09/29/2019
Do you find yourself coming to God, and Jesus Christ only when you are suffering? Did you accept Jesus, and God in the midst of a crisis? Perhaps your faith is more pronounced when you are hurting? Sometimes it takes calamity to bring us to our knees, and to strengthen our faith through fervent prayer. Do you wait for those times before praying earnestly? Do you feel abandoned by God or more alive in Him when you suffer? Troubles come to sinners, and righteous alike... are you prepared?
“The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”
Psalms 34:17 KJV
When our hearts and spirits are completely broken, and we are spiritually destitute, there is nothing that stands between us and God any longer. In this state our prideful spirit is humbled, and the path to the Cross of Jesus, and the footstool of God, is made straight. Suddenly our grandiose vision of ourselves fades away, and we see the true nature of God’s mercy and greatness. Our contrition is made perfect in our brokenness, and our prayers flow to Him freely like sweet smelling oil.
“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Psalms 34:18 KJV
Suffering, pain, and the torments of life, are not limited to the unrighteous. Believers suffer as well. The difference is in where we go for comfort, and deliverance... and how quickly we do so. As men and women of faith we are afflicted, but our faith overcomes our dependence on the world, and ourselves. Through adversity we are brought to our prayer closets more quickly. We know from whence our help comes, and unlike those who are completely painted with unrighteousness, we readily call out in the name of Jesus in absolute contrition. We lay our troubles before the Lord, and ask wholeheartedly for forgiveness and help.
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”
Psalms 34:19 KJV
We may be scourged, or beaten by life, and to the spiritually untrained, the unfaithful, it will appear that we are no better than any of the agnostics, or atheists. To the mob gathered on Calvary Jesus looked just like the two thieves that hung on crosses beside Him, but He was not. Though He suffered as they did He was much different... He offered up His life, and it was not taken from Him. At the end of the day these two criminals would have their legs broken as a means of speeding them to their death, but our Lord Jesus was spared that one last indignity and pain... He gave up His Spirit.
“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”
Luke 23:46 KJV
As believers we pick up our cross and follow Him, and in so doing we suffer, but through our faith we are also spared certain indignities as He was. It may look the same to those around us, but we know differently.
“He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.”
Psalms 34:20 KJV
Evil does not take our final breath, and it doesn’t freely lord over our suffering. Though the righteous might appear to be punished as the wicked are, we are not, and though our stripes look the same, our nail holes appear alike, and the blood we bleed is just as red on the ground around us, there is a life in us that can’t be quenched... we are not left desolate, and without hope. We take solace in our faith, and, as an old hymn says... “there ain’t no ground that can hold our bodies down.”
“Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.”
Psalms 34:21 KJV
Our suffering perfects our faith, and insures our forgiveness through the mercy of God, and His grace that flows through Jesus. We know where to turn for help and healing, but if our misery should lead us, by God’s will, to death, we hold tight to our faith, and know without a doubt that eternity awaits us. We are redeemed, and our treasure awaits us in heaven. “O death where is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:55)
“The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.”
Psalms 34:22 KJV
The question today isn’t whether you will suffer, but where that suffering will lead you, and what you expect from it as a man or woman of faith. Will your heartbreak also break your spirit, or give hope to you and your loved ones?
Prayer:
Father, we thank you for being with us in the midst of our suffering, and for soothing our brokenness by refreshing our spirit. Thank you Holy Father for your Son Jesus Christ who teaches us what it means to humbly maintain our faith, and obedience to you, while in the midst of great earthly travail. We thank you for your Holy Word that tells us what we are to expect when we are at last before your throne in heaven. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God whose mercy is unending, and whose grace abounds through Christ. Praised be your name as you comfort us, heal us, save us, and bring us to be with you in eternity. Great is your name and strong is your right arm that defeats every evil that would slay us. All glory is yours Lord in the amazing grace that flows over us through your Son Jesus! There is none like you, and your will for us, even in our suffering, is perfect, and good. Hallowed be thy name; now and forevermore.
“In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.”
Psalms 31:1-5 KJV
Rich Forbes