Post #39 -- The Gift of a Silver Lining

There’s an old idiom that states, “Every cloud has a silver lining.” What does that mean?  What does that look like? Or more to the point for me personally, does the cloud of this Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) medical journey have a silver lining and, if so, what is that like and can I praise God in the midst of that cloud because of the silver lining?  These are the questions we want to explore here in this particular post. 

Oxford Languages provides the following description for this particular idiom: “Every difficult or sad situation has a comforting or more hopeful aspect, even though this may not be immediately apparent.”  So to ask the question before us in a different way, what are the “comforting and more hopeful” elements of the silver lining around this IPF cloud that enable me to thrive in the midst of the suffering inherent in this cloud?

What Does God Say About Suffering?

First, let’s take a close look at what God says about suffering.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”  (James 1:2-4  NIV).

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him”  (James 1:12  NIV).

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you”  (1 Peter 5:10  ESV).

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us”  (Romans 8:18 NIV).

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed”  (1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV).

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-6 NIV).

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God”  (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV).

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all”  (2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV).

Wow!  It is very clear that God is quite engaged in our suffering.  This is not to say that He caused it, but He certainly does allow it.  

But it is also clear that we are to rejoice in suffering.  This observation is unavoidable as we look at the above verses.  We are to “consider it pure joy” whenever we face trials (James 1:2-4). We should “greatly rejoice” when we have to suffer for a little while (1 Peter 1:6-7).  And we are to “glory in our sufferings” (Romans 5:3).

Giving thanks to God and being joyful when one is suffering seems like an idea so far-fetched that nobody could take it seriously, yet it seems like that is exactly what God asks us to do.

My Cloud

Each of us has a different cloud with which to contend and each suffers differently.  My cloud generally consists of the agony of having to tolerate the very labored breathing whenever I engage in an activity of any sort, coping with the intense coughing, and living with the limitations that all this brings into our lives.  But I’m not the only one who experiences this cloud.  My wife, Marilyn, is greatly impacted by the additional care I require and the limitations imposed on us by my labored breathing. — yet is doing a great job contending with all this.  Naturally, this can at times cause all kinds of questions, discouragement, disillusionment, and even, if we’re not careful, depression.  But praise God, I can focus less on the cloud and more on the silver lining.

My Cloud’s Silver Lining

As I close my eyes and mentally visualize that silver lining, here’s what I see:

• An increased patience as I’m learning to wait while others do for me what I can not do
• An increased sense of endurance and perseverance as times get tough and I hear the words from 2 Cor 4:16 “therefore we do not lose heart”
• A glorified city in the distance
• Growth in character as I trust God “no matter what”
• A greater passion for Jesus and His Word
• A greater desire and ability to live “in the moment”
• A much heightened and clearer perspective of the future
• Being renewed day-by-day (2 Cor 4: 16)
• A stronger awareness that God remains the strength of my heart  (Ps. 73:25-26)
• An even greater closeness and companionship with my wife
• A greater desire and sensitivity to hearing the voice of the Lord in my heart
• A greater compassion for friends who are hurting or lost without faith in the Lord

As I ponder all this, I quickly conclude this silver lining indeed makes the cloud look much more tolerable.

Just this morning, while meditating on I Thessalonians Chapter 1, I was encouraged by another thought that makes the silver lining attractive and dependable.

In I Thessalonians 1:6 Paul is commending his friends for being faithful “in the midst of suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.”  That led to another verse I’ve been memorizing, Romans 15:13 — “May the God of Hope fill with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that your hope may overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The incredible fact is that rejoicing in the face of difficult suffering is not something we do in our own human strength. The Holy Spirit empowers us!  When Christ reigns within our hearts, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live in a way that is “so far fetched that nobody would believe it!”  And He enables us to praise Him no matter what! 

I need to emphasize that I am not suggesting that everyone will experience this power in the face of suffering.  That opportunity is available only to people who have accepted Christ as their Savior, have committed their lives to follow Him, and are trusting the Holy Spirit for the power to live successfully.

Recently I have been very encouraged by CityAlight’s song,” Yet Not I But Christ in Me."  It is Christ in each of us, empowered by the Holy Spirit, who gives us the power to persevere through the clouds of life and gleefully perceive the silver lining around us.  Enjoy this song with me. 

With every breath I long to follow Jesus

For He has said that He will bring me home

And day by day I know He will renew me

Until I stand with joy before the throne

To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus

All the glory evermore to Him

When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat

Yet not I, but through Christ in me

Because of Christ in me, I can clearly see and value that silver lining.

Can I Thrive?

This brings us back to the question I asked myself at the beginning of this post:  “Does the cloud of this Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) medical journey have a silver lining and, if so, what is that like and can I praise God in the midst of this cloud because of the silver lining?”  

The answer is clearly yes.  There is indeed a silver lining around this cloud and as I praise God for that silver lining, I can begin to praise God even in the midst of the cloud.  Plus, I find that as I genuinely praise God in the midst of this Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis journey, the silver lining becomes even brighter!  

And that is truly THRIVING to the glory of God!