Faith and hope lead me to the conclusion that suffering has value. WOW I had to steal those words from Matthew Kelly. I wish I could say I thought of that myself. I had to stop reading today's devotion and write that down. This entry like many may be all over the place. I get so wrapped up in my thoughts and then want to look up the scripture to make sure I capture it correctly. Studying scripture can be so difficult but so fulfilling in the end.
John 16 20 - 22
Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. 21 Whenever a woman is in labor she has [d]pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a [e]child has been born into the world.22 Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
I knew this verse. I had said it several times in my life but honestly thought it was just noted somewhere in a pregnancy book or someone had told this to me. I had no idea the comment that a woman suffers during pregnancy and then doesn't remember after birth was in the bible.
Max Locado wrote a book called You'll Get Through This: hope and help for your turbulent times. It was recommended by a friend and I've since recommended it to two friends. It was a wonderful reminder that we don't get to live on earth without suffering, but it is an even greater reminder that in our suffering comes unimaginable joy. God promises over and over again in scripture to be with us, to fight for us and to pull us through the struggles for His good and His glory. It's not like this suffering is all for nothing. And what was our suffering compared to the suffering He did on the cross for our sinfulness. Suffering is a tool that can transform us. Gosh I wish I had come up with this chapter all on my own. Makes me feel bad to even think my suffering was worth talking about, for I know I could have never endured what Our Lord went through. There is comfort in knowing that Jesus understood what this means in our lives because although divine, He was human just like us and felt the pains of being human. God's will is usually not our will, and that's ok. His plans for us far exceed what we can hope and dream for our own life. "I know my plans for you says the Lord, plans to honor you and to prosper you, not to harm you, to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 (MY FAVORITE), but what follows is great too - 12-13 "Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, where ye shall search for me with all your heart."
He tells us over and over what to do and how to live. He asks us daily to take up our cross and follow Him. And just like we are told today that we should offer up our joys as well as our sufferings to God as prayers, we should also know in our hearts that he hears us and appreciates us. It's just so easy to say and to repeat. But to put 100% of our faith and trust in these words that were written 2000 + years ago is so hard. He promised us suffering, he didn't lie about that. Some of us suffer much more than others, but He did promise that we'd be fed by the word, held by the Spirit and saved by the Cross. Pretty exciting stuff. Thessalonians 5: 6-7 "Pray without ceasing, in everything give thank: for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ concerning you." Diligently and in thanksgiving - always specifically too, I say. Why not, it's not like we can hide anything we feel from God. He KNOW everything we say or do and many times it hurts Him, but he forgives us anyway and promises that from our suffering comes GREAT JOY! 1 Peter 5:7 (as you read through this blog you'll begin to see which verses are my favorite. ;) Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."
The rewards that follow suffering are nothing short of AWESOME. Push through the struggle, learn and grow - it'll be worth it! Look at Joseph, David, Sarah, Abraham, Jonah - I don't want to get eaten by a fish but if I do, I will pray hard to get out - either way I win in the end. Death is a beautiful journey to heaven with God. (I am frightened by the thought of death, I cannot tell a lie here.)
"He shall be hated of all men for my name's sake; but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Mark 13:13
POINT TO PONDER: Suffer transforms us in unimaginable ways.
VERSE TO LIVE:
"We rejoice in our sufferings, know that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character, and character produces hope." Romans 5:3-4 and after that comes "the hope doesn't put us to shame, bc the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." We, ok I mean I, tend to forget about the Holy Spirit. He too, is always with us to guide us. He gets us through the day just as much as our prayers and faith do.
I love that verse...I'm going highlight it right now.
QUESTION TO CONSIDER:
Are you willing to suffer a little in order to grow spiritually?
I've seen my life transform in the last 6-7 months following a period of suffering that I experienced. The transformation that has happened and that continues to happen in my life spiritually because of that suffering is immeasurable and WORTH it. What a blessing it has turned out to be and what wonderful things are happening in my life and in others lives because of what I've learned. This journey is nowhere near over. I'm sure more struggle is to come, but so is MORE JOY.
PRAYER: Jesus, teach me to embrace the unavoidable suffering of life, and keep me ever mindful of those who suffer more than I do.
That is something that I can admit to: although to me at times my suffering seems unbearable, I KNOW that there are people who are experiencing a suffering that I know I'm not strong enough to bear. Prayers for all of those who suffer mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually, that they my find strength in God's presence and promises to bring joy in the morning and to fed their hunger - whatever it may be. AMEN.
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