Better than good greetings, in Jesus’ most colourful name!
I bring you the better than good news of the Kingdom today, in the conclusion of Thursday’s Your Blessing Today…
Why Do People, particularly Christians, Suffer?
From Scriptural expositions, it is clear that people suffer because of four main factors:
1. Sin, its consequences & unrepented sin – Proverbs 13.15(KJV):
That was the access Satan had against the children of Job, even though their dad was always sacrificing on their behalf but you see, people grow to the age when they are expected to accept responsibility.
Nevertheless, in our Lord Jesus, our good & wonderful heavenly Father has given us the room for repentance, so that we can obtain mercy & prosper in life, & also escape the sufferings & shame the enemy has programmed against us – 1 John 1.9; Proverbs 28.13.
“Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard“.
Sin is transgressing, going against the law, set rules & constituted authority.
It is act of lawlessness, disorderliness, & as you know, pain, suffering is the natural consequence of disorder – 1 John 3.4(KJV):
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law“.
1 John 3.4(Amplified version):
“Everyone who commits (practices) sin is guilty of lawlessness; for [that is what] sin is, lawlessness (the breaking, violating of God ‘s law by transgression or neglect – being unrestrained and unregulated by His commands and His will)”.
1 Peter 2.20(Amplified version):
“[After all] what kind of glory [is there in it] if, when you do wrong and are punished for it, you take it patiently? But if you bear patiently with suffering [which results] when you do right and that is undeserved, it is acceptable and pleasing to God”.
2. Ignorance – Hosea 4.6(KJV):
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children“.
Hosea 4.6(New Living Translation):
“My people are being destroyed
because they don’t know me.
Since you priests refuse to know me,
I refuse to recognize you as my priests.
Since you have forgotten the laws of your God,
I will forget to bless your children“.
Hosea 4.6(Message Bible):
“My people are ruined
because they don’t know what’s right or true.
Because you’ve turned your back on knowledge,
I’ve turned my back on you priests.
Because you refuse to recognize the revelation of God,
I’m no longer recognizing your children”.
Job’s case was that of ignorance, thinking all the while that God was the source of his afflictions, not knowing that God was actually making His boast in Job to Satan.
If he had known that Satan was the author of that harassment, he would have revolted against him.
Blessed be our Father God, Who in His faithfulness restored him twice!
I heard someone say that if you think knowledge is expensive, then try ignorance.
You can’t use what you don’t know to your advantage!
John 8.32,36(KJV):
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free“.
[36]”If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed“.
Time alone doesn’t get things better, it takes time working harmoniously with truth for things to get better!
3. Choice – Hebrews 11.35-38(KJV):
[35]”Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection”:
[36]”And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment”:
[37]”They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented“;
[38]“(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth“.
Some Christians chose to suffer, either for the sake of the choice & suffering, like Paul the Apostle, who believes that the balance of the sufferings of Christ must show in his life particularly to the Gentiles, to whom he was sent – Colossians 1.24; or they didn’t have adequate & sufficient faith to handle the situations.
4. When they’re punished wrongly – 1 Peter 2.20(KJV):
“For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God“.
However, in spite of all the factors stated earlier, Christians aren’t to suffer in life!
For instance, Daniel, Shedrach, Meshach & Abednego are good & worthy references as noted in Daniel 3; & 6.
Nevertheless, in whatever state of suffering a christian may find himself/herself, there’s always the way out!
I love the way Apostle Peter puts it in 1 Peter 5.10(KJV):
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you“.
Beloved, did you see & read that?
“…after that ye have suffered a while“,…
The suffering isn’t meant to continue!
Every drug has export date set by the manufacturer.
The believer is permitted to determine when the suffering expires.
Scriptures say it is for “a while”.
The believer determines that “a while”!
In the case of Shedrach, Meshach & Abednego, it was instantly!
Our Lord Jesus was already waiting for them as they had rightly declared!
In the case of Daniel, it was just overnight!
I’m these two cases, no hurt was found on their bodies!
The manifest Presence of God in Christ Jesus & the angels were actually manifesting!
If it so happened to them in the old covenant, how much more those of us in the new covenant?
Our Lord Jesus, the Mediator of this new covenant gave us a perfect example to follow.
Until He had to go to the cross & be humiliated for Our sins & the consequences which He carried in His body & ultimately made Him to give up His spirit, He was unassailable always to Satan, his powers of darkness, their agents & evil works!
Well, of course, He suffered also through the mental agony of being rejected by His own.
Apart from these two aspects, there was no account of suffering against Him.
He never lacked, rather was providing for people.
He was never sick, rather was healing the sick.
He was never involved in any form of accident, rather He was always showing up to give deliverance.
Attempts were made to kill Him earlier than scheduled but they were all futile.
He was just in perfect control of life & He told us that as the Father has sent Him, so also has He sent us into this world – John 17.18; 20.21.
In fact, He specifically prayed that the Father shouldn’t take us out of this world but He should keep us from the evil in the world – John 17.15-16,20 – so that we can adequately & appropriately represent Him!
You’ll truly fulfil the Word of God & also your workmanship in Jