Godliness Does Not Vaccinate You against Pain or Difficulty

While we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened.

2 Corinthians 5:4

Maybe you are an enthusiastic camper. Forget the fancy hotel or renting a motorhome; your idea of a good time is to put up your tent, build a fire, and roast some marshmallows. Paul was a tentmaker, which is likely why God brought this image to mind.

There is a great deal of joy in camping. But you are probably not doing it all year round. If you did, you would soon be groaning. The difficulties of life in the body are part of the Christian life, and becoming more godly does not take away our groaning.

Perhaps you know what it’s like to groan because of a frailty of the body. Or maybe you groan because of the circumstances of your life and all that’s happened to you. Maybe you even wonder, if I prayed more, would it be like this? If I had more faith, would I be in this position?

Not many people have prayed more, believed more, or lived godlier lives than the apostle Paul did, so if he groaned in his tent, then none of us should be surprised when we find ourselves groaning in ours. If you think living a better Christian life will prevent pain or difficulty with your body, then you will be tempted to lose heart when these troubles inevitably come.

You need to know that there will be seasons in all of our lives when we groan because of our bodies. All Christians groan under some frailty that arises from the body. We carry that burden.

Do you ever wonder, “If I prayed more (or had more faith), would I have less pain and difficulty with my body?”