The Christian and Suffering
We find that suffering comes from many sources and lasts for various periods of time.
We suffer when someone in the church treats us poorly, especially if this is unresolved for any length of time.
We suffer when someone we love dies.
We suffer from chronic pain/ailments.
We suffer when someone we love suffers from chronic, debilitating illnesses with no end or cure in sight.
We suffer from weather events.
We can find comfort from God's Word in these instances: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
We suffer from our own choices sometimes, and this can bring on God's discipline. Read Hebrews 12:7-11: "It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."
What about suffering for doing what is right?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said this: "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:10-12).
We see the example Christ set in responding to suffering unjustly, for doing good: "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:21-23).
We need to plead with the Holy Spirit to enable us to be like Christ when we find ourselves suffering for doing right.
We need this reminder, too: "For consider Him who has endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:3).
We suffer when someone in the church treats us poorly, especially if this is unresolved for any length of time.
We suffer when someone we love dies.
We suffer from chronic pain/ailments.
We suffer when someone we love suffers from chronic, debilitating illnesses with no end or cure in sight.
We suffer from weather events.
We can find comfort from God's Word in these instances: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
We suffer from our own choices sometimes, and this can bring on God's discipline. Read Hebrews 12:7-11: "It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."
What about suffering for doing what is right?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said this: "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:10-12).
We see the example Christ set in responding to suffering unjustly, for doing good: "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:21-23).
We need to plead with the Holy Spirit to enable us to be like Christ when we find ourselves suffering for doing right.
We need this reminder, too: "For consider Him who has endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:3).
posted by Ebeth | 9:22 AM
1 Comments:
Amen
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