March 17th, 2015

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Suffering

Tuesday, March 17th, 2015

thefi5thgospel

Some people know suffering. And some people KNOW suffering.

Stories abound right now about followers of Jesus in countries like India, China and all places associated with Islam, where life is horrendous because of following Jesus. Children, parents, friends and others they love massacred before their eyes. That is suffering!

But then again, so is someone dealing with past shame.

But then again, so is someone dealing with childhood abuse.

But then again, so is someone dealing with ongoing health issues and chronic pain.

Suffering has no favorites. The depth and intensity might differ, but suffering is part and parcel of living on this planet.

But it matters not what we are going through; it is how we go through it. It is making sure we don’t quit. It is trusting in an all-sufficient Father who feels our pain and promises to never leave us.

We can choose to allow suffering to do us in, or we can choose to use suffering as a stepping stone to a deeper walk with Jesus. The enemy has a sinister plan: to drive a wedge between us and God. He gets us to question the wisdom and presence of God. “Are you really sure He loves you? If He did, why in the world would he allow this to happen to you?”

Bobby’s chapter on suffering delves into some of the questions we struggle with far more than I have here. I recommend checking out his book.

What are your thoughts on suffering?