Series: Blessed Be
Romans 5:3 ESV
Job 42:2-5 ESV
2 Samuel 12:13 ESV
Exodus 3:11-12 ESV
Acts 9:1-6 ESV
Luke 22:56-62 ESV
Philippians 4:13 ESV
It’s an understatement to say that suffering is difficult.
Extended long-term suffering is (of course) extremely difficult. It bears down on us daily. Even when we turn to God daily and rely on Jesus we ARE suffering.
Yet in, Romans 5:3 Paul tells us, “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.”
Scripture reminds us time and again that we are not alone in our suffering. Not only does God SEE us, Jesus is IN us when we turn to him. I personally believe it takes just one time, one slight turn to Jesus for us to receive God in us.
As I read scripture I see examples again and again of lost souls who turned, saw Jesus, and received God.
In the Old Testament Job had lost everything and yet he turned to God and received God’s love and mercy. Job spoke to God in Job 42:2-5, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.”
David had committed adultery and murder and he turned to God and confessed to the Prophet Nathan. In 2 Samuel 12:13 David confessed, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.”
We often think of Moses being a great leader but he had fear and anxiety. In Exodus 3:11-12 we are told, “But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
In the New Testament Saul (Paul) had been a great persecutor of Christians and he had to face the reality of what his persecution when God met him on the Road to Damascus in Acts 9:1-6 “But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
Peter had promised to be faithful yet he denied Jesus three times. In Luke 22:56-62,
“Then a servant girl, seeing him (Peter) as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.”
Each of them suffered because of their failure and God forgave them. The truth is their suffering forced them to see their need for God/Jesus.
Their suffering brought them to a place where they realized they could not act on their own and they repented. Each person came to a point where they found hope and comfort from God/Jesus.
Each of us has a story to tell.
Even when we come to Jesus as a child, we realize our desire to have Jesus in our life. I was young when I turned to God and yet I knew I wanted Jesus in my life.
One of my children was extremely young when he turned to Jesus and knew he wanted Jesus in his life. He was so young that I didn’t understand how that could be true.
We had a visiting evangelist visit that Sunday and I asked him to speak with my son. After sitting with him the evangelist told me he was NOT too young and he fully understood what he wanted.
The evangelist them told me, “you need to have faith that God/Jesus can do anything.”
His words have stayed with me all the days of my life.
The lesson for me was, BELIEVE.
Believe that God cam do all things through Christ. In Philippians 4:13 the Apostle Paul wrote, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
By turning to Jesus we can do what God calls us to accomplish. We can BE the person Christ created us to BE. We do not do it on our own.
God/Jesus does it through us.
Spiritual Practice: Remember
Remember a time when you spiritually grew after a trial.
In God, Deborah
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