Gods Word says: "As an example of suffering and patience, we are to take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord....James 5:10
Following Jesus means suffering for what He says is truth. The prophets of the Old Testament knew this.
Suffering, pain, anguish and trials are times when believers can learn lessons only God can teach. They are "classrooms" in His hands. Places where He provides a wealth of knowledge about who He is and how He operates, if we are willing to turn to Him, actively seeking from His mighty and awesome Word, what He says as the way to handle them.
The prophets and apostles learned valuable lessons in the what I'm calling "godly classrooms". All of them listened to Gods voice and yet they suffered anyway, the above verse tells us. And if you read about each one specific experiences you will see how they also learned patience in the midst each ones times of suffering.
Scripture says, "Gods ways are not our ways". We in our humanity see adversity as something to stop, something to run from, something to fix quickly. Yet over and over Scripture tells of the suffering and trials that Gods people went through, book after book. I am learning through my own struggles, that God wants me to see these times of adversity as one of His choicest tools for refining me and making me more like Jesus. Adversity drives me to Him; to His voice...His Word. Nothing else comforts me more in my suffering than hearing what the Lord has to say to me from His Word. Telling me how much He loves me, telling me He is with me; He will be my strength and my shield. Comforting me with the comfort I can then comfort others with because I know their pain and can point them to Him to help them through the dark valley.
Adversity gets our attention, if we let it. It leads us to examine our inner self. If, as today's verse says, the lesson in our suffering is learned--which is to follow the examples of the prophets and learn patience in our circumstances, this learned lesson effectively make changes our behavior. We can have His peace and to still praise Him even when we suffer. Endure with spiritual patience, which is what I believe the prophets knew.
Jesus suffered. Godly men and women written of in Scripture suffered. Christ told His followers they--we--would suffer in this world, but not to be afraid, because He has overcome the world....John 16:33 So we will also suffer. For us it is what we choose to do with the suffering. Christ gives us the answer. His strength, His Word, His Spirit sent to help us. There is no other true way.
I am learning if I let Him, my Lord Jesus, will help me overcome all my adversities, trials and difficulties. and in the midst of them give me His patience and peace. His Voice --the Word-- tells me how I can do so, and my part is to listen and do what He says. God speaks to us through His holy Word, His holy Spirit, and the godly counsel of His holy people. He has something to say to each of His children in every situation we face. We are the ones who have to decide we want to hear what He says. His Word is where we must go first. As our Father He knows exactly what we need and longs to help us. But we must accept His way of doing so and only learn through His Word.
How about you, whens the last time you had a moment of listening? Reading Gods Word is how we listen to God. If we seek Him, He promises He will be found.
Following Jesus means suffering for what He says is truth. The prophets of the Old Testament knew this.
Suffering, pain, anguish and trials are times when believers can learn lessons only God can teach. They are "classrooms" in His hands. Places where He provides a wealth of knowledge about who He is and how He operates, if we are willing to turn to Him, actively seeking from His mighty and awesome Word, what He says as the way to handle them.
The prophets and apostles learned valuable lessons in the what I'm calling "godly classrooms". All of them listened to Gods voice and yet they suffered anyway, the above verse tells us. And if you read about each one specific experiences you will see how they also learned patience in the midst each ones times of suffering.
Scripture says, "Gods ways are not our ways". We in our humanity see adversity as something to stop, something to run from, something to fix quickly. Yet over and over Scripture tells of the suffering and trials that Gods people went through, book after book. I am learning through my own struggles, that God wants me to see these times of adversity as one of His choicest tools for refining me and making me more like Jesus. Adversity drives me to Him; to His voice...His Word. Nothing else comforts me more in my suffering than hearing what the Lord has to say to me from His Word. Telling me how much He loves me, telling me He is with me; He will be my strength and my shield. Comforting me with the comfort I can then comfort others with because I know their pain and can point them to Him to help them through the dark valley.
Adversity gets our attention, if we let it. It leads us to examine our inner self. If, as today's verse says, the lesson in our suffering is learned--which is to follow the examples of the prophets and learn patience in our circumstances, this learned lesson effectively make changes our behavior. We can have His peace and to still praise Him even when we suffer. Endure with spiritual patience, which is what I believe the prophets knew.
Jesus suffered. Godly men and women written of in Scripture suffered. Christ told His followers they--we--would suffer in this world, but not to be afraid, because He has overcome the world....John 16:33 So we will also suffer. For us it is what we choose to do with the suffering. Christ gives us the answer. His strength, His Word, His Spirit sent to help us. There is no other true way.
I am learning if I let Him, my Lord Jesus, will help me overcome all my adversities, trials and difficulties. and in the midst of them give me His patience and peace. His Voice --the Word-- tells me how I can do so, and my part is to listen and do what He says. God speaks to us through His holy Word, His holy Spirit, and the godly counsel of His holy people. He has something to say to each of His children in every situation we face. We are the ones who have to decide we want to hear what He says. His Word is where we must go first. As our Father He knows exactly what we need and longs to help us. But we must accept His way of doing so and only learn through His Word.
How about you, whens the last time you had a moment of listening? Reading Gods Word is how we listen to God. If we seek Him, He promises He will be found.
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