Suffering
Suffering in this life is inevitable. Suffering is not the exception to the rule; it is the rule! Mark it down. You will suffer in this life. If you are not in a storm of life at this time, it's either because you just came out of one or you're about to enter into another one. Suffering is a mystery, and we must come to respect the mystery. We don't have all the answers. But we know the One who does. Job said that "Man who is born of woman, is of few days and full of trouble." Job 14:1. I take comfort in that verse. Why? Because Jesus was born of woman. He knows and understands our suffering and pain (see Hebrews 4:15).
In today's reading from My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers quoted 1 Peter 4:19 and then said these words: "Choosing to suffer means that there must be something wrong with you, but choosing God's will--even if it means you will suffer--is something very different. No normal, healthy saint ever chooses suffering; he simply chooses God's will, just as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not. And no saint should ever dare to interfere with the lesson of suffering being taught in another saint's life."
At this point I need to interject a thought from Eugene Peterson for all you would be comforters (including myself) who are quick to rush in and relieve the suffering in some one's life. "Another person's suffering is the place where God is at work. Angels should fear to tread there. So should we! But if we do tread there, we should take off our shoes, recognizing that we are on sacred ground. And we should be quick to hear and slow to speak. (James 1:19)." In other words, as we say in Kairos Prison Ministry, "Listen, listen, love, love." Don't be like Job's friends, quick to give advice. Just listen to them, weep with them and pray for them. Remember, it is sacred ground where God is at work in their life.
Oswald went on to say, "The saint who satisfies the heart of Jesus will make other saints strong and mature for God. But the people used to strengthen us are never those who sympathize with us; in fact, we are hindered by those who give us their sympathy, because sympathy only serves to weaken us...If we accept the sympathy of another saint, our spontaneous feeling is, 'God is dealing too harshly with me and making my life too difficult.' That is why Jesus said that self pity was of the devil (Matthew 16:21-23)".
Yes, suffering is a mystery and we must come to respect it and grow through it. We often quote Romans 8:28 but we neglect Romans 8:29. God's plan is to conform us to the image of His Son and our Savior. Remember Job 14:1? Remember this: God has one Son without sin --Jesus. But God has no children without suffering. Even Jesus suffered. He was born of woman, few of days (on this earth) and full of trouble. But, without sin, so that you and I could be saved forever and forever removed from this sin-fallen world of suffering.
Just some thoughts put together from all of my 'today's readings'. Maybe it will speak to your heart as well.
God bless,
Bro. Royce
In today's reading from My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers quoted 1 Peter 4:19 and then said these words: "Choosing to suffer means that there must be something wrong with you, but choosing God's will--even if it means you will suffer--is something very different. No normal, healthy saint ever chooses suffering; he simply chooses God's will, just as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not. And no saint should ever dare to interfere with the lesson of suffering being taught in another saint's life."
At this point I need to interject a thought from Eugene Peterson for all you would be comforters (including myself) who are quick to rush in and relieve the suffering in some one's life. "Another person's suffering is the place where God is at work. Angels should fear to tread there. So should we! But if we do tread there, we should take off our shoes, recognizing that we are on sacred ground. And we should be quick to hear and slow to speak. (James 1:19)." In other words, as we say in Kairos Prison Ministry, "Listen, listen, love, love." Don't be like Job's friends, quick to give advice. Just listen to them, weep with them and pray for them. Remember, it is sacred ground where God is at work in their life.
Oswald went on to say, "The saint who satisfies the heart of Jesus will make other saints strong and mature for God. But the people used to strengthen us are never those who sympathize with us; in fact, we are hindered by those who give us their sympathy, because sympathy only serves to weaken us...If we accept the sympathy of another saint, our spontaneous feeling is, 'God is dealing too harshly with me and making my life too difficult.' That is why Jesus said that self pity was of the devil (Matthew 16:21-23)".
Yes, suffering is a mystery and we must come to respect it and grow through it. We often quote Romans 8:28 but we neglect Romans 8:29. God's plan is to conform us to the image of His Son and our Savior. Remember Job 14:1? Remember this: God has one Son without sin --Jesus. But God has no children without suffering. Even Jesus suffered. He was born of woman, few of days (on this earth) and full of trouble. But, without sin, so that you and I could be saved forever and forever removed from this sin-fallen world of suffering.
Just some thoughts put together from all of my 'today's readings'. Maybe it will speak to your heart as well.
God bless,
Bro. Royce
posted by Royce Hendry at
8:50 AM
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