Worthwhile Suffering

I suppose when we value the outcome, we’ll endure many things. People will eat tasteless food for months to be able to fit in clothes they’ve outgrown. People will allow doctors to cut and wound them to the point of inflicting great pain because they believe it will bring relief and healing. People will make limitless sacrifices if they believe it would bring a desirable outcome.

When you think about suffering, do you think about the outcome that will be produced? We fuss, gripe, complain and are given to bad attitudes during times of suffering and it is generally because we do not believe there is any valuable result from our suffering. When we face suffering in this way or with this attitude we are wrong. Suffering brings an outcome. And it should not be just any outcome. God desires that suffering bring a helpful outcome.

Listen to what the Bible says about the suffering of Christians, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:1-5, ESV)

For those who have been made right with God by the work of Jesus and have peace with God because of the grace He has shown them, they can rest assured that God is using their suffering for good. We see that suffering sets a process in motion that will ultimately lead to a stronger character and a better hope. What is the hope? Well, the hope is that our pain is leading us in a direction. Acts 14:22 says that through many trials believers will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Christians can know that God is using suffering to prepare them to be in His presence and to know the full joy of relationship with Him forever. Would you consider that a worthwhile outcome?

Suffering isn’t limited to benefits in eternity, though.

The previous passage says that God desires to use suffering to build greater character. Suffering build endurance. Suffering makes us better encouragers. Suffering makes us better sympathizers. Suffering makes us realize what really matters. Suffering makes us better.

How do you deal with suffering? We can endure just about anything if we know that it provides a worthwhile return. Is the Kingdom of Heaven a worthwhile return to you? Is an increased character a worthwhile return to you? If so, suffer well. If not, think through what gives you real hope to see if its returns are as valuable as the returns God offers suffering?

God at Work

God is kind to us. He is at work in our lives when we do not realize it. Today I read about the angels God sent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. In verse 16 we hear the angels took Lot and his family by the hand because they were hesitant to leave. The writer tells us it was an act of kindness by God.

In a very different scenario, a friend of mine had surgery to remove cancer in a kidney yesterday. The doctors only found the cancer because they were doing a scan to find out the reason for the man's lower back pain. There were bones spurs and other problems causing the back pain, but the tests revealed a much more serious problem in the cancer. This morning he is cancer free because his back pain led to the discovery.

Never think that God is not working in your life. Our job is not to doubt, but to try to trace the work of His loving hand.

The Lord Is A Stronghold

Life is fragile. The rising waters of this weekend’s rains make us well aware how quickly we can lose the control we believe we have over life. In a short amount of time our homes, possessions and security can be washed away. Though we don’t face physical disaster like this often, we regularly face overwhelming situations. How do you handle those situations? Are you prepared with a plan of action? Or, do you simply wait and respond in the hour of great distress?

When it comes to facing adversity there are several things that are certain. First, difficulty will come. We can know this as truth. In a million different shapes and sizes, we will all struggle at times in life. The second thing we can know, though we don’t often take advantage of this truth, is that God offers help. In Psalm 9:9-10 we hear, “The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

What is a stronghold? The psalmist mentions it twice so it must be important. A stronghold is a place of security that is unreachable by an attacker. It is a rare place of ultimate security. We long for these strongholds. We try to construct them for ourselves. And, they may endure much of our struggle. However, when the greatest troubles of life come even the most durable self-made strongholds crumble. But the psalmist has great confidence in the stronghold he refers to. It is because this stronghold is not one that is man-made. In fact, it is not made at all. It is the Everlasting God.

Do you realize that God desires and even offers to be your stronghold? In love and mercy He offers this invitation to you. Now, there are some requirements to gain access to this stronghold. There is the turning away from selfish rebellion and the desire to be the king of the fortress. This fortress has a King and needs no other. This means you will have to surrender things like pride and arrogance. You must realize your plan may not be the best plan, and the King of this fortress may choose a different process for dealing with your struggle.

In addition, to gain access to this fortress there is the requirement of trust. Many of us struggle with trust. Especially when we’re hurting and confused. It is difficult to turn loose of control, even if it’s only a false sense of control. God calls you trust Him.

What assurance do you have? David says God will not forsake those who trust Him. Reassuring, isn’t it. Perhaps people or organizations have walked away from you in times of trouble. God won’t. Will you turn today, ask His forgiveness for your rebellion and begin to trust Him?

Lessons from God and Benjamin

It was four years ago today that our son, Benjamin, was stillborn. While there is still sorrow, God has been very gracious and faithful in using his life. On Wednesday, April 21, I shared our story and some lessons that God has taught us at Immanuel Baptist. I called the testimony Lessons from God and Benjamin. I hope you are encouraged to hear how God works even through our pain. He never wastes a hurt.

Where Do You Find Assurance?

