Lenten Devotional, Day 38: Suffering 101
Dear Saints,
The Scriptures for Friday are Psalm 31, Job 13:13–19, Philippians 1:21–30.
THEOLOGY & TREASURES OF SUFFERING:
There are certain treasures found in suffering and mostly only there. I can explain.
What I'm sharing is not study. These Lenten discursives are experiential. They are ‘living understanding’ as it were. And I truly know a few secrets about suffering, if you will hear me out.
In the Reading today Job disclosed a sober, abject reality: “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him.” (Job 13:15). And then we were exhorted by Paul: “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake (Philippians 1:29).
I know: Perish the thought; God wouldn't do that. I understand. Most of us modern Pentecostals & Evangelicals & Non-denominationals have no answer for those Verses and a hundred more like them (e.g. 2 Timothy 3:2, John 15:18–20, 1 Peter 4:12–13, Acts 14:22, 1 John 3:13, 1 Peter 2:20–21, Matthew 10:22, Luke 6:22, Revelation 2:10, Romans 8:35–39, 2 Timothy 1:12, 1 Peter 1:6, etc.). Indeed, we mostly get to fly over them anyway, except in rare cases when the Bible is preached/studied “line upon line, precept upon precept.” (Isaiah 28:10).
I take no delight in disabusing us of a no-suffering faith and so wish to proceed kindly. I love such earnest blissfulness. That said in order to move on to suffering's trove, let me first quote Jesus concerning Paul: “For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of My name.” (Acts 9:16).
I really do not care to be difficult. So notwithstanding, let's forget causes of suffering and simply concede that it exists sometimes. Now there are rare finds to be found in times of suffering. I will touch upon a few, though there are many more uncommon graces beyond our scope today. I'll focus only on personal, devotional, inward discoveries as per Lent.
#5. “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your Word.” (Psalm 119:67).
Why suffering? It has a powerful sanctifying effect. O it can be a teacher, yea discipler. At sixty-one, I sometimes can learn from the examples of others, but let me say it has been my own ditches that taught me to avoid distracted footslogging and to keep it between the lines, more than the off-road debacles & crashes of others.
#4. “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.” (Revelation 3:19). And again: “The LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.” (Proverbs 3:12).
Why suffering? It is a severe, urgent reminder of being His beloved and ‘legally’ adopted child. God and mom both had this way of showing love. I'd ask: ‘Why don't so-and-so ever get it.’ Answer: ‘Because they are not my child.’ Somehow a disciplinary suffering has taught me: God is not willingly that I perish (Proverbs 19:18).
#3. “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.” (2 Corinthians 12:7).
Why suffering? It is soo humbling, even if the suffering is from a purely righteous place. Paul, even by secular historians, is often considered a top-five-ever world changer and intellect. You know the expression—out over his skis—as I sometimes do in these blathers. Well, God had a way of keeping Paul from getting out over the cross (1 Corinthians 1:18, 2:2, Galatians 6:14). Christ died on the cross, but He gave Paul a splinter of one that kept him calling out for: Grace, grace, sufficient grace!
#2. “For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:8–9).
Why suffering? It bears the gift of dependency. Now most will retort: ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ God does help the diligent who look to Him for help (Philippians 2:12–13, Colossians 1:29, 1 Corinthians 15:10). But suffering (even that form called the discipline of fasting) creates a quick-twitch-muscle memory called: I am a created being wholly & lovingly dependant on my Creator. Note to self: It is costly to get the two confused! No playing Pinocchio!
#1. “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the FELLOWSHIP of sharing in His sufferings.” (Philippians 3:10).
One…that Verse is ‘nuts.’ And Paul literally prayed for it!!! I'm not there, but…
Why suffering? It is always and by definition a call/invitation to intimacy. I can think of five crushing seasons when God was soo-soo near (2 Timothy 4:16–17, Psalm 34:18). How to say it? I remember coming out of those times of aching desperation. Times I thought would never end. But they did (how is for another time). Anyway, this was always my thought:
Father, I would NEVER choose that again—please No! But now that I'm on the other side I'm desperate to feel that NEARNESS again—please Yes! There is a near from God in suffering that I've never been able to replicate in normal times.
Like any treasures, the five above are of inestimable value, hence costly and costly both (if ya know what I mean).
Dear God, I am NO glutton for suffering. But when it comes, I grab every jewel i find ‘digging’ my way out. Again, the-how for another time.
The Only Best in/is Christ,
tIM