Have you ever heard the expression, “She’s too heavenly minded to be any earthly good”? When we think of heaven, we’re thinking of God’s kingdom. We look forward to the day when the Lord will restore all things forever, ushering the bride of Christ into a “new heaven and a new earth” (Rev. 21:1).
How “I need Thee” in every hour of waiting, Lord.
Maybe looking forward, with hope, to God’s consummated kingdom plan helps us maintain our best earthly minds, especially when we’re suffering. Let’s consider the words of Jesus as He describes His kingdom and tells us some truths about our suffering.
Yes, suffering is a part of life on this fallen earth, ruined by sin since Genesis 3.
But, dear one, Jesus tells us we are…blessed in suffering. Blessed? How?
Blessed in our need for God’s help: I need Thee every hour
In suffering, we realize we need God’s help and grace. We discover we’re totally dependent on Him. We cling to Jesus, our blessed Savior.
I need thee ev’ry hour,
most gracious Lord;
no tender voice like thine
can peace afford.
Blessed in our desire for righteousness
We begin to realize He’s stripping away our desires for things of this world. Our suffering brings a longing for God’s perfect world, a longing to be free from all sin, including our own.
I need thee ev’ry hour;
stay thou near by;
temptations lose their pow’r
when thou art nigh.
In suffering, God lovingly reveals our idolatries, those earthly things we cling to for satisfaction or worth. They may be good things, like our families, healthy bodies, or prosperous and productive work. But suffering can reveal His cleansing, healing, and refining work on impurities left in our hearts. We become more and more satisfied and content in God Himself, instead of idols.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt. 5:8 ESV).
I need thee ev’ry hour;
teach me thy will,
and thy rich promises
in me fulfill.
Blessed in our humility
Suffering helps us become humbly teachable. We submit to God as we realize our sinful pride and unbelief. In our broken, we ache for Him because we need His teaching in His Word. We run to His Word to hear His voice.
I need thee ev’ry hour,
in joy or pain;
come quickly, and abide,
or life is vain.
Blessed in our earthly losses, longing for our heavenly home
Suffering brings sadness as we mourn losses. From small and temporary to large and permanent loss in this earthly home, we experience emotional sadness as we suffer.
He comforts us.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Mt. 5:4 ESV).
Regardless of our earthly circumstances, He comforts us with our hope in Christ, becoming heavenly-minded with a kingdom perspective.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son (Col. 1:13 ESV).
No wonder we mourn and lament the effects of sin in this earthly home.
As we mourn, we’re also desperately longing to be with our Savior, in His forever kingdom and our eternal home.
I need thee ev’ry hour,
Most Holy One;
O make me thine indeed,
thou blessed Son.
Lord, I bless You because I need Thee, every hour
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (I Pet. 1:3-5 ESV).
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Ev’ry hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.
(“I Need Thee Every Hour,” Hawks, A. S., Lowry, R., 1872).
Playlist of blessing
Do Jesus’ words bring you to a deeper awareness of your need for Him, as you suffer today? Me too. He’s speaking to my aching and heavy heart today, reminding me that being “heavenly-minded” in my need is actually…a blessing.
Would you like to continue to pray to Him this week, perhaps praying Jesus’ words back to your Savior and Lord? I’ve created a playlist that gives us both words to sing-pray, singing of our need and of our gospel hope in Christ, helping us both to maintain a kingdom perspective on our earthly suffering. If it would bless you to have a playlist of blessing from God…to sing to God as you bless Him…sign up here and I’ll send it to your email, fellow sufferer. I pray the playlist itself is a blessing to you!
