How God Reveals Himself Through Suffering

by Toni Hebel

The time had come for Jesus to die to pay for the sins of the world. Knowing this event would be confusing and would not make sense to the human way of thinking, Jesus shared an illustration with His disciples to give them understanding. He said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” (John 12:24-26) Jesus is that grain of wheat. 

I find it interesting that after Jesus shared this illustration, He went on to say that His soul was “troubled”. He asked the question, “Should I ask to be saved from this hour? Isn’t it for this purpose I have come?” (John 12:27) Then He demonstrated His surrendered heart by declaring, “Father, glorify Your name.” He was asking God to reveal Himself through His suffering and through the laying down of His life. 

As I meditated on Jesus’ words, several thoughts came to me. When we are faced with sorrow, grief, uncertainty, suffering, and pain, the way to respond that is most fitting for a disciple of Jesus is to surrender to His will and to die to ours. Jesus is showing us how to agree to His plan and give up ours. When I yield and pray, “Father, glorify Your name in and through me in this situation. Reveal Yourself. Lord let me see You.” I experience peace amidst the sorrow. I find myself filled with strength and hope knowing that God will glorify Himself in my life. In my personal yielding in the dark and lonely places, much like grain of wheat experiences, He has always revealed Himself more to me. God opens my eyes to heavenly treasures I wouldn’t encounter any other way. God is faithful to glorify Himself to me and then He glorifies Himself through me to others. He promises in His truthful Word that we will bear much fruit if we yield our way to His. (John 15:1-11) We are also told that the Father will honor us for following Him in this way. (John 12:26) Just like it was true for Jesus, the One we follow, our sufferings have purpose and they will always produce eternal fruit. 

“…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works” and what? “Give glory to our Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) Yielding to our Father when the suffering makes no sense is the greatest and most impactful “work” we can do.

Another question I had was that when I see a fellow “kernel of wheat” suffering, what is God’s will for me in that moment? What should be my response to their suffering? In looking at the Disciple’s response to Jesus’ suffering after He shares this illustration, we can learn what NOT to do. The Disciples abandoned Him, denied Him, did not trust God with Him, and they judged Him for it. This question confronts me: If I was there in their shoes, would I do the same? Would I have reacted any differently? I can imagine myself thinking,“This isn’t God. He wouldn’t allow this to happen to His Son. It must be the enemy at work. Why doesn’t Jesus fight the enemy?” 

I believe God’s will for us fellow kernels of wheat is to support those who are in the crushing season. Pray for them. Don’t abandon them, but stay with them. Do not deny them but instead believe God has chosen them for His purposes to glorify Himself through them. Celebrate them by recognizing they have been selected to produce much fruit. Stay close to them. After all, we are all a part of the same Bread. 

As believers in Jesus Christ following His example as kernels of wheat, each of us will be faced with these two opportunities:

When crushing comes our way…will we yield for His glory or will we become embittered? Will we surrender to God or will we fight Him? “Whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:25b)

When crushing comes to those in our circle, will we pray for their strength or not even give them a thought? Will we stay close, or will we abandon them? Will we believe God is for them and is in the situation, or will we judge them?. “Could you not watch with me for one hour?” (Matthew 26:40b)

Eternal ways are not earthly ways. To yield in the suffering, to surrender to the crushing, to comfort those who are being crushed, to not abandon them, to not judge them, is in our own strength impossible. The Disciples’ example during the suffering of Christ displays that for us. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (I Corinthians 15:57-58) Yes, thanks be to God for providing His Spirit to be our Life, our strength in weakness, our hope, our love for others, and our faith. Jesus demonstrated His dependence on God through the power of the Holy Spirit which gave Him the power to surrender to His Father and die. Because of His death and resurrection, we too have access to that same power. If we yield and abide in Him as our life, He will do it all in us. The fruit will flow and many will be blessed.