Faith Through Suffering

sunday Services

Gathering place 9:30 AM | Worship Service 10:30 AM | H2Grow 10:45 AM

by: Liam Hoyt

04/07/2025

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Faith Through Suffering

Imagine for a moment that you could see into the future. As you peer into the future, you see a person that is ill. You realize that you know the cure, but as you look deeper into the future, you see that healing that person results in calamity. Ignoring details for the sake of this hypothetical, just imagine this is the case. Although you wish to heal a person, a butterfly effect will occur, and it will cause more harm than good. Conversely, you see the future of this person if they are not healed, and they do great things in spite of their ailment, and actually use it as fuel to change the world and make it a better place. Therein, you make the decision to not heal this person. Nobody knows why you refused except you, but you know that it's for the greater good. This is God in a sense. We can’t say for sure why He heals some and not others, but we know that He is capable of healing all. But if we can trust in the Lord’s plan, we can know that it is for a very good purpose; for the betterment of the world and to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. 


Sovereign Will & Moral Will

Have you ever been sick or in anguish yourself and not received the deliverance that you prayed for? Did you perhaps believe that you lacked faith, or that you were being punished? One thing that is for sure is that God has a plan. He has a moral will, and a sovereign will. God wants us to be in line with His moral will, at all times. However, this does not mean good things will always happen. But, we do know that all things work for the good of those who are in accordance with God’s purpose (Romans 8:28), ultimately; knowing also what the enemy intended for evil, God used for the good (Genesis 50:20). When we see the miracles performed by Jesus Christ, we realize that we serve a loving and powerful God. Therefore, when we suffer an ailment, whether internal or external, we often pray to the Lord for Divine Intervention. This is, of course, understandable and good. Knowing that God is capable and loving, we think sometimes that He will give us everything we ask for, assuming it aligns with His moral will. (John 14:13; Matthew 21:22). Notwithstanding, this is not always the case. God has an even bigger plan, and your ailment being healed may not align with His sovereign will. When I say “will of destination,” I mean the ultimate plan of God in which all events are moving towards. Sometimes, even though it may align with His moral will, a prayer will conflict with his plan of destination. Just as Paul was injured and God did not heal his ailment, we too might be useful in that way (Galatians 4:13). God may choose to glorify Himself through your steadfastness that is produced out of your injury. It’s easy to imagine how God would be glorified, loved, and praised when healing someone miraculously, but how much more glory would He receive when one who is broken still praises God, despite that fact?

Thorn In The Flesh
 I remember before I came to know the Lord that I contained a myriad of thorns in my flesh. I was an atheist, anarchist, nihilist, homeless, an unconvicted criminal, in-and-out of psychiatric hospitals, and a drug addict. I was addicted to fentanyl to be precise. This abomination killed two women I loved, and many of my good friends also perished from this drug. Its claws run deep in many today, and it’s a miracle I survived. I didn’t pray for God to deliver me from it. The day I accepted Christ, He just took the desire away. Part of me feels guilty. I am not exactly righteous, even now, but there are many Christian men I witnessed (better men than I) that even in their faith, were never delivered from their addictions. The pastor that converted me was a schizophrenic man. Even still, he was incredibly pious and virtuous in the Lord. But, despite this, he still dealt with episodes, and still had to take psychiatric medications. I wondered, “why Lord was I delivered from my addiction and yet this man is still mentally unstable?” It took time for me to finally realize that the Lord is capable of being glorified in all things; using the bad for good in any and every case. It was the very fact that all these “unwell” men served the Lord so deeply and passionately in spite of their dispositions that brought me to Him. Because, seeing their resolve and unwavering faith, even in the sight of adversity and trauma, I realized that there was something to behold in Christianity that I had not seen anywhere else. Seeing people healed and praising the Lord is amazing, but, for me, a miracle greater than faith through healing is faith through suffering. Is this not what Jesus revealed to us through the atonement? Despite His unimaginable pain; despite knowing the death that was in store for Him, He still persevered and pushed on through the grand evils of this sin-corrupted world, showing us that faith isn’t something only for the happy and healthy, but for those experiencing unbelievable angst and grief. Don’t you see? It is easy to imagine serving a God who only heals all the time, but to see someone honoring God, even when they suffer, is truly a sight to behold, and is the exact reason for my conversion. Faith through suffering is the separating line between Christianity and all other faiths in this world. All other faiths try to escape suffering in this life, but the life of a Christian is to charge into the valley of the shadow of death; knowing in our heart of hearts that the only way out is by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and His finished work on the cross. He who strengthens His beloved, who grants them courage, and bestows honor to all who would suffer with Him, this is our Lord; this is our God, Jesus Christ.

