My next door neighbour under Florida's minimum mandatory laws was just sentenced to 25 years in prison for fondling a young girl that his wife was watching while her mother was at work. Pastor Jack Hyles is so right, “Life is a veil of tears.” My heart goes out to everyone involved. I have shared the Gospel with my neighbour and his family, but I do not know if they are saved. I am often reminded of Brother Hyles' cautionary words: “Always be on guard!” That is why my favorite passage of Scripture for as long as I can remember has been Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
Most people don't know what it is like to be humbled and broken in life, to lose everything, but I do. I know what it feels like to have everything go wrong in life, and nothing ever returns to normal, with no light at the end of the tunnel. I know the hurt, emotional trauma, and inexplicable pain of soul—from betrayal, two unwanted divorces from the same woman, family turmoil, losing my home, losing my health, suffering from constant chronic neck pain and burning nerves, being alone as a man without a wife for 20 years, et cetera.
Why We Suffer
I ordered a book by Pastor M.R. DeHaan (1891-1965) from Amazon.com titled, “BROKEN THINGS: WHY WE SUFFER.” I want to share with you a wonderful quote by Dr. DeHaan from page 59:
“The greatest sermons I have ever heard were not preached from pulpits but from sickbeds. The greatest, deepest truths of God's Word have often been revealed, not by those who preached as a result of their seminary preparation and education, but by those humble souls who have gone through the seminary of affliction and have learned experientially the deep things of the ways of God.The most cheerful people I have met, with few exceptions, have been those who had the least sunshine and the most pain and suffering in their lives. The most grateful people I have met were not those who traveled a pathway of roses all their lives through, but those who were confined, because of circumstances, to their homes—often to their beds. They had learned to depend upon God as only such Christians know how to do.”
SOURCE: Pastor M.R. DeHaan, “BROKEN THINGS: WHY WE SUFFER,” p. 59; Barbour Publishing, Inc., 1948
Pastor DeHaan goes on to explain the flip-side of the equation, concerning complainers:
“The 'gripers' on the other hand, are usually those who enjoy excellent health. The complainers are those who have the least to complain about. But those dear saints of God who have refreshed my heart again and again and again as they preached from sickbed-pulpits have been the men and women who have been the most cheerful and the most graceful for the blessings of almighty God.
The Bible tells us distinctly that there is a special reward and a special crown which the Lord has prepared and laid up for those who suffer patiently. This principle is suggested by the incident recorded in I Samuel 30.
David, along with 400 strong, healthy men, had gone out to seek the enemy. Two hundreds, however, had remained behind because they were weary and faint, probably because of some physical infirmity. These David had left behind to guard the camp and the equipment of those who went into the heat of the battle. After the victory had been won, the four hundred who had been active participants in the battle refused to share with those who had remained behind and said, 'We'll give them just a little bit, but we're going to take the spoils.
At this point, David stated the eternal principle in the words of 1 Samuel 30:24, 'As his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.'
Those of you who remain by the stuff are not overlooked or forgotten by God: there is a very definite and special reward laid up for God's patient sufferers.
If you, child of God, are upon a bed of illness, if you are being troubled by pain or discouragement, remember that God will always use our suffering for His purposes. Our suffering silences Satan, our suffering enables us to glorify God, our suffering makes us more like Christ, our suffering makes us appreciative, and, ultimately, our suffering teaches us to depend on God.”SOURCE: Pastor M.R. DeHaan, “BROKEN THINGS: WHY WE SUFFER,” p. 60; Barbour Publishing, Inc., 1948
I've been at the bottom of life, when there was absolutely NOWHERE TO LOOK EXCEPT UP TO GOD! Brother Lester Roloff was absolutely right, who wisely said:
“A test of a Christian's character is what he does after he comes to the blockade in the road and what his attitude is after everything has left him except Jesus. You will never know down here that Christ is all you need until Christ is all you have left. You will never be able to tell the world for sure that He will do in a crisis, unless you learn how to live in a crisis.” —Evangelist Lester Roloff (1914-1982), a quote from the sermon, “How To Go On When You Can't”
I have learned the tremendous Bible truth—that God allows me to suffer so I can comfort others who are suffering.
In you are enduring suffering dear friend, hang in there! Jesus said in Mark 11:22b, “Have faith in God.” Just take things one day at a time. I am familiar with chronic agonizing pain, burning nerves, permanent health afflictions, decades of loneliness and a life of frustration.
In you are enduring suffering dear friend, hang in there! Jesus said in Mark 11:22b, “Have faith in God.” Just take things one day at a time. I am familiar with chronic agonizing pain, burning nerves, permanent health afflictions, decades of loneliness and a life of frustration.
One of my favorite sermons by Brother Hyles is titled, "The Patient Waiting Of Christ" (1988), which about about suffering that doesn't go away over time. When I first heard this sermon I cried, because it was the exact truth that I desperately needed to hear.
