06/14/2024
Today I encourage you to read through Romans 12; this is a wonderful chapter that tells us how to live each day as Christians. Among instructions such as feeding the hungry and blessing those who persecute us, there is a short little verse that instructs us to constantly pray during our times of trouble. Praying without ceasing is an important theme, and there is another short verse in 1st Thessalonians that tells us the same thing. This verse in Romans instructs us to “be constant in prayer”, and both are repeated biblical reminders of an important message regarding our prayer life… live in constant prayer.
“Pray without ceasing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
Romans 12:12 ESV
Pastor E.M. Bounds spoke on this subject as well when he said of God; "He wants us to carry everything to Him in prayer. And trouble in any form tends to do this very thing, for this is the end and aim of trouble. This is its work." Isn't it interesting how tribulation is so directly associated with God? When good things occur in our lives we are more inclined to take responsibility for them, but let the least of troubles come and we are on our knees in prayer. I have thought about this often and come to the conclusion that tribulation is indeed a lesson of faith and that good things are its reward.
Bounds goes on to say that "God's highest aim in dealing with His people is to develop a Christian character in them." He then names some of the Christian virtues detailed in Romans 12. These are a few of the subjects of our daily spiritual lessons (patience, meekness, submission to His will). When trouble comes our way it has at its heart a truth about our Christian walk; it includes a valuable lesson in faith… and we will discover it if we will stop moaning long enough to seek it out.
When I was a freshman in high school I broke my jaw playing football. It was immediately painful, and the healing process long; as a matter of fact I am now in my seventies and still dealing with its ramifications, but it was also filled with incredible lessons of faith. One of the immediate lessons was how to suffer.
Suffering doesn't sound like a Godly lesson, but it is, we are taught how to deal with pain and not blame God. And, as our lesson progresses, we are taught to praise Him despite the pain and suffering. Perseverance, patience, letting God sooth us... These are some of our many lessons wrapped up in suffering.... Then there are the ancillary lessons for those around us that come as a result of our suffering. People are allowed to serve us in kindness, pray for us in Intercessory prayer, feed us when we can't feed ourselves, and give us comfort when the pain becomes too great. Our suffering becomes their lesson, and blesses them as well.
Have you ever stopped to think of someone else's tribulation as being your lesson in faith? My wife and I were driving to the airport where she was taking a flight. On the way we stopped at a traffic light and a disheveled man came to my window asking me to buy a paper from him. He was down on his luck and trying to make ends meet, and we pass others just like him on street corners every day. I bought one of his papers knowing that I would probably never read it, but that this act helped him to feed himself, and reinforced his human dignity. As he said "God bless you" and began to turn away, he asked me what time it was; I told him and we went on our way. Ann spoke up as I drove off and said that when she returned from her trip she was going to buy him a watch so that he could tell time... she felt that a watch was a basic need she could provide him. Two lessons in faith as the result of someone else's suffering... Nothing monumental you say? Well, who's to say but God?
This morning when we pray let's ask the Lord to reveal the truths contained in not only our own problems, but the lessons He can teach us through the suffering of those around us. Let's make today our day of enlightenment, the day when "love thy neighbor as thyself" takes on a whole new meaning; one that includes empathy in the suffering of others, and through its extension, let’s look for the lessons in faith that are there for us.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the lessons we learn though our suffering, and the suffering of those around us. Thank you for teaching us to seek you in our own storms of life, and to receive the blessings that we find when we help, and show mercy, to others in theirs. Thank you for the power of your Word Father as it comforts us, and instructs us in how to walk with you in the many valleys of despair we pass through. Only you know what today holds for us, but one thing we are certain of Father is that you will be here with us and that we will be learning through constant prayer to be more like you in goodness, mercy, kindness, and your many other uplifting characteristic. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who is with us always, and who never abandons us in either the good, or terrible, times of life. We praise you I the storms, and love you with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, because from you flows mercy, grace, and every good thing. You pour out the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ from every cup of suffering, and allow us to feed His body to all those around us who hunger. You calm the storms, and settle the raging seas of life, and we honor and give you glory for each one, and every pain we have encountered, because you are there to not only soothe us, but show us righteousness and holiness in it. We walk with you through the valley of the shadow of death, but on the far side we emerge full of life, and that much closer to eternity with you. Hear us Father as we pray throughout our days and seek you always in what you do in our lives, and that you allow us to do in the lives of others. We love you Abba, and seek to glorify you always, whether in storm, or on the brightest day... blessed are you.
Amen!
Rich Forbes