PROPER PERSPECTIVE

I have to admit that I did not suffer gracefully through every trial.  There were times that I complained, shared my struggles with anyone who would listen, nobody knows the trouble I have seen, nobody knows my sorrows.  You get the picture.  I was miserable and likely made everyone around me miserable, too.  How can we learn to go from suffering like the Israelites (who constantly complained) to suffering like the Apostle Paul (who considered all of his suffering as light trouble)?  The first step of a Successful Sufferer is to have the proper perspective.

Suffering is a part of our inheritance as believers.  Jesus calls us into a life of trials, tribulations, and afflictions.  It would be wonderful to think that this life is only about blessings but our rewards are not of this world.  We have eternal rewards waiting for us.  Romans 8:16-17 reads, The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.  Because we are God’s children, and joint-heirs with Christ, we must endure suffering for righteousness sake to be glorified with Him.  No one gets a free pass. 

Jesus’ purpose on earth was not complete until He endured suffering.  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.  For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Hebrews 2:9-10). Wow! Since Jesus told us that the servants are not greater than their Lord, we need to strengthen our resolve to embrace godly suffering (John 15:20).

From the beginning of time, those who serve God have understood the blessing of suffering for Him. Time and time again, we read throughout the Bible, how they were threatened, beaten, killed, imprisoned, exiled, mocked, and persecuted. In Hebrews 11:38a, the Bible tells us that the world was not worthy of them. In Acts chapters 3-4, John and Peter healed a man who had been lame from birth. Then, they entered the Temple and began to teach about Jesus. As a result, they were imprisoned, threatened not to preach about Jesus again, and released. Do you know what their response was to being threatened? The church gathered and prayed for greater boldness to preach and miracles to confirm the Word.

The proper perspective of suffering begins when we are submitted to Christ. You submit to Christ’s will by allowing God to take the different areas of your life (talents, gifts, dreams, finances, relationships, education, and everything you are) to paint the picture that will bring Him the most glory. You must be willing to echo the writing of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. You can never suffer successfully if you are unwilling to surrender to God’s plan for you.

Are you still controlling your life that you said was surrendered to Him?

Continue this series with Part III Remember God’s Record

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Copyright 2020 T.L. Lockley. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.