REMEMBER GOD’S RECORD

As you are growing into a Successful Sufferer, it will be important to remember your history with God. You may be a longtime believer in God who has an extended history of His grace and peace during your times of sufferings. You may be a new believer and think that you do not have a long enough history with God to give you strength during challenging times. Let me tell you that even when you were not faithful to God, God was faithful to you. We all have been through difficult and troubling experiences but God kept us.

When King David was a teenager, he understood the value of his history with God. Israel was at war with the Philistines. David’s father sent him to the military site to bring food to his brothers who were a part of the army. While David was there, he heard this massive Philistine, Goliath, provoking the armies of Israel. When David heard Goliath’s words, he wondered who dared to defy the armies of the living God. David, a shepherd, agreed to fight Goliath, a trained and equipped warrior. What gave David the confidence to fight when the men of Israel were hiding from Goliath? David had a history with God.

But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,  I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” (I Samuel 17:34-37).

God had delivered David and made him victorious time and time again. Therefore, David had the confidence to trust God against his largest opponent yet, Goliath. I have noticed in my walk with God that He reveals Himself to me personally through my sufferings. For example, just as I learn to trust Him as my Provider, I am then challenged to trust Him as my Comforter. God stretches my faith and understanding of Him through my sufferings.

It is important to focus on an aspect of God’s character as you are going through your trials (Healer, Provider, Peace, Righteous, Judge, Deliverer, Protector, Savior, etc.). When the Bible tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), it is referring to His character. While God’s methods may change, His character does not change. In order to become a Successful Sufferer, you must depend on His character and not become dependent on the methods.

During a famine, Elijah depended on God to provide for him. At God’s direction, Elijah went to the brook and was fed by ravens twice a day. Then, God gave Elijah instructions to go to a widow’s house where God provided for Elijah and her entire household. If Elijah would have become dependent on the brook, he would have starved along with the widow’s household (1 Kings 17:1-16). You will suffer if you are stuck on the how and not the Who.

What if after all that you have just read, you still believe that you are going through something that is so overwhelming that you do not have a history that has prepared you for it? I recommend that you borrow someone else’s history. The Bible is full of testimonies of those who have trusted God in their generation. Personal testimonies also are of great value because they help us to build each other’s faith in the God that we serve. We are able to share how God was in the midst of the storm with us and brought us through it. Everything about your history with God is preparing you for your future in Him.

I encourage you to think about the history that you have with God. What did you learn about His character in your prior seasons of suffering?

Continue this series with Part IV Check Your Theology

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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.