In Sermon Illustrations: "Suffering"

Isolation, Loneliness More Difficult Than ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

ISOLATION, LONELINESS MORE DIFFICULT THAN PAIN William H. Willimon, in his commentary on our text, shared the following story from his childhood. "A little girl in my second grade class got the dreaded disease of polio. Our teacher described to us the possible complications of her disease. She ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:40-45

Tags: Loneliness, Suffering Loneliness

Richard Sibbes Commented On This Passage In His ...

Contributed by Rickey Bennett on Aug 16, 2009

Richard Sibbes commented on this passage in his book, The Bruised Reed. He said of Jesus, He died that he might heal our souls …and by that death save us… And has he not the same heart in heaven? ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ cried the Head in heaven when the foot on earth was trodden ...read more

Tags: Loneliness, Suffering Loneliness

Denomination: *other

I Want To Show You Another Subtle Lie That I Was ...

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 25, 2009

I want to show you another subtle lie that I was held captive by in my teens. It is the doctrine of suffering from Buddhism, one of the three biggest religions in the world. It says that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire ceases, (sounds pretty good ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In, Heart's Desires

If God Is Good

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 1, 2025

There is a problem at the heart of Christianity. If God is good and loving why is there evil and suffering in the world? There is an old response when you are asked to do something: “I would if I could but I can’t so I won’t.” That response is like one of the ways our world tries to solve this ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:17

Tags: Evil, Suffering, Goodness Of God

Denomination: Methodist

[062b]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062B]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE SECOND PART THE INTRODUCTION FOR THE POEM IS IN PART 1. PART 2 SECTION B - PART 1 (THE CHRISTIAN ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Hurt, Pain, Love, Compassion, Comfort, Suffering, Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Well ...

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 1, 2012

WELL DONE One mentally challenged young man I heard said, “In this life God places us in His oven. In here it is hot and it hurts. No one likes being in the oven but when life is over, and the bell dings, God takes ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Endurance, Suffering, Fire, Trial, Well Done, Suffering Joy In  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[062c]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062C]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE THIRD PART. THE INTRODUCTION FOR THE POEM IS IN PART 1. PART 3 SECTION C - PART 1 (GOD ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Hurt, Pain, Love, Christ, Compassion, Comfort, Suffering, Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Missionary Paralyzed Learns How To Thrive In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2010

Missionary Paralyzed Learns How To Thrive in Suffering Scott Larson shared a personal encounter. “Annette and her husband were missionaries in Western Europe when she began to have pain in her back. When the pain became so unbearable that she could no longer function, even with muscle relaxants, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Tags: Suffering Joy In, Joy In Trials

All Things Work Together

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 15, 2020

My wife makes an amazing pot roast dinner. She takes raw meat, along with raw sliced white and sweet potatoes, celery, mushrooms, carrots, and onions and throws them into the slow cooker. Six or seven hours later the aroma fills the house, and the first taste is a delight. It is always to my ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Suffering, Purpose, Conformity, Trials

Denomination: Independent/Bible

That Sounds Like A Cross To Me  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Feb 13, 2018

That Sounds Like a Cross to Me “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34 A little boy was playing in the yard. He fell and scraped his elbow. It was bleeding a ...read more

Tags: Cross, Suffering, Follow Me

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Point: Sometimes, The Only Path To Peace Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2007

[The Point: Sometimes, the only path to peace is straight through struggles.] In Hosea 2:15 God says "I will make the valley of Achor a door of hope." Many years ago I read a book entitled "Door of Hope"; it pointed out that the Hebrew word "achor" means "trouble". So, what God may have *really* ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 2:15

Tags: Hope, Suffering, Troubles, Trial

Compassion, Lack Of

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 11, 2022

Reading a book called Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian life and the book said, “Compassion is neither our central concern nor our primary stance in life. What we really desire is to make it in life, to get ahead, to be first, to be different. We want to forge our identifies by carving ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:35-38

Tags: Pain, Compassion, Suffering, Competitive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Factor In Fallenness

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 1, 2025

A few years ago, our congregation joined with many churches in the area praying for a 6-year-old boy with extremely aggressive form of brain cancer. Of course, we prayed for a full healing so that the boy could have a long life. He died within 6 months. His parents grew in their faith of a God ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:4, 1 Peter 3:17

Tags: Healing, Prayer, Suffering, Fallenness

Denomination: Methodist

Taking Out The Trash

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 12, 2016

When my wife and I got married, we were able to move into a small little house. It was just right for us two kids. We soon realized, however, that we needed to have a discussion about the division of duties. I was the bigger of the two of us and we decided that I would be responsible for taking ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:11-13

Tags: Jesus, Suffering, Rejection, Shame, Trash, Mocked, Outside The Camp, Jesus Suffered  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Busted Knuckles

Contributed by Jack Kale on May 10, 2016

Busted Knuckles The blades needed replacement on the old red Murray riding mower we use at the camp. I purchased two 21” blades from Lowes and got around to replacing them this past weekend for the first mow of the year. I hoisted the front end of that insanely heavy grass cutter and secured ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:28

Tags: Work, Scars, Pain And Suffering, Hurting

Denomination: *other

Frank’s Combat Trauma

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 10, 2018

Frank Bernadone bore the emotional wounds of his time in the military. His unit had already been through four years of battles when they came to Perugia. The town was heavily fortified, leading his unit’s assault against it to be disastrous. A bloody day of fighting culminated in what was almost ...read more

Tags: Pain, Military, Suffering, Ptsd, Scars  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Story: One Of My Heroes Of The Faith Is The Late ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Nov 17, 2007

Story: One of my heroes of the faith is the late Richard Wurmbrand (1909 – 2001) Wurmbrand was born in Rumania in 1909 as a Jew and became a Christian when he encountered Christ at an early age. He shared his faith with the occupying troops in the 1940’s and the Germans threw him in prison for ...read more

Tags: Witness, Suffering, Testimony, Live For Christ

Denomination: Anglican

[014] A Message From A Poem - Against The Christian

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2024

[014] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - AGAINST THE CHRISTIAN The origin of this poem goes right back to a time of considerable difficulty when I was going through tough times and some people were very nasty. Christians do face real difficulties and you will have persecution and unfairness just because ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:12, Hebrews 2:17, John 14:16-17

Tags: Persecution, Comfort, Difficulties, Trials, Suffer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Oops -- Flooded With Calls!

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 22, 2025

One blogger writes, “Today, 50,000 copies of the new edition of the town's phone book came out. I manage a pizza place and bought a full menu ad. Apparently the ad designer got confused, as they placed my cell phone number in ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:26-31, Romans 8:18

Tags: Suffering, Consequences, Mistake, Errors, Nuissance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

One Of The Most Powerful Prayers In The Midst Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 29, 2001

One of the most powerful prayers in the midst of suffering I have read was uncovered from the horrors of Ravensbruck concentration camp. Ravensbruck was a concentration camp built in 1939 for women. Over 90,000 women and children perished in Ravensbruck, murdered by the Nazis. Corrie Ten Boom, who ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:46, Luke 23:34, Matthew 12:31-32

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Humility, Prayer, Forgiveness For Others, Forgiveness General, Forgiveness, Suffering  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible