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Suffering
January 13, 2024
Suffering is a normal part of the human condition and has been with us since before we can remember. Suffering is so expected that if we go extended periods without suffering it can make us nervous just waiting for the next bad thing to happen. The idea of living without suffering seems far-fetched and is what fantasies are made of. Even a simple vacation is an attempt to get away from day-to-day suffering. If it is not a vacation for some it’s a liquid in a bottle, a prescription medicine, or a recreational or illicit drug. Suffering is very real and it’s normal to want to escape from suffering.
Sometimes that suffering is the result of our actions and sometimes suffering results from bad luck. While we can control choices we make in our life that could lead to suffering, we cannot control luck which can bring suffering. Many times, when bad things happen and suffering results, it is the result of random bad luck, and even when suffering results from random bad luck, people want to find fault with those who are suffering. Such was the case during the time of Jesus when a group of Galileans was slaughtered to bring delight to Pilate. When attacked for who you were born, there is not much one can do about that, and the randomness of that is being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Being in the wrong place at the wrong time has caused an innumerable multitude to die. When people die in a horrific accident, most of the time they had no control over what happened except for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. When a tower in Siloam fell during the time of Jesus, many thought those who died must have did something wrong, but all they did was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. They suffered death and their loved ones suffered the loss of their loved ones.
Luke 13:1-9
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Jesus used the example of the Galileans and those who died at the tower in Siloam to show that suffering as a person does not negate who the person is. Suffering does not make any person less than any other person, and instead of looking at the suffering of another person to somehow justify where we are spiritually, it is best for us to consider that we are all like trees in God’s orchard, and that if we do not produce spiritual fruit, God will cut us down.
Sometimes we make the mistake of looking to others of the faith and somehow conclude that their suffering is because of some sin they have, and it is typically when we do not consider the sin in our own life, or the righteousness that God is developing in others that we go down this path. Feeling we are all alone in righteousness to God isn’t something we should ever feel, and yet if we ever feel that way, we weren’t the first person to ever feel that way, and we won’t be the last person to ever feel that way. Take the example of Elijah the prophet who as a prophet, as glamorous as it might sound, suffered. Imagine today if you were a prophet of God and in meeting somebody new, they asked what you did, and you told them you were a prophet of God. If that person has great people skills they will smile and nod while probably thinking the reason you are here is because you are not all there.
Elijah the prophet suffered during his day and got the attention of King Ahab and Jezebel, especially after killing all of the prophets who really had the attention of Ahab and Jezebel. Jezebel threatened Elijah with the same type of death, and Elijah, prophet of God, put as much distance between him and Jezebel as possible, and kept putting distance between him and Jezebel until one night when resting an angel came to Elijah. That angel gave Elijah something to eat because instead of eating, Elijah was too busy putting distance between him and Jezebel. The angel had to challenge Elijah who was feeling sorry for himself. Here was Elijah, prophet of God, on the run like a scared little man, who only saw himself as true and faithful to God. It took a miracle from God for Elijah to understand that as a prophet of God instead of running away to preserve his life, he should have been running the other way into what he would see as harm’s way in service of God. It was then that God told Elijah he wasn’t alone. God had reserved for Himself seven thousand who did not worship Baal.
1 Kings 19:1-18
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.
And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
Elijah suffered and had to be reminded to do the work of God. There should be no expectation that doing the work of God is without suffering. Doing the work of God requires a commitment, time, energy, and money. And when we suffer doing what is expected of us, we should not think anything great of ourselves. Jesus suffered so that we can have this hope of eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Even though now all things are subject to the authority of Jesus Christ, Jesus first had to suffer death. All of us will suffer death with the only exception those who are called and alive at the return of Jesus Christ, but even those who are called and alive at the return of Jesus Christ will experience a difference type of suffering. It is through suffering Jesus was made perfect, and it is through suffering we are made perfect.
Hebrews 2:5-10
For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Paul knew the sufferings we experience now can in no way compare to the glory that will be revealed in us. That glory to be revealed in us is eternal and spiritual. The sufferings we experience today tend to be physical in nature as we are reminded that the life we have now is not the life we will have one day. Because of suffering we patiently wait for the Kingdom of God. If there was no suffering there would be no need to patiently wait for the Kingdom of God. If there was no suffering today, we would easily lose sight on the hope of the Kingdom of God because if we had no suffering today, we would have no need to hope for anything beyond what we already have.
Romans 8:18-25
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.
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
It is God the Father and Jesus Christ who bring us comfort now, however we may suffer. That suffering serves as a reminder that it is not yet the Kingdom of God and salvation is something we must yet attain.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
Paul understood that being a Christian meant experiencing many of the same sufferings that Jesus experienced. We should not see it as strange when we suffer as a Christian because even Jesus suffered. Jesus had people who sought to discredit and harm him. We should not think it strange when people try to discredit and harm us. Whether God allows harm to come to us is a decision that rests with God. We do not unilaterally allow others to bring harm to us or our family just because we are a Christian. Like any person we exercise our rights under the law where we live.
Philippians 3:5-11
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Paul wrote the Colossians that even though at one time they had nothing to do with the faith, now that they were part of the faith that they could see that all that Paul was doing and experiencing was to benefit the church. Even when Paul suffered, he suffered so that the church could benefit, and so the gospel of the Kingdom of God could be preached to the gentiles.
Colossians 1:21-29
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
In the sufferings we have in life, Peter brings to light an important distinction to remember. It’s one thing to suffer for helping to spread the gospel of the Kingdom of God, and it is another thing to suffer because of our own sin and stupidity. Peter shows that when we suffer as a Christian, there is no shame because what we do brings glory to God. There is no glory brought to God when we suffer because of our sin and stupidity. Peter writes to avoid those sins which will bring us suffering, like killing another person or stealing from them. He also warns against being busy in the concerns of another person, which is easy to do today through social media.
1 Peter 4:12-19
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Peter wrote to avoid suffering through sin, and Paul added to this concept in his letter to the Romans. There is suffering in sin and sin leads eventually to death. As Christians, while we are still subject to a physical death, we serve in the newness of the spirit, meaning when we suffer as Christians, we suffer for doing those things which are spiritual and lead to the Kingdom of God, and we don’t suffer for doing those things, collectively known as sin, that leads to death.
Romans 7:1-6
Know ye not, brethren, for I speak to them that know the law, how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Paul reminded Timothy of the afflictions, or sufferings he endured preaching the gospel to the gentiles and reminded him that all who live godly in Jesus Christ will suffer persecution. For some of us the persecution we suffer will be mild, like being isolated from others because they don’t like our religious views and how our faith shapes what we do. For others, the persecutions we suffer will be more severe with death being the ultimate type of persecution. Paul also reminded Timothy that those who are evil will become even more evil and naturally it’s understood that as these evil people become more and more evil, the people of God become more and more righteous.
2 Timothy 3:10-13
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
When Satan seeks to afflict us to drive a wedge between God and us, Satan does that by intensifying our suffering. Even if we find ourselves suffering because of something that seems unrelated to faith, we are to resist Satan and the suffering he is trying to bring to us, and we resist steadfast in the faith. Faith needs to be the response to any type of suffering we might experience.
1 Peter 5:8-11
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
When we find ourselves surrounded by temptations, temptations to surrender the faith we have, even though whatever the temptation is might be problematic for us, temptations are an opportunity to prove our faith, and as we successfully prove our faith with temptation after temptation, we develop patience, the kind of patience that will lead to our spiritual maturity.
James 1:2-4
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
In the psalms we can read of suffering, and one of the psalms alludes to the suffering of Jesus on the cross, how many are the afflictions of the righteous, and how God delivers the righteous from all afflictions, and how God keeps the bones of the righteous, not one of them is broken. We know Jesus died on the cross as a Passover sacrifice so that our sins could be forgiven, and in death, God delivered Jesus from His afflictions. Like Jesus, God will deliver the righteous of today from our sufferings, and like Jesus, the righteous of today can be delivered from our sufferings through death, because with God and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we have this hope of eternal life that transcends physical life.
Psalm 34:15-22
The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
As His earthly ministry came to a close, Jesus reminded the disciples that through Him, there is peace, but in the world there will be tribulation. We suffer persecution by those who are of the world because they sense we are not of the world. The more we choose to live as part of this world, the more we will suffer, because this world does not know the peace of Jesus Christ. Suffering will be part of our life. Do we want to suffer because we are Christians or do we want to suffer because we live in this world? What we do know is that Jesus Christ overcame this world, and having received the Holy Spirit, we can also overcome this world.
John 16:25-33
These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
The Corinthians were reminded that they endured a light affliction. Imagine being told that yes, you are suffering, but it’s nothing big. That’s what Paul told the Corinthians. He reminded them that how we suffer as a Christian today is nothing compared to the glory we will have in eternal life, and that we cannot confuse the physical suffering, the suffering we experience as our bodies become sick or age with spiritual suffering, the suffering we endure for the Kingdom of God. Even when we experience sickness and a physical decline that comes with age, we should look to what is spiritual and be renewed spiritually.
2 Corinthians 4:7-18
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
If we suffer persecution, we should suffer persecution for the faith we have, for the sake of righteousness, because of the Kingdom of God. We shouldn’t suffer persecution for other reasons because there is no spiritual benefit for us.
Matthew 5:10-12
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Just because a person is sick or has a disability doesn’t mean they have done anything wrong. Sometimes human suffering exists so the works of God can be shown. With the case of Jesus, he would heal people who were sick or who had disabilities. How the works of God are made manifest today will look different.
John 9:1-7
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation, Sent. He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Paul had his thorn in the flesh which to Paul served as reminder of Satan’s attempt to limit his effectiveness in preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Paul was not overcome by his thorn in the flesh and knew it kept him grounded in humility even though God did not remove that thorn in the flesh after repeated requests of God. Paul came to understand that through physical weakness he could still be spiritually strong.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
When we feel weak, sick, or even old, we know we have Jesus Christ who understands what it feels like to be human. In our suffering we can boldly go to the throne of grace. Like Paul we may not get the answer we are hoping for, but even when denied, we boldly make our requests made known to God.
Hebrews 4:14-16
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Peter reminds us that we should not focus on who can harm us if we are doing what we are supposed to be doing as Christians. Instead of being worried about some type of harm that could come to us for being a Christian, we need to be making things right with God and be ready to share the reason we have our hope for eternal life, so that even if others bring suffering to us, they will feel some level of guilt., We know that Jesus suffered so that we can have this hope of eternal life.
1 Peter 3:13-22
And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
With Jesus Christ and the thousands of pages in the Bible, we can focus on many different things. When it comes to suffering, sometimes it is important to consider the simplicity of Christianity, that the yoke of Jesus is light and His burden is easy. Through Jesus we will get through all types of suffering.
Matthew 11:25-30
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Finally, there is yet a future time when suffering will no longer exist, when God will wipe away all tears, death will be no more, neither will there be sorrow, crying, or pain.
Revelation 21:1-4
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
We look forward to that future time when there will be no more suffering, but for now, suffering is part of the life we have. We know through Jesus Christ we will get through all types of suffering, and we never let suffering separate us from the faith we have. We will suffer because of the physical lives we have, and we will suffer because of the faith we have, and we suffer now looking forward to the time of a new heaven and earth when there will be no more suffering.
All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
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