verse 13.
We should always give thanks to God for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning. For salvation. Through sanctification by the Spirit. and faith in the truth. And it was for this he called you through our gospel.
That you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, anyone who reads those two verses will tell you, and you will observe there's a lot of theology there. And there's no reason for excuse.
Sometime, the one thing that is needed to stabilize the suffering believer is a sound dose of carefully presented theology. The reminder that A, God has chosen you for salvation. You're still in his family, though you may not feel like it. B, he has called you through the gospel. He did the calling.
You didn't whistle for help. You are the result of his love, not your love for him. He is on your side. If God be for us, who can be against us? He who spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all?
How shall he not with him freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, things present, things to come, height, depth, any other creation shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Sound theology. Strong theology. Given to the person who questions his own worth. Remember the last time you were really hurting? It may be today.
I mean, the bottom really had dropped out of your life. You didn't feel worth that much to God. And you banged on the door of heaven and it was as though the heavens were brass. You wondered, where has God gone? Would it have been helpful if a friend came alongside and said, God hasn't left?
God's never moved. He's here with you, and the circumstances you're going through cause you to forget that you have been chosen from the beginning for salvation. You have been set apart by the Spirit and by faith in the truth. It was for this reason he called you through the gospel. You're still in his family.
Who hasn't struggled with what C.S. Lewis wrote about in A Grief Observed?
Meanwhile, he writes, where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms. When you are happy, You will be welcomed with open arms. But go to him when your need is desperate. When all other help is vain, and what do you find?
A door slammed in your face. And the sound of bolting, a double bolting on the inside. After that silence, you may as well turn away. I've felt that at times. I've got to confess to you.
That's gutsy writing. Christian writers don't like to put things down like that, doesn't it? doesn't sound right. But it's true. Haven't you heard the door shut?
Haven't you heard the bolt lock? Haven't you heard the silence of heaven? It's when you're at rock bottom and there is nobody to tell you the truth. And your mind plays terrible tricks on you. and you start believing the tricks.
It's awful. It's awful. At times like that, the sufferer needs instruction. Arms around him or her. words spoken tactfully and at just the right time.
you're able to give Just the right counsel. And the light comes back. Not only compassion, but instruction, and on occasion, yes, exhortation.
Sometimes the sufferer needs a Swift kick in the pants. Stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught. whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.
Now, why would he come on so strong and say, Now stand firm and hold fast?
Well, maybe you've already forgotten verse 2. told us that they had been shaken from their composure, That they were disturbed because some kind of spirit or message or letter had come from Paul to them. They were deceived, verse 3 and verse 5. They had failed to remember some things he had told them when he was with them. And so, in their instability, he says to them, Hey, men and women.
Stand firm. Can't you imagine the widow who read that for the first time? Or when the pastor of this young budding church in Thessalonica stood and said, I have a letter from Paul. And he says to those of you who have lost a mate in the last few hours, stand firm. and hold to the traditions which you were taught.
Can you imagine the comfort that would bring?
Sort of a shaking of the shoulders. Those in the arena of persecution would be tempted to recant. Don't recant. Don't recant. The cause of Christ is at stake.
Go all the way. Let them set you on fire. But don't give up. Stand firm. And don't listen to the rumors of the world around you.
Hold to the traditions. Which you were taught. In our day of kicking over all the traces, it's our tendency to lose all the traditional moorings, and that is unwise. That is unbiblical. The faith that has been once for all delivered to the saints that Jude mentions.
is the faith that will hold us true today. I don't care if you are living in modern mid-America. And you are in touch with today's advanced technologies. The traditions that have been delivered to the saints are the same ones that will work for you today. You don't need something new.
You don't need something cutesy and clever. You don't even need the counsel of someone else to find the truth. This is the truth. It's a letter from God to you in your suffering. I'm intrigued, by the way, before I run on, that he says by word of mouth.
Did you catch that? Stand firm and hold to the traditions which were taught you by word of mouth. Understand why he says this. In those days, the Bible was incomplete. As a matter of fact, there hadn't even been the beginning of the compiling of the New Testament.
They had only the Old Testament scrolls available. Therefore, when men spoke for God. They spoke ex cathedra. They spoke without error. They spoke in what is commonly called As an oracle of God, What the Bible is to us today, because the canon is now complete.
We have it in its complete revelation. In those days, the Bible was incomplete. And when God's word was shared with the local church. God's Spirit gave inspiration to the tongue. Just as now He has given inspiration to His word.
The apostle says, When I stood before you, I spoke as a very oracle from God. Don't forget it. And I exhort you now, as I did then, to stand firm and hold fast. Maybe that's what some of you need to hear today. Perhaps you don't need the compassion as much as you need.
The exhortation. You may be teetering right on that. Tight rope about to fall. And all you need to be told is stand firm. Hold fast.
