Joy In Suffering

Acts 9 vs 15 - 16, " “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

God says of Paul, "For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."  

Isn't that our calling too ? That we suffer for his namesake. For western thought has distorted our view of Christianity that we should only be 'blessed' and nothing else. It teaches that suffering is a curse and the only way out is to be 'blessed'. Now, am not against being blessed, I'm all for it as you would read in my previous posts on the blog. What I am saying is that suffering is and should be a part of our Christian walk, for suffering must produce godly character in us.

Hebrews 12 vs 2 states very clearly, " who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." 

Paul was in prison and yet he counted it all joy. The joy isn't in the blessing. The joy is in the suffering because that is what produces a glory that has value that we can give to God. It's paradoxical in nature. We too, can endure as Hebrews 2 states, because we know what lies in front of us. That should bring immediate joy to us. Am reminded of a familiar portion of scripture.

Nehemiah 8 vs 10, " For the joy of the Lord is our strength."  And how exactly does God get his joy?  He gets joy from us when we please him and his recieving joy from us returns back to us as strength. So, joy works both ways. God receives it and it comes back to us in strength, even in our pain and suffering. Jesus endured the present sufferings because he knew the glory that was set before him. And if I may sound oxymoronic in what am about to say, so be it. The blessing is in the suffering and not in the 'good things' you think you have. Because simply, the suffering and pain must produce godly character.

It's not so much about physical pain as it's so much more than that.  It's about having an unquenchable desire for God. I want more and more of God. I'm hungry. I'm thirsty. It keeps me up at night and it should. Because only he can fill quench this desire I have for him. He is everything and He should be. Words are indescribable and cannot give an accurate picture of this passion that keeps growing inside of me. 

I believe that even in the manner in which we share our testimonies, our views have been a bit distorted. Let me explain, today we can call up people to share their testimonies and all they can say is, that once they were poor and now they're rich. They were sick and now they're healed. Nobody likes them and now everyone does. And then imagine the Apostle Paul sharing his testimony. He was beaten so many times, he was shipwrecked and stoned and left for dead. Those whom he once called friends have now become utter enemies. Imprisonment and torture was a big part of his life. And yet through it all he counts it all joy to be recognised with his Saviour. We certainly may not have faced everything he has, but when sharing our testimony can we leave the prosperity gospel view aside and say that it doesn't really matter what I face. As long I have Jesus then everything in my life is in it's right place and my purpose is being fulfilled by giving him glory and joy is being made complete in us.

To suffer for his name could mean physical and emotional pain. Paul expressed both in Galations 1. He was still a joyous man. The only reason we can't be joyous when pain and suffering comes, simply is because we find joy in other things  rather than in Jesus. It is a joy to suffer for his namesake. We may not be persecuted or be on the run for our lives. But we can 'suffer' for him, because we desire him and want to fulfill his will on the earth. Nothing else matters. Only what he asked of me in scripture matters. For we all are called. At the very moment of our receiving salvation, we've received our call. And part of that call is to suffer for him. This isn't a prosperity gospel. To see change in the world and watch lives transformed, all of that comes with suffering. Hard labouring as such. 

I heard a story not so long ago about a woman and her family from the middle East moving to the West. They were devout Christians. But when they moved to America for hopes of A better life. The woman wanted to move back to her homeland. The reason being is quite simple. She felt that her faith was becoming too relaxed, while at home in the middle East, their faith was always being tested and made them stronger. And not simply of the persecution they would face but they understood community and standing with each and praying for each other. So they moved back home. This isn't to say that faith in the West has completely been diminished, for there are many faithful sons and daughters of God. As Elijah reminds us in scripture that God always has a remnant.

The point I'm making here is that we should not ignore suffering in our own lives also, there needs to be hard work that proves how much we're willing to suffer for his namesake. Only Jesus matters, everything else is secondary or a by-product. The blessing will come but it's a by-product of our obedience to God, even in suffering. I want God and more of Him as the days go by. And I'm willing to suffer for it even if that should be bring glory to his name, so be it.

As John the Baptist says, " He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3 vs 30

Suffering is better than the blessing, for it reveals who your God is and shows you what you're capable of accomplishing when you completely trust God.

Are you willing to suffer and experience the blessing in knowing that in front of you on the path you are treading, complete joy awaits you ?

Find your joy in your suffering and then you will realise your true worth in Christ.

Blessings,

Shane..

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