The Power of Suffering
"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
- Romans 5:3-5
Romans 5:3-5 is a verse I have been working with a lot lately. It was the focal point for a study I just finished entitled "Looking for Lovely" by Annie F. Downs. If you have not read anything she has written, I recommend you try her.
Suffering. I don't know about you, but it seems to me there is a tremendous amount of this going on. Parents with sick children. Spouses losing their partner to illness and death. A pretty bleak picture of crime, anger, and violence in our world. We are bombarded with it every day.
Faced with devastating suffering, what do people typically do? The "bitter or better" saying we've all heard is surely true. But what does that look like? How can such devastating experiences make us better?
Looking for examples, I just googled the words "Inspirational stories of suffering". Wow. Did I read some stories. On one page, I read of parents losing a child through a babysitter's actions, parents losing children to drug addiction or anorexia, a child who suffered a stroke....story after story of tragedy followed by perseverance, character, and hope. I'd like to share one of those stories with you here. The story is found in the following link:
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/60.members.of.marguerite.barankitses.family.were.killed.but.she.chooses.forgiveness/88891.htm
Another article I read about this woman stated that during her torture her best friend's head was thrown in her lap.Wow. That's amazing. That's suffering, and that's rising up after it better, not bitter. You know, suffering is different for everyone. What might not cause pain and anguish for me could be devastating for someone else. We don't always understand the suffering of others. Sometimes its the apparent lack of suffering that confuses us also. Many parents who lose a child end up divorcing because of the difference in their reaction to this loss. Different ways of suffering.
I am fortunate. I have had little suffering in my life. What I have had, someone else might think was nothing to suffer over. But I suffered anyway. I can tell you what I found in my season of suffering. At the time, I wasn't sure I could survive. Not sure I wanted to. I felt as though a crushing weight was on me and would surely snuff out my ability to breathe. It was an effort to do anything....talk, eat, take care of personal hygiene. It overtook me suddenly, but it didn't go away suddenly. But the most amazing thing happened through that period in my life. It was then I found the power of the Holy Spirit everyone had been talking about . When you are at your lowest, when there is no other answer....no recourse....we are sometimes forced to acknowledge we can't do it alone. That we need a Savior to rescue us.
That's where I was those years ago. And when I finally did that- cried out to Jesus to take control- my life has never been the same . Perfect? Of course not. Content and held? Absolutely. He's in charge - and it's good. Really good.
Suffering comes to us all, in one way or another. We can be bitter or better. In my experience, the way to get to better is through the comfort of our Lord Jesus. It was the only way for me. If you know someone who'se suffering, point them in His direction. He has it all under control.
- Romans 5:3-5
Romans 5:3-5 is a verse I have been working with a lot lately. It was the focal point for a study I just finished entitled "Looking for Lovely" by Annie F. Downs. If you have not read anything she has written, I recommend you try her.
Suffering. I don't know about you, but it seems to me there is a tremendous amount of this going on. Parents with sick children. Spouses losing their partner to illness and death. A pretty bleak picture of crime, anger, and violence in our world. We are bombarded with it every day.
Faced with devastating suffering, what do people typically do? The "bitter or better" saying we've all heard is surely true. But what does that look like? How can such devastating experiences make us better?
Looking for examples, I just googled the words "Inspirational stories of suffering". Wow. Did I read some stories. On one page, I read of parents losing a child through a babysitter's actions, parents losing children to drug addiction or anorexia, a child who suffered a stroke....story after story of tragedy followed by perseverance, character, and hope. I'd like to share one of those stories with you here. The story is found in the following link:
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/60.members.of.marguerite.barankitses.family.were.killed.but.she.chooses.forgiveness/88891.htm
Another article I read about this woman stated that during her torture her best friend's head was thrown in her lap.Wow. That's amazing. That's suffering, and that's rising up after it better, not bitter. You know, suffering is different for everyone. What might not cause pain and anguish for me could be devastating for someone else. We don't always understand the suffering of others. Sometimes its the apparent lack of suffering that confuses us also. Many parents who lose a child end up divorcing because of the difference in their reaction to this loss. Different ways of suffering.
I am fortunate. I have had little suffering in my life. What I have had, someone else might think was nothing to suffer over. But I suffered anyway. I can tell you what I found in my season of suffering. At the time, I wasn't sure I could survive. Not sure I wanted to. I felt as though a crushing weight was on me and would surely snuff out my ability to breathe. It was an effort to do anything....talk, eat, take care of personal hygiene. It overtook me suddenly, but it didn't go away suddenly. But the most amazing thing happened through that period in my life. It was then I found the power of the Holy Spirit everyone had been talking about . When you are at your lowest, when there is no other answer....no recourse....we are sometimes forced to acknowledge we can't do it alone. That we need a Savior to rescue us.
That's where I was those years ago. And when I finally did that- cried out to Jesus to take control- my life has never been the same . Perfect? Of course not. Content and held? Absolutely. He's in charge - and it's good. Really good.
Suffering comes to us all, in one way or another. We can be bitter or better. In my experience, the way to get to better is through the comfort of our Lord Jesus. It was the only way for me. If you know someone who'se suffering, point them in His direction. He has it all under control.
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