Koinonia Group of Suffering

 

Lately my honey and I have been talking about the minor sufferings of life, old age, soreness, and the like.  I guess that is normal for people who are getting older.  The question is how to embrace the uncomfortable, and even down-right disabling, in light of our faith.  My honey has had cancer twice, and her sufferings are far greater than many, and yet, far less than many others.  In some streams of faith the phrase "redemptive suffering" is welcomed, and we were talking about that phrase and the reality of it.  Redemption originally had to do with recovering something that has been lost or stolen, and is first used by God in describing how He would rescue Israel out of Egypt (See Exodus 6:6)

This morning I opened my bible to Paul's letter to the church in Philippi and was reflecting on the following verses - Philippians 3:7-11 NIV:

[7] "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. [8] What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ---the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. [10] I want to know Christ---yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."

Paul has such a wonderful grasp of things, and didn't shy away from calling people to embrace things that were uncomfortable.  Of course, He wrote this during times of persecution and difficulty, but they really do apply to even the most gentle of Christian lives, for we are all called to deny ourselves and pick up our cross (Matt 16:24) and that is uncomfortable for all.  The one phrase that I have only understood briefly is the end of verse 10, here the NIV translates it "participation in his sufferings" but the NASB more accurately translates it "fellowship of his sufferings".  The Greek word used here by Paul is the word Koinonia, which is a word that is sometimes used to describe fellowship groups where people establish life connections.  It could be translated communion, or fellowship, and envisions a tight friendship where experiences are encountered together.  When suffering is involved, this sharing of life can certainly be welcomed, especially by the one who is suffering and in need of encouragement and even of lifting up.

So going back to Paul's letter, he combines this personal discomfort, if you will, of denying oneself with embracing relationship with the Lord, which includes Jesus' death and resurrection.  While he doesn't mention it specifically here, this is clearly the source of our salvation.  Jesus went through all that He did that we might be redeemed, set free from the power of sin and death, and welcomed into relationship with the Father.  This redemptive work was all about others, essentially all the rest of the world.  Jesus represents, for us, the ultimate life of self-sacrifice for the sake of others.  That theme is where our conversations have recently led us, living our life, as uncomfortable as they may be, for the sake of others.  In our particular case, for the sake of our children and grand-children.  

It really shouldn't be a surprise to us that we are called to view life this way, but it was a bit new to me, at least in the intentionality of it.  That I live my life for my wife and children, working hard to lead, to provide, to encourage, to be a dad and husband have always been my focus.  I didn't really spend much time thinking about it, just did what I knew I needed to do.  However, as life becomes more of a struggle with pains and sufferings, I find that my reasons for my actions must become more intentional.  I find myself choosing to embrace the discomfort, for the sake of our future, and our future interactions with our children and children's children. What a great gift they are, and what a great responsibility of allowing our lives to be light, bearing witness to our relationship with Christ Jesus.  In some small way, this does feel like we are laying our lives down for our family, making decisions that will benefit our children and grands.  In this way, I do see that there is some small fellowship with Jesus, who laid down His life for us all.  Jesus spoke of this as recorded in John 10:17-18 NASB:

[17] "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. [18] No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."

Jesus' self-sacrifice was obviously far more painful and absolute, but this laying down one's life for others, is clearly at the core of all He did, and in embracing a similar approach to life, we do share a certain fellowship.  My honey, upon recovering from cancer twice said she was now the member of a club that she never wanted to be part of... but as part of that club, she could help others who were struggling with the same.   She was able to, in some small way, help others find a way through their struggles, and in doing so, find value in what she went through.  In maintaining her faith through all her suffering, she is a strong witness to the love of God providing comfort and hope in the midst of difficulty, questions and fear.  In daily dealing with the ravages of her treatments, continuing to love and care for others, continuing to press into relationship with Jesus, she is definitely part of the koinonia group of sufferings.  This certainly was never her intent in life, but has now become her daily cross, one that she embraces to the best of her ability, for the sake of her family and friends.  In choosing life, in choosing to love, in choosing to be a part of the lives of those she loves, in choosing to continue to pursue the Lord, she is redeeming her suffering, and praying that her life leads others to redemption and salvation.

My honey is just one of many that I know who are choosing to live their lives for others, and in some way redeeming their suffering.  Rather than being a victim of illness, she and many others are choosing everyday to do all they can for others and for future opportunities of life.  They are embracing life as members of this koinonia group of suffering, led by Jesus himself.  Their lives bear witness to the faithfulness and redemptive work of Jesus' life, death and resurrection.

Amen!