Suffering: the state of being in great trouble, misery, or agony.
We can point to suffering and blame it on this broken world. We can equally point to suffering and insist it’s a consequence due to sin or poor choices. This leads to the question, is the Lord using circumstances to teach us a lesson or to accomplish His will?
Moses suffered to bring his people out of Egypt. Job endured suffering yet maintained his faith in God. Paul suffered to bring the gospel and message of salvation. Our Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died for our sins. Through their suffering, God accomplished His will.
Let’s turn to the book of Proverbs, written to give us wisdom to live well by honoring God and others. Proverbs 13:20: “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffer harm.” Hebrews 12:7-11 says that God punishes us like children to make us more like Him. Is His discipline a way to bring us to repentance? Through our suffering, God accomplishes His will. Suffering in general is a result of the brokenness of the world, reference Genesis 3 and the original human sin. Sometimes our difficulties are the result of our own bad choices. No matter, let us soften our hearts and become humble in our suffering so we may grow closer to Him.
Psalm 107:19, “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.” Let us cry to the Lord and he will save us in our suffering.
Paul wrote in Romans 8:18: For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Let us wait for the glory of an everlasting life with Him.
By: Kim Snyder
~Christ Fellowship