Difficult things in life… We’ve had our fair share around the Crossroads Ministries office lately. I know you have, too. So that got me to thinking about suffering. As I started going through scriptures, I realized that God has a lot to say about it, too.
“When you walk through the valley, I will be there.” Did you catch that? When, not if, so there will be valleys in our lives. After all, it’s the very difficult things in our lives that God often uses to remind us that He is near. If there were no suffering, would we know what true joy is? The Apostle Paul got it when he said, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
Paul was a person, who for the sake of Christ, suffered. He also asked the Lord to remove the thorn that afflicted him, and three times God told Paul that His grace was enough to help Paul through the pain and suffering. God didn’t leave the thorn because he was mad at Paul, but because in Paul’s weakness, God’s strength was able to shine forth. That’s why Paul was able to say, “Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12)
God’s grace is enough because He has said He would share in the fellowship of our suffering. That’s a pretty heavy revelation. I think we all come to a point in life when, after having followed the detour signs on life’s journey for a while, we suddenly realize that the detour is the road that God had for us to follow all along. God remains faithful even when things don’t turn out the way we expected them to. We just have to be willing to offer complete surrender to God’s plans knowing that while we may bend, He won’t allow us to break.
I think that’s why the song “Blessings” by Laura Story speaks to me so deeply. She asks God, “What if the trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?” I’ve attached a link to the song below. I hope it ministers to you and challenges your way of thinking about suffering and about God’s blessings. The pain and suffering in this life only remind our hearts that this is not our home. “And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:2-4) We have HOPE… His name is Jesus.
“Blessings” by Laura Story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMeFzFUbmJo&feature=related
Crossroads Ministries USA
P.O. Box 62697
Colorado Springs, CO 80962
719-635-5767
http://www.crossroadsusa.org/ (Donate securely online)
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