Suffering – Sermon Illustration Ideas

Finding the Beauty

Beauty, holocaust, jewish, optimism, Paul, real life, Suffering

In the Italian film Life Is Beautiful (directed by Roberto Benigni, Miramax, 1997), an optimistic, charismatic, charming Jewish Italian father, Guido, must shield his…

Against The Flow

against the flow, Bully, Christian Life, Different, Generation, Suffering

When we do not follow the crowd of our generation, when we walk against the flow, we can experience suffering. If you were ever…

Shared Suffering

difficult, experiences, shared suffering, Suffering, team, unite

Championship sports teams almost always credit an incredible bond that develops among the players throughout the season. Their shared experiences help them become the…

An Illustration of Grace

Forgiveness, Foundation, Grace, Jesus, Suffering, Trusting God

God’s grace is the foundation for the formation of Christian character. Our ability to persevere through suffering and develop the hope that Paul describes…

The Thirsty Deer

deer, high alert, risky, Suffering, Thirst

The psalm writer used imagery of a thirsty deer looking for water. An animal is driven to look for a safe water source. Often…

Unshakable Faith

Difficult Times, Following Jesus, Persecution, Suffering, Take Up Your Cross

Have you ever made a commitment—or recommitment—to follow God and put him first in your life, only to find that life gets harder, not…

The Meaning Of Perfect Joy

Gifts, Hardships, Holy Spirit, Love of Christ, Perfect Joy, Suffering

“In The Little Flowers of St. Francis a delightful story is told about how Francis taught Brother Leo the meaning of perfect joy. As…

Reflecting On Climate Change

Apocalypse, Frailty, God's Creation, Hope, Stewardship, Suffering

The post-apocalyptic movie genre has become very popular in recent decades— maybe too popular! Here is a good article chronicling “10 Apocalyptic Movies That…

Silence

Doubt, Faith, Silence, Suffering

In the movie Silence (directed by Martin Scorsese [United Artists, 2016]), a young Catholic priest, Father Rodrigues, wonders why God is silent when there…

The Pervasive Crucifix

Hardship, Questions, Suffering, theodicy

The film The Seventh Seal (directed by Ingmar Bergman [Janus Films, 1958]) grapples robustly with questions of theodicy. It is set during the Black…

The Intolerable Compliment

C.S. Lewis, God's Masterpiece, God's Plan, God's Will, Masterpiece, Pain, Sanctification, Suffering

“We are, not metaphorically but in very truth, a Divine work of art, something that God is making, and therefore something with which He…

The Product Of Struggle

Fruit, Purpose, Struggles, Suffering

Wine makers state that the best wines come from grapes that struggle and experience stress. “If you take a grapevine and make its physical…

A Testament of God’s Goodness

God's Goodness, Gratitude, Grief, Loss, Perspective, Suffering

In Richard Lischer’s memoir of his first pastorate, he tells the story of his second son Adam’s birth. Born big and robust, within hours…

The Good Surgeon

Great Physician, Healing, Job, Sanctification, Suffering, Trusting God

Why do the righteous suffer? John Piper writes about this passage: “Elihu puts the pain of sickness and visions of the night side by…

Always With Us

God's presence, God's Promises, Suffering, Trials

Joni Eareckson Tada, who has lived as a quadriplegic for fifty years, shares her answer to the question “If you have enough faith, will…

The Louder Song: Listening for Hope in the Midst of Lament

Death, Evil, Hope, Lament, Lamenting, Pain, Patience, Perseverance, Reward, Sorrow, Suffering

In her book The Louder Song: Listening for Hope in the Midst of Lament, Aubrey Sampson shares her story of chronic, degenerative illness, the…

Trusting God In The Midst of Grief

Grief, Pain, Suffering, Trust, Trusting God

There is the great challenge for us as we navigate the valleys of pain, death, suffering, and hardship: not to give ourselves over to…

Reassessing Our Struggles

Inspiration, Perspective, Struggles, Suffering, Trials, Trusting God

Inspirational stories about those who have overcome obstacles can motivate us to reassess our own struggles. For nine-year-old Ezra, his struggles are real but…

What We Deserve

Discipleship, Examination, Lent, Repentance, Sacrifice, Suffering

We do not live in a culture that elevates self-denial. Most often we are told we “deserve” to indulge, to be happy, to put…

The Good In Pain

Healing, Hurting, Pain, Suffering

Most of us like to avoid pain at all costs. But world-famous surgeon Paul Brand will tell you that pain is an important and…