The Way Out is Through
 You see, dear brothers and sisters, if you are suffering it is for a purpose. It may not be because you don’t have enough faith or because you are being punished, but because God plans to use your longsuffering as an example to others of perseverance and reverence in the Lord’s name, in spite of all your pain. Yes, Heaven on Earth is coming. All tears shall be wiped from our eyes. Before that day arrives, however, we are called to pick up our crosses daily and follow after Jesus. Remember, He suffered for you. God Himself also felt the worst pains of life, much worse than any of us; and for that reason, we are not called to escape our suffrage, but are called to push through it. What an honor it is to suffer for the God-Man who suffered for me. Take a healthy amount of pride in that we are blessed enough to be living martyrs for Christ. If you want to escape suffering in this life, well, I have bad news for you, it is not possible. However, this is no reason to fret. On the contrary! My dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in that you are deemed worthy enough to experience this rollercoaster of a life for the glory of God, and to the redemption of Mankind. Did the apostles not rejoice in their persecution (Acts 5:41)? In the same way, we too should stop running from life’s sting and instead shovel through the enemy; showing evil that there is no affliction that can keep us from accomplishing the mission set forth unto all us believers. The only way out is through, so keep pushing. God is omniscient, meaning He knows everything. This includes the past, present, and future. Therefore, just like the person who can see into the future, God is the only one qualified to make decisions like refusing to heal. Stay your weeping, because in every disadvantage there is an advantage. In every lack, there is opportunity. So, instead of falling into despair over the depth of your suffering, find the path forward by using your handicap to glorify the name of God. This will lead to peace through acceptance, and even produce a feeling of honor, because you suffer with Christ. 

Selah & Amen
Liam D. Hoyt
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Faith Through Suffering

Imagine for a moment that you could see into the future. As you peer into the future, you see a person that is ill. You realize that you know the cure, but as you look deeper into the future, you see that healing that person results in calamity. Ignoring details for the sake of this hypothetical, just imagine this is the case. Although you wish to heal a person, a butterfly effect will occur, and it will cause more harm than good. Conversely, you see the future of this person if they are not healed, and they do great things in spite of their ailment, and actually use it as fuel to change the world and make it a better place. Therein, you make the decision to not heal this person. Nobody knows why you refused except you, but you know that it's for the greater good. This is God in a sense. We can’t say for sure why He heals some and not others, but we know that He is capable of healing all. But if we can trust in the Lord’s plan, we can know that it is for a very good purpose; for the betterment of the world and to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. 


Sovereign Will & Moral Will

Have you ever been sick or in anguish yourself and not received the deliverance that you prayed for? Did you perhaps believe that you lacked faith, or that you were being punished? One thing that is for sure is that God has a plan. He has a moral will, and a sovereign will. God wants us to be in line with His moral will, at all times. However, this does not mean good things will always happen. But, we do know that all things work for the good of those who are in accordance with God’s purpose (Romans 8:28), ultimately; knowing also what the enemy intended for evil, God used for the good (Genesis 50:20). When we see the miracles performed by Jesus Christ, we realize that we serve a loving and powerful God. Therefore, when we suffer an ailment, whether internal or external, we often pray to the Lord for Divine Intervention. This is, of course, understandable and good. Knowing that God is capable and loving, we think sometimes that He will give us everything we ask for, assuming it aligns with His moral will. (John 14:13; Matthew 21:22). Notwithstanding, this is not always the case. God has an even bigger plan, and your ailment being healed may not align with His sovereign will. When I say “will of destination,” I mean the ultimate plan of God in which all events are moving towards. Sometimes, even though it may align with His moral will, a prayer will conflict with his plan of destination. Just as Paul was injured and God did not heal his ailment, we too might be useful in that way (Galatians 4:13). God may choose to glorify Himself through your steadfastness that is produced out of your injury. It’s easy to imagine how God would be glorified, loved, and praised when healing someone miraculously, but how much more glory would He receive when one who is broken still praises God, despite that fact?

