Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope

Shauna: I'm Shauna, with Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Thank you for joining us. Now Joni, when I read letters from our listeners, it's clear that you provide genuine comfort to others, even those who are not in a wheelchair.

Joni Eareckson Tada: I'm so grateful for that. But honestly, Shauna, I'm just passing on to our precious listeners what I've learned from God and His marvelous word. Like right now, you and I both know there are many people tuned in who are struggling with pain, with the effects of cancer or chemotherapy, or they feel deep emotional pain.

And for our friends listening, the most beautiful assurance in scripture is the simple statement—actually, it's a prayer—from the mouth of David. In Psalm 38, verse nine, David says to God, "My groaning is not hid from you." And I can say that that simple verse today is a genuine comfort to me because God does not make light of my pain.

Right there in Psalm 38, I've found comfort just by the thought that God knows all about my problems. It has not escaped His observation; He's taken note of it, He has felt it. And friend, if you're hurting today, you know that someone's deep sympathy is a soothing salve, right?

So, rest assured, you have the deep sympathy of God. Perhaps those around you cannot fully enter into your suffering, but you have a friend who can, who in all your afflictions was afflicted, as it says about God in Isaiah 63. It will take all of eternity to fully unpack what that is all about.

But we know this, Isaiah 63 infers that God not only empathizes, He participates in your pain. You are not unnoticed, and your pain is not undervalued. And here's another bit of genuine comfort. Shauna, I can't reach for the Bible, but would you please read that verse right there?

Shauna: I sure will, Joni. Romans 8, verse 18 sure is a comfort to me, for it says, "For I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

Joni Eareckson Tada: That verse is so overflowing with comfort because it means that as we trust God in our intense afflictions, that suffering is winning. It's accruing. It's laying up in heaven for us an eternal glory that will far outweigh our present sufferings.

Look, if God has ordained that you be one of His pain bearers, you are in a fellowship with the Son of God himself. His purpose for you is much higher, greater, far more glorifying to Him than if you did not bear the intensity of pain. So that should be a comfort.

Join me, the one who wheels alongside you as together we bear our pain before God. Let's be comforted by Psalm 86, where David says, "Incline your ear to me, O Lord, for I am poor and needy. You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion and gracious, long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and truth.

O turn unto me and have mercy upon me. Give me your strength unto your servant. Show me a token for good because You, Lord, have helped me and You have comforted me." After we wind up today's program, Shauna and I are going to pause and pray for you listening, right Shauna?

Shauna: That's right. We're going to ask God to show you, friend listening, a token for good because He is your help and your comfort. Oh, I am with you, Joni. And we're with you, listening friend.

So as we close out, please be assured that Joni and I will pray for you. And I'm going to squeeze in one last comforting Bible verse.

Joni Eareckson Tada: It's Psalm 119, verse 50. "This is my comfort in my affliction, that thy promise gives me life."

Shauna: That's a promise for you, friend, today on joniradio.org.