Don't give up. If that's what's needed, then I am pleased God. has led me to say that to you today. By the way, there is absolutely nothing that will stabilize us in a time. of suffering like biblical truth.
Nothing. Nothing will stabilize us in a time of suffering like biblical. True. Paul has shown compassion, he has offered instruction, he has brought an exhortation, and now he concludes with an intercession. Look at his prayer.
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God the Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word. Period.
Sounds like the end of the book, doesn't it?
Sort of like a preacher who will Come to an ending, and you think it's over. And then he goes on for another chapter, and you see later on it wasn't the benediction after all. Here is an in-between the lines benediction. Here is a prayer for the saints that sounds like the ending, but it's not. The best part of all is that it leaves us with the importance to pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering.
Well, what do I ask for? Verse 17: I ask for God to comfort them. And I ask for God to strengthen. their hearts.
So that every work and word will seem to have purpose and meaning. And how could I ask that? Because God Himself has loved them. And has given them eternal comfort and good hope by grace. It's all there, and I ask, Lord, help them tap it.
Help them draw from the reservoir. Help them to get the comfort you have. And may it be theirs. Forever. When's the last time you looked over Isaiah 43?
Don't look at me like that. When's the last time you looked at Isaiah 40? There's probably been a long time, huh? Let's look at the first two verses of Isaiah 43. It is a great section of Scripture.
I am impressed while you find your way to Isaiah 43. I am impressed with what Paul does not ask God to do for these Christians. He does not ask God to make it easier. or to get them over it. He prays that God will get them through it.
Isaiah 43. It's in the Old Testament. I say that for the sake of the seminary students who may not have been there for a while. Let's get over in the Old Testament. Look at 43.1, right in the middle of the first verse.
Do not fear. For I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. Look at that, men and women. Your name is on God's lips.
I have called you by name. You are mine. Exclamation point. When you pass through the waters I will be with you. And through the rivers They will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched. Neither will the flame burn you. The most significant part of those verses. Is the thrice repeated word? Through He doesn't say When you pass over the waters.
Around the rivers. Not under the fire. He says, when you go through them, through them, through them, I will be there because you are mine. He has his eyes on you. Hey, let me ask you something, parents.
Have any of you ever had a boy who's played on the football team? at a local high school. Just think for a moment and You know, remember those days. Ever had a particular member of your offspring in the band? on the football field.
Who do you look at? During the game, and during half-time ceremonies. I have a feeling that you don't watch the drum major unless your son. Our daughter is the drum major. And I have a feeling that if your son plays linebacker, you're not that excited about offense.
But boy, when a defensive team comes in. Guess who you look at? Why? Because he is yours. That's the way it is with God.
In this thing called life, And in the movements, whether it's during the game or at halftime, God has His eye on you. You're His child. He knows your name. He bore you. You're his.
Inscribed on the palms of his hands. Says this book. And your ways are continually before him. Why wouldn't God shield us from suffering? How come God doesn't just put us in a little bubble?
Remember the television advertisement yesteryear when these kids were protected from all the effects of bad weather and coughs and colds? They stepped into this bubble. And they bubbled off to school and they bubbled back home because they took this medicine. that protected them and it was like a protective shield around them. That's a perfect illustration.
of how we would like to go through life. bubbled. protected Shielded. Yeah. When you become a Christian, the bubble breaks.
And you face the real world. The sword enters into your life. And sometimes cataclysmic changes occur. and problems grow. Why is it God wants us to go through them?
Second Corinthians chapter 1. Come on now, you found Isaiah. You can find Second Corinthians. It's right after First Corinthians. Getting a little late today and think you might Need that little encouragement.
2 Corinthians 1, I find three reasons. Three benefits for suffering. We looked at five reasons. We've considered four ways to help people who are suffering. What are the benefits?
This is in a context of suffering. Verse 3, 2 Corinthians 1. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of mercies and God of all comfort. Who comforts us in all our afflictions, so that, here's the first reason. Right here in your Bible.
we may be able to comfort others.
So that's the first reason. You may want to put this on the same page, you put the other statements. The first benefit we gain from suffering is that we may be able to comfort other people. who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves were comforted by God. You know who can comfort a divorcee?
A divorcee. You know who can comfort a cancer victim, a cancer victim. You know who understands the difficulties of drug abuse and alcohol abuse, a victim of drug and alcohol abuse, like nobody else can understand because they've been there. They've been scarred and wounded, beaten. And kicked out.
They know what it's like. You go through suffering that you might be given a reservoir, a capacity to help somebody else who's going through it. And I suggest to you that is the very best way to cause greatness to come out of the shame of your life. Turn it around and use it in the future to help someone else. who is right where you were.
It's a great investment. Verse 8, For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia. that we were burdened excessively beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves. Why?
Second reason: in order that we should not trust in ourselves. The second reason we suffer?
