A book I read recently titled Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot had so many gems in it that I had to take notes. It was released after her death and is actually from a retreat where she spoke about suffering. I can say that I have not been through suffering like her, but we each do suffer as we follow Christ and the book encouraged me as I walk on this narrow path.

One thing that hit me was when she was talking about accepting what God has given us (i.e., the sufferings). She quoted Psalm 116:12-13 which says:

¹² What shall I render to the Lord

    for all his benefits to me?

¹³ I will lift up the cup of salvation

    and call on the name of the Lord,

Verse 12 asks what should we render (or give) to God for all he has done for me. That is a weighty question. If you sit here and begin to list all the things he has given you it will be a long list. Things like family, a roof over our head, food, clothes, love, forgiveness of our sins, eternal life…. and on and on make this list. And in return what can I give him for all of this?

The next verse answers the question – we are to lift up the cup of salvation and call on his name. Now, as Elisabeth reminds us, the psalmist would not have known of Christ’s salvation, but we know. And as we take up that cup it comes with sorrows, grief, suffering AND joy. That’s what God asks of us in return for all the many blessings he gives us, for all the guidance, for walking in the storms of life with us. Just take up the cup.

Taking up that cup comes with a level of trust that is hard to understand. We are confident that he will always be with us when we call on his name. Elisabeth puts it perfectly when she says:

I need pain sometimes because God has something bigger in mind. It is never for nothing. And so I say Lord, in Jesus’ name, by Your grace I accept it.

Suffering is Never for Nothing, Elisabeth Elliot