Suffering

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:16,17

What does it mean to suffer with Christ? Romans chapter 8 alludes to three things.

1. One form of suffering is in killing sin in our bodies. We are exhorted to set our minds on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5,6). We are not called to live according to the flesh but to put to death the deeds of the body (Romans 8:12,13). These activities are Spirit empowered and enabled but require action and struggle on our part.

2. A second form of suffering is found in enduring difficult circumstances in a faithful and God honoring manner (Romans 8:18). This is done with the help of looking to the hope of future glory (vs. 18; 2 Corinthians 4:17,17). As Christ, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, we also look to the joy set before us in order to endure (Hebrews 12:2). These circumstances could be anything from difficult family situations to martyrdom for our faith.

3. Third, we suffer with creation as it groans waiting to be redeemed (Romans 8:19-23). Creation's futility initiated by the sin of man including the breakdown of our bodies and minds, disease and natural disasters.

We are children of God, heirs of God and co heirs with Christ provided we suffer with him as above. The reward far, far outweighs the burden.

Heirs

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Romans 8:16-17

Can you believe this? It seems inconceivable that the above verses are true! But, they are God's word, and it is impossible for him to lie. Rub your eyes and gaze at these words. Drink in their meaning. Meditate on what kind of glorious creator, full of love would give this to us?!

Observations:
1) Believers are adopted sons/daughters of God. We are in his family, and he looks upon us with love and wants good for us. When we fail, he doesn't crush us. He teaches us and disciplines us in love. When we are obedient he rejoices in us and with us. We rejoice in him and thereby bring him glory.
2) Believers are heirs of God. God cannot die, but we will receive Him. He shall be ours. We shall see him, enjoy him, commune with him and eternally learn and be amazed by him.
3) Believers are co-heirs with Christ. We shall receive what he receives. We will reign with him (2 Tim 2:12). We shall be honored and glorified (2 Cor 4:17, 2 Cor 3:18, Rom 8:21, Rom 8:30). (I feel uneasy typing this but it is the word of God).
4) This inheritance is fulfilled in the future (1 Pe 1:4, 2 Cor 4:17, Rom 8:21).
5) Life now includes patient endurance and suffering (Rom 8:18, Jn 16:33). This suffering comes from three places:
1. Persecution for being a christian (2 Tim 3:12)
2. Suffering in mortifying the sin within us by the power of the Spirit (Romans 8:13, Heb 12:7)
3. Suffering in relation to creations subjection to "death" because of Adams sin (Romans 8:18-23)

Reputation

Jesus says if we wish to be his disciples we must be willing to forsake all (Luke 14:25-33). This most obviously includes material things but more subtly might include our health, our relationships, our position and our reputation. I think of this as meaning forsake all for the kingdom of God and consider it in the sense that an occurance may come into my life where I am called to give things up for the obvious benefit of the kingdom of God. But what if the benefit to the kingdom is not obvious? What if one's reputation is damaged through outside forces beyond one's control? Or what if an honest mistake leads to the damaging of a reputation? Our inner response to a loss such as this demonstrates whether we are willing to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. For God would say that everything good that we have is from him and not of ourselves (James 1:17). Our material things, jobs, money, health and reputations are given and protected by him. Everything we have is his to take away. This needs to be considered in light of other scriptures of course. God says he will work all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). He says he loves us and has an inheritance in heaven for us as his adopted children (1 John 3:1; 1 Pe 1:4; Romans 8:15). He says we will have trouble in this world, but that he has overcome the world (John 16:33). The question is when the rubber hits the road and I suffer loss will I in bitterness and anger against God struggle with my faith? Or will I rest in his promises and allow myself to be humbled for his glory, even if I do not understand why circumstances have occurred? Certainly, the former is a manifestation of unbelief...unbelief in God's word and promises or his character or his existence. Paul had learned to be content in all circumstances recognizing these things and giving thanks to God (Phil 4:11). Thanksgiving and gratefulness is the heart of the believer sold out to God. Thanksgiving and gratefulness in spite of earthly circumstances (1 Thes 5:13). For we have the "pearl of greatest price" guaranteed in our future (Matt 13:46). Do I really believe it? Can I say with Job: "Naked I came into the world, and naked I shall depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord?"

God Is Enough

Last night I listened to the testimony of a friend who has been down a long road of difficulty in his life lately. The last year has been filled with introspection, and he told the story of contemplating his committment to God as if life was a poker game. He had been witholding some of his "chips," afraid to bet everything on the King. But, during this year, he consciously decided to place all the chips on the table and let go of everything this world has to offer. At first, things were rough. God brought adversity into my friends life....I cannot help but wonder if God was testing my brother. I know in my life, wrestling with myself and God's Spirit takes time and struggle. Just as Christ was "made perfect through suffering (Hebrews 2:10)," so also we must go through the fire to have the imperfections burned away (1 Peter 1:7). Without suffering, we hold some of our chips in reserve. God knows this. We figure it out only after the trial is over. What we find is that despite all, God is enough.