Perhaps someone has asked you, “If you died today, how do you know you would go to Heaven?” or “If you died tonight, where would you wake up?” I know I have had people from a few different religious groups ask this question. None of us delight in spending much time thinking about what will happen to us when we die, but the truth is that death is a reality that none escape. What if where you go when you die has an effect on the way you live? Notice, I didn’t ask what if the way you live has an effect on where you go when you die. I said it the other way around. I said it this way because the Bible makes this statement.

In 1 Peter 1, Peter says that those who place their faith in Jesus Christ have been born to a living hope with an inheritance that is stored in Heaven where it is imperishable and undefiled. He says this promise, then, should lead Christians to a life of obedience and holiness. So, a Christian’s belief that they will be in Heaven with Christ at the moment of death should have a great impact on their life.

Two questions come to mind. First, how do you know if you will be in Heaven with Christ when you die? Second, if you believe you will be in Heaven with Christ when you die, are you growing in obedience to His teaching and holy living?

To answer the first question, the Bible is clear that we cannot earn salvation. In Ephesians 2:8-10 we learn that God’s forgiveness and pardon is a gift of God’s grace and cannot be earned. You cannot be good enough or smart enough to earn God’s pardon. Forgiveness from Christ is given when we repent of our sins and turn to Christ for forgiveness and leadership in life. Jesus Christ is able to give this forgiveness because of His perfect life and substitutionary death on the cross. The Gospel is the promise that Christ has taken the punishment we deserve and it is a call for us to repent of our sins and make Him the Lord of our lives. It makes little difference that you grew up in the Bible belt or that you or your family has been in church for a long time. The only true peace with God comes from forgiveness from Jesus Christ.

This salvation should bring more than just the hope of Heaven though. The mercy of Jesus Christ causes Christians to live differently. Christians should turn away from selfishness and pride and be known for their love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. While Christians are not perfect in these areas, there should be real change. Perhaps you believe yourself to be a Christian, but do not see these changes. While the process is a slow one at times, if it is not present perhaps you should examine your basis of salvation. Why not talk today with someone you believe to be a true Christian? It is worth considering as life now and evermore rests upon it.

A Lesson from Suffering

Suffering is something that no one can escape. I am often reminded when preaching a funeral that one day I’ll be mourning the loss of someone in my family. I will be the one seeking the comfort rather than simply trying to give it. I think we often overlook the great lesson of humility that should come with suffering. Suffering causes us to ask questions that we don’t like to face. These questions are usually very difficult for us to answer. Yet, rather than being angry when we are stumped, perhaps a better solution would be to learn humility.

Suffering is a great leveling force. When we are faced with a terminal illness or condition our money makes little difference. When people are suffering I haven’t heard them long for more accolades or prestige. No, the cry is the same for everyone – relief. Even the desire for relief is humbling. If we could deliver it to ourselves, we would. Wouldn’t you agree that it is humbling to long for relief and be unable to find it? We are devastated by the reality that we are not self-sufficient after all. We are left to realize that we are indeed finite. We are left to realize that the world keeps turning even when we are on the sick bed. Those are stark revelations for many of us. Our pride fuels us to think that everyone is need of our intellect, opinions or abilities. Suffering humbles us and teaches us this is not so.

Suffering also hurts our pride because we realize we need help from others. Often we will settle for something that is less than the best because we are protecting our pride. We are award-winning actors as we try to make others believe we can manage for ourselves. However, when real suffering comes we can’t help but call for help. When others have to bathe us or help us to the bathroom our pride can’t last. Suffering brings this humility.

I can’t help but think of how God uses this process. Suffering causes us to realize that we need others. And, how we need our Creator. We are reminded of how frail and needy we are. We believe our bodies to be strong, but they can be broken in a second. We believe our spirit to be persevering, but it can be brought low in an instant. We may go to extreme measures to hide it, but the truth is we are needy people.

Will you look for humility in suffering? Perhaps you’ve known it before, but have forgotten. Won’t you remember to serve others? One day you will need to be served by others. Won’t you comfort those who grieve? One day you will need to be comforted? Don’t waste the suffering God intends to use for good. Learn from it, help others and turn to Him for help.

It Was Love

It was love that carried Him from the table to the cross.
It was love that caused Him to be betrayed by a kiss.
It was love that coped with the whip’s strong blow.
It was love.

It was love that relentlessly drove Him to the hill.
It was love that received the hammer’s blows.
It was love that restrained His cries for relief.
It was love.

It was love that offered up His life.
It was love that opened not His mouth.
It was love that overflowed as blood.
It was love.

It was love that sin was poured upon Him.
It was love that shame was worn as a robe.
It was love that sorrow was endured.
It was love.

It was love that salvation was accomplished.
It was love that sunset brought anguish.
It was love that sunrise brought resurrection.
It was love.