Suffering: Why?
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)
“Rabbi,” His disciples asked Him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”
John 9:2 (NLT)
Have any of us had a perfect day? A day where nothing at all troubled us? A day where we neither experienced nor witnessed suffering of any kind?
If so, we’re living in a fantasy..
Because as long as Satan still hunts us, and OUR DOWNFALL is his primary goal,
Because the devil still answers to God and OUR RISING is His primary goal…
Suffering is a “tool” both of them use!
The devil wants to trap us in dark pits, by tempting us in ways that will harm us, and hitting us until we surrender. Why? So we’ll turn our backs on faith in God.
Our Father ALLOWS tests and temptations. Why? So we’ll learn, grow up, get strong, and choose life! So we’ll surrender to His will in faith. Because we'll end up rising and shining.
However, God says, don’t be “ignorant” of Satan's schemes, so let's examine them, including a dive into suffering– and the many ways it hit God's heroes: how they handled it, and their conclusions. Because pain is packaged in many forms:
Like war, guilt, failure, prison, hunger, abuse, bad dads, burnout, disease, infirmity, overwork, mockery, nakedness, betrayal, disregard, depression, dirty jobs, demotion, rejection, sacrifice, loneliness, homeliness, homelessness, poverty, bereavement, childlessness, injustice, temptation, unemployment, adultery, deficiency, persecution, self-denial, childhood trauma, dangerous times, dream-hating kin, jumping the gun, mental illness, hard assignments, physical pain, bitter regret, a bad background, forgetfulness, devastation, cascading loss, untimely death… and crucifixion.
Actors, models, and talent for Christ:
Let’s study The Word about suffering– for our personal edification and to learn how we can best help others.
Shining for God in successes is good. Shining for God in suffering is great.
Suffering: Why? (Part 1)
NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re ALL called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re ALL called to models of Jesus, and we ALL have gifts, talents, and callings from God– to multiply them in the world for His glory.
P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend READING THE BIBLE DAILY.
WARNING: Don’t focus on favorite verses, because out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!