Isaiah 52:13-53:12.

The below was written by the prophet Isaiah around 700 B.C. about the coming messiah Jesus.

Chapter 52
13 See, my servant will act wisely;
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him—
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man
and his form marred beyond human likeness—
15 so will he sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.

Chapter 53
1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous
servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

Observations:
1) Jesus is revealed in the old testament.

2) Jesus is described as:
disfigured, marred, despised, rejected, suffering, a man of sorrows, stricken, smitten, afflicted, crushed, opressed, cut off, pierced, silent in suffering, exalted and satisfied. Not what we might expect.

3) The purpose of Jesus's coming to earth is revealed:
-sprinkle many nations
-take up our infirmities
-carry our sorrows
-heal our wounds
-bring us peace
-carry our iniquities
-be a guilt offering
-justify many
-bear the sin of many and make intercession for the transgressors.

Question:
What difference does this information make to you?


The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Is 53:1-54:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Suffering.

Because human freedom is necessary for all that is meaningful in life (e.g., love, relationships, and acts of nobility) then God cannot create a meaningful world without letting people exercise their freedom. The same freedom that makes it possible to love makes it possible to hate. The same freedom that can lead to heaven can lead to hell. The heart of the appeal to free will is that freedom is worth the price of evil.

– C.S. Lewis


God is not like a senile old grandfather whose only concern is the temporal gratification of his grandchildren, but more like a skilled, benevolent surgeon who will do whatever it takes to eradicate the cancer of sin from the character of his creature, because he knows that ultimate health and happiness are impossible as long as any trace of the malignancy remains. In a fallen world this type of surgery often requires the scalpel of suffering. It is fortunate for us that God is perfectly willing to hurt us in order to bring about the ultimate healing of our souls.

– Alvin Plantinga

No Pain, No Gain

I visited a family member today in the hospital. He has been having pain in his abdomen, recurrently occuring without warning every so often. It has been severe enough for him to seek medical attention, and today he underwent surgery to correct the problem. After the surgery, he was in a lot of pain and probably will have some discomfort for weeks to come. He had to accept an increase in pain over the short term through his surgery in order to alleviate his future discomfort. Sometimes God allows painful situations in our lives for our future benefit. His word says that he disciplines those he loves (Hebrews 12:6) meaning he allows or even causes painful situations in our lives in order to mold us into the image of his son (change our behavior and draw us to a closer relationship to him). Like a surgeon he cuts away the damaged and dysfuntional tissue of our flesh to make us more like him. He also uses these difficult circumstanes to "prove our faith genuine (1 Peter 1:7 )." If we believe in Jesus as our Lord and savior, and we love him and are called according to his purpose, God works all things for our good (Romans 8:28). The pain we go through now will result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:7). Stand fast in the difficult times of life. They are temporary and soon God, if we remain faithful, will lift us up.

Take The Bullet

For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:19,21,23.

Observations:
-We are called to suffer in a way that glorifies God even if persecuted or punished unjustly.
-No whining (Phillipians 2:14).
-Retaliation by us for perceived wrongs is sin. (Hebrews 10:30).
-This includes "thinking" about retaliation.
-God is the protector of our reputations and our lives.
-The Lord is just so we can trust him with our reputations and our lives.

I am really not doing the above well. Help me Lord to want to honor you more that I want to protect myself.

God Didn't Want It This Way.

I just spent a few minutes with a friend telling he and his wife he might have a brain tumor. My heart aches for them, not knowing what this means for the future. I long to make it go away but don't have the ability. I know they are sad and frustrated and are wrestling with what life is all about and why this is happening. Where is God in all this?

God doesn't want it this way. When he created the world it was very good (Genesis 1:31). I don't believe there was disease or suffering as we see everywhere today. But, God, for reasons that escape me, wanted a personal relationship with each individual of mankind....A relationship fostered on his love for us but also on our love for him. For us to love God, we had to have the ability to not love God. Love is voluntary, a choice, a decision. God gave Adam and Eve a choice, and they decided to resist his plan. Sin entered the world with all it's associated problems: illness, evil, selfishness, disaster and death. God is all powerful and could have prevented this. He could intervene and end it now. He chooses not to so that all who will accept him may accept him. We each individually have the chance to believe and love him. And I believe his heart aches for those that are suffering. His heart aches for my friend. Someday God will make things very good again for those that trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior. Until then, all creation groans waiting in eager expectation for that time (Romans 8:19-22).