Thorn In The Flesh
 I remember before I came to know the Lord that I contained a myriad of thorns in my flesh. I was an atheist, anarchist, nihilist, homeless, an unconvicted criminal, in-and-out of psychiatric hospitals, and a drug addict. I was addicted to fentanyl to be precise. This abomination killed two women I loved, and many of my good friends also perished from this drug. Its claws run deep in many today, and it’s a miracle I survived. I didn’t pray for God to deliver me from it. The day I accepted Christ, He just took the desire away. Part of me feels guilty. I am not exactly righteous, even now, but there are many Christian men I witnessed (better men than I) that even in their faith, were never delivered from their addictions. The pastor that converted me was a schizophrenic man. Even still, he was incredibly pious and virtuous in the Lord. But, despite this, he still dealt with episodes, and still had to take psychiatric medications. I wondered, “why Lord was I delivered from my addiction and yet this man is still mentally unstable?” It took time for me to finally realize that the Lord is capable of being glorified in all things; using the bad for good in any and every case. It was the very fact that all these “unwell” men served the Lord so deeply and passionately in spite of their dispositions that brought me to Him. Because, seeing their resolve and unwavering faith, even in the sight of adversity and trauma, I realized that there was something to behold in Christianity that I had not seen anywhere else. Seeing people healed and praising the Lord is amazing, but, for me, a miracle greater than faith through healing is faith through suffering. Is this not what Jesus revealed to us through the atonement? Despite His unimaginable pain; despite knowing the death that was in store for Him, He still persevered and pushed on through the grand evils of this sin-corrupted world, showing us that faith isn’t something only for the happy and healthy, but for those experiencing unbelievable angst and grief. Don’t you see? It is easy to imagine serving a God who only heals all the time, but to see someone honoring God, even when they suffer, is truly a sight to behold, and is the exact reason for my conversion. Faith through suffering is the separating line between Christianity and all other faiths in this world. All other faiths try to escape suffering in this life, but the life of a Christian is to charge into the valley of the shadow of death; knowing in our heart of hearts that the only way out is by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and His finished work on the cross. He who strengthens His beloved, who grants them courage, and bestows honor to all who would suffer with Him, this is our Lord; this is our God, Jesus Christ.

The Way Out is Through
 You see, dear brothers and sisters, if you are suffering it is for a purpose. It may not be because you don’t have enough faith or because you are being punished, but because God plans to use your longsuffering as an example to others of perseverance and reverence in the Lord’s name, in spite of all your pain. Yes, Heaven on Earth is coming. All tears shall be wiped from our eyes. Before that day arrives, however, we are called to pick up our crosses daily and follow after Jesus. Remember, He suffered for you. God Himself also felt the worst pains of life, much worse than any of us; and for that reason, we are not called to escape our suffrage, but are called to push through it. What an honor it is to suffer for the God-Man who suffered for me. Take a healthy amount of pride in that we are blessed enough to be living martyrs for Christ. If you want to escape suffering in this life, well, I have bad news for you, it is not possible. However, this is no reason to fret. On the contrary! My dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in that you are deemed worthy enough to experience this rollercoaster of a life for the glory of God, and to the redemption of Mankind. Did the apostles not rejoice in their persecution (Acts 5:41)? In the same way, we too should stop running from life’s sting and instead shovel through the enemy; showing evil that there is no affliction that can keep us from accomplishing the mission set forth unto all us believers. The only way out is through, so keep pushing. God is omniscient, meaning He knows everything. This includes the past, present, and future. Therefore, just like the person who can see into the future, God is the only one qualified to make decisions like refusing to heal. Stay your weeping, because in every disadvantage there is an advantage. In every lack, there is opportunity. So, instead of falling into despair over the depth of your suffering, find the path forward by using your handicap to glorify the name of God. This will lead to peace through acceptance, and even produce a feeling of honor, because you suffer with Christ. 

Selah & Amen
Liam D. Hoyt
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