Our theme and the main focus of July have been earthly sufferings. We have explored the truths of Scripture by examining the suffering in the life of Joseph, the Old Testament Patriarch. Through this, we were able to answer questions, find encouragement and walk away with Biblical reminders. If you haven't read these, I would encourage you to do so by visiting the links at the bottom of the page.
Some takeaways from the past several weeks are:
Because of the fall of man and the original sin in Genesis 3, suffering in this broken world is inevitable –for the believers and the nonbelievers.
Suffering does not always mean that you have sinned or done wrong.
Trusting God in our pain doesn’t depend on our understanding of it.
God can use the suffering in our lives to discipline and teach us.
Christians do NOT suffer without hope. We know that while we may endure trials here, there will come a day when they will cease. God's perfect Creation will be restored and there we will dwell with Him where tears, pain, and suffering will NOT exist.
So until then...
in the waiting...
what do we do?
WE HAVE FAITH, WE TRUST, AND
"We do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
And knowing this, we honor God in the midst of our pain by intentionally disciplining ourselves to learn, grow and rest in Jesus in order to become a better reflection of Him to the broken world around us.
The series will conclude this week with tangible, helpful ways to apply these truths by resting in the arms of our Redeemer.
Biblical Application and Ways for Christians
TO HONOR GOD IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING
PRAY
Intentionally spend time in prayer and ask God that He would examine your heart and your life to see if there is any sin in your life that is contributing to your suffering. Ask that He would convict your heart of any wrongs, that he would give you the wisdom to recognize it and then the strength to turn away from it. Psalm 139
Pray for others around you that may be walking in sin. While this is their sin and they are ultimately the ones that have to repent it, the consequences of it can affect the lives of others for generations to come. And as followers of Christ, we are to love others by praying for them and pointing them to Christ.
STUDY Nothing brings more clarity or comfort to those that are walking through trials and hardships than the unchanging truth of God’s Word. These consistent daily reminders keep our hearts set on Him instead of the pain we are facing. So, spend time in your Bible, reading and learning. And then use this knowledge to apply to your life and circumstances.
MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE Find Bible verses that speak to your heart during these sufferings. Memorize them so that you will always have them to repeat to yourself or pray back to God when you are in the midst of a struggle. Joshua 1:8
SPEND TIME ALONE WITH GOD: The world that we live in is often busy and hectic. This pace can lead us to feel overwhelmed and exhausted. In times that we feel this, it’s a struggle to deal with the difficulty of the regular everyday events, much less tragedy and affliction. Schedule days that you intentionally step away to a quiet place to spend time with Jesus. During this time, you can pray, read your Bible, enjoy His creation, and rest.
FIND TRUSTED ACCOUNTABILITY: Having other Christians to walk through life with is a gift. Make sure that you have at least one person that gives you the freedom to speak God’s truth into your life and hold you accountable in your obedience to His Will.
READ THE PREVIOUS JULY POSTS:
WEEK 1: WHY IS THERE SUFFERING
WEEK 2: 3 THINGS TO REMEMBER IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING
WEEK 3: Q&A - WHY IS THERE SUFFERING
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