So that we might not trust in ourselves. Boy, that works, doesn't it? When you go through a time that you can't help yourself, you learn you can't trust in yourself. And God comes in like a flood, and He's taught you that. It's a benefit gain from suffering.
We learn that we're not omnipotent after all. We can't solve everything in life. We can't walk on water. We learned we can't trust in ourselves. Third benefit, verses 10 and 11.
He delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us. He on whom we have set our hope, he will yet deliver us. You also joining in helping us through your prayers, that third reason. That we might learn to give thanks in everything. That thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed upon us through the prayers of many.
Three benefits from suffering, so that we might be prepared to comfort others, so that we might not trust in ourselves, so that we might learn to give thanks in everything. Yes, everything. I've spoken to broken hearts today. Thank you, Joseph Parker. for the advice.
I think it's worked. If I could counsel in the days of Joseph Parker another individual who lived then, I would want to meet a man. Whose name was Thomas More? He was a contemporary of Parker. He died earlier.
About the time Joseph Parker was in his early 20s, Thomas More died. He was an Irishman. Composer, poet. Satirist? We have him to thank for those endearing young charms we sing about in the folk songs of America.
And others. But the thing for which I am most grateful when I think of Thomas More. Is the day he sat down in 1824 and decided to write for all the world to read and as music would as it would be put to music, would some day sing. Come ye disconsolate, where'er ye languish. Come to the mercy seat.
fervently kneel. Here, bring your wounded hearts. Here, Tell your anguish. Earth. has no sorrow.
that heaven cannot heal. I'd like us to bow. for a few moments of thought on this. How easy to come, sit, listen, and leave. Frankly, how easy it would be just to preach a sermon on suffering.
and to remain a stranger to it. But that would be ineffective. God has taken me through some deep waters in my few years on this earth, and there are more in front of me. And you the same. I'm so grateful that in the experience I've had the Savior.
to get me through. Do you? Come on now, do you have the Savior? Jesus Christ living in your life? He's the one who wins the battle.
wrote Martin Luther. He's the Lord of Sabaioth. He's the one in whose strength we confide. Trust him today. If he's yours, trust him for that situation you're going through.
If he isn't Take him today. Turn your life over to him. We reserve the last part of our meetings for those. Who respond positively to the claims of Christ, and we provide people who are counselors. and will speak with you quietly about your faith.
about your decision. Do that today. Thank you, Father, for inviting us to come to you. Thank you for being open to us in our deepest needs. Thank you for men and women who have ministered to me in my heartache.
and brokenness. When I have needed your help, And they have shown compassion. They have instructed and even exhorted and often interceded for me. I do that for those today who are hurting, and I ask you to be their comfort and their shield and their guide. Through the stormy and Difficult Waters of their present suffering.
Now, unto him who is able to guard us from stumbling and present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. To the only wise God, our Savior. Oh. Be glory and majesty, dominion, and power. both now and forevermore.
Amen. If you came to Insight for Living today carrying something heavy, a diagnosis, a loss, an emotional wound that won't seem to heal. We hope Chuck Swindahl's message has been a hand reaching into that darkness. Suffering is never wasted in the hands of God. It develops your faith, exposes what needs to go, teaches you obedience, cultivates humility, and ultimately glorifies the one who is carrying you through it.
Today's message is number five in an eight-part series called Steadfast Christianity. At the heart of this series is a simple, unshakable conviction. God is faithful to those who hold fast to Him even in the darkest of days. That same conviction drove a man named Nehemiah. The wall around Jerusalem was nothing but rubble, the city was exposed, the opposition was loud and relentless.
But Nehemiah had something the critics didn't, a vision rooted in God, a plan anchored in prayer, and a refusal to quit. In 52 days, the impossible got done. Chuck Swindahl's classic book, Hand Me Another Brick, unpacks the leadership genius of Nehemiah. It draws out principles that are just as powerful today as they were in ancient Jerusalem. For the pastor, the ministry leader, the parent, or anyone that God has called to lead others through difficult terrain.
If today's message stirred something in you about persevering through the fire, this book will take that conviction even deeper. Hand Me Another Brick is our gift to you when you support Insight for Living with a generous donation. You can write to us at InsightForLiving. Post Office Box 5000. Frisco, Texas, 75034.
In addition to Chuck's book, both Searching the Scriptures Bible Study workbooks are available for purchase. I'm referring to the brand new editions for both 1 and 2 Thessalonians, two separate workbooks. These spiral-bound resources are designed to lay flat where you can easily take notes as you read through Paul's two letters. To have them sent to your home, call us at 800-772-8888 or go online to insight.org slash offer. Yeah.
How do you restore a broken church? I'm Bill Meyer. Chucksman Dahl presents a biblical model for restoration. Tomorrow on Insight for Living. The preceding message, Light for Dark Days, was copyrighted in 1986, 1991, 2002, and 2024, and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2024 by Charles R.
Swindahl Incorporated. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited.