My Debilitating Neck Pain And Loneliness
In 2004 I woke up one day with what I thought was a crick in my neck. I felt constant toothache-like pain in the bony area in back of my neck. I felt constant tension in my neck, like you feel after suffering whiplash from a vehicle accident. After a couple weeks the irritating afflictions didn't go away, so I figured I must have done something to aggravate my neck and needed a chiropractor to make some adjustments. Little did I know that Chicago MRI would eventually diagnose me with Cervical Degenerative Disk Disease which by 2009 and 2010 would require two neck surgeries, the second of which significantly worsened my condition.
For the first several years I desperately tried to get my life back. I wanted my health to be restored to it's previous excellent state, when I felt no pain, burning nerves or tension. Sadly, my health afflictions came to stay, permanently. It is now 2026 and I feel the same exact debilitating neck pain, irritating burning nerves throughout my upper body, and constant annoying neck tension.
And if all that wasn't a heavy enough burden to bear, my beloved wife just filed for divorce for the second time in June of 2026. We were married in August of 1987. She divorced me in June of 2006. During all the 19 years that we were divorced, we never as much as held hands. After 19 years of marriage, and then 19 years of being divorced, we got remarried in May of 2025. I was so happy to be remarried and I told her so. I hugged her every day and thanked her for coming home. I did my best to be a godly husband, despite my imperfections as a sinner.
We were only together for 9 months and 8 days before she abandoned me in February of 2026. She moved six hours away to Jacksonville, Florida, without saying one word to me. She filed for divorce in June of 2026. She admits that she has a problem, but my reassuring words and love toward her cannot compete with her broken mind. I could never hate her. I have been her friend over all the years we were divorced, and by God's grace I will continue doing so moving forward, voluntarily meeting her financial needs. That is God's love (Romans 12:19-21).
Don't Become Bitter, Own Your Soul
Jesus said in Luke 21:19, “In your patience possess ye your souls.” It means you be in charge of yourself. Act, don't react. Don't crack up! Don't allow your burden to change your course for God. It means when a burden comes that won't leave, you live under it; don't let it change your behavior to lose faith in God. If you won't let adversity to tire you, you will soon tire adversity. We live in a jungle. Life is a veil of tears! Don't allow your burden to control you.
The Greek word for “possess” is ktaomai which means “to get, that is, acquire (by any means; own).” It means to OWN YOUR SOUL! You be in control of your temperament, not your circumstances. That is what it means in Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Hold up in your burden by God's grace, which is patience.
Why did Jesus said what He did in Luke 21:19? Let's take a look. Read Luke 21:16-19, “And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls.” Jesus is saying that when your own family turns against you, and your friends abandon you, and loved ones betray you, and your life is a smoldering trainwreck, and you just feel like dying—own your soul. I understand that God is the Keeper of our soul (Proverbs 24:12). But I mean, stay in control. You don't have to crack up when your life is cracking up. Abide in the inspired King James Bible. Run to it like a starving man!
We all start our life having burdens. Those burdens come and stay for a while and then they leave. As we grow older some burdens don't leave so quickly, and we must exercise the grace of longsuffering. But then in our third act of life there are burdens that come to stay permanently, and we painfully realize that we will suffer the rest of our life. Suffering will bring us closer to God, if we look for the dear Savior through our pain, because misery compels us to rely on the Lord more deeply. Through suffering we learn truths from the inspired Word of God that others likely won't be able to discern who aren't suffering.
Every day with Jesus,
Sweeter than the day before;
Every day with Jesus
I love Him more and more;
Jesus saves and keeps me,
He’s the one that I adore;
Every day is sweeter,
Sweeter than the day before.
Sweeter than the day before.
Hear Song
We know that our physical suffering will end at the Rapture, or our death, whichever happens first. Philippians 3:20-21, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”
By the way, this passage further confirms a pretribulation rapture, because if Christ were to return at the end of the 7-year Tribulation, why would we look for Jesus? We should be looking for the Antichrist, who would have to appear first. No, the only logical conclusion that fits the puzzle of Bible prophecy is that the rapture will occur before the Tribulation period begins. At that time our feeble mortal bodies will be gloriously changed into immortal bodies. I'll get my hair back, my 20/20 eyesight back, my good hearing back, my pain-free body back, et cetera. What a glorious day that will be!
People Will No Longer Hurt Us
But not only physical pain and imperfections. We will also no longer suffer from people ruining our day, hurting our feelings, kicking us out of church for telling the truth, et cetera. John 16:22, “And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.” All my life horrible people have taken away my joy.
In August of 2024, I was intentionally mistreated and dissed by Pastor Bill Adams and his ungodly wife at the Smyrna Baptist Church in Pensacola. They wanted me gone, so they deliberately were mean toward me. Their message was clear to leave and not return, so I did. That is the wicked type of ungodly phony Christians who are running churches into the ground today. What was my offense? I have been preaching against Pensacola Christian College (PCC) for preaching a counterfeit gospel.
Let's face it, in this world people equal pain. Ah, but in Heaven they are as children the Bible says. Matthew 19:14, “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” In their uncorrupted form, little children are sincere, pure of heart, easy to get along with and trusting. Such are the inhabitants of Heaven. There are no cheats, phonies, liars and con artists in Heaven! I long to go home to be with my dear Savior. 2nd Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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