Suffering in Christ is not Suffering for the Sake of Suffering
/I wrote this on 24th July, 2010, as an e-mail to my beloved brother and close friends, but thought someone else might benefit from it. Bless you.
This has been my challenge for many years, as a Christian - knowing that suffering is an understood part of our journey can often lead us to believe that all suffering is something we have to "stay under". We are all taught to overlook this, but
suffering is not something Christ calls us to do blindly.
If you're in a bad situation - being abused at home/work, under an oppressive political leader - He never said the 'rule of thumb' is to take it! The only rules are love, faith and obedience of Christ!
Sources (left to right):
http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1415/5169438714_903a0ef9f7_z.jpg | http://www.pinterest.com/pin/258394097345108483/
It is through prayerful consideration, guidance from the Holy Spirit and confirmation through sound Christian counsel, that you make that decision. If He says stay, that your 'work or learning is not finished here yet', then you're called to endure it by Him; you're backed by His strength. If He's telling you leave, and others 'in Christ' or anywhere tell you stay, He is to be honoured above all men. If you don't know, but you're dying, I'd say it's safe to leave. Don't sit there, however, and tell everyone (leading them astray) that you are suffering for God's glory, if you are being disobedient in the very act of suffering; it will only harm you and those you advise to do the same.
If He says love others as you love yourself, then you must first love yourself! You only learn how to do that when He fills you with His love.
Suffering for the sake of it, apart God's purpose in Christ and Holy Spirit for you, is neither love nor obedience. 1 Peter seems to be the word on this, but in reading I'm sure you will find the other sources.
1 Peter 2:18-19, ESV "18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly." - not 'mindful of suffering before men'.
1 Peter 2:23, ESV "When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly." - not entrusting himself to man.
1 Peter 3:17, ESV "For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil." - suffer if it is God's will.
He is only glorified in your suffering
if your suffering is His will,
because it is actually testing you if you suffer in obeying Him (
:12-13, ESV). Suffering otherwise just erodes your Spirit's strength, because you aren't leaning on God anymore if you're out of His will.
Food for thought (FFT), right? Hope this helps you to learn to hear God's voice more, daily, trusting Him, living for Him, rather than following traditions blindly.
[
Note:
Timelines got messed up. This post was created in 2013, and the image added on March 25th, 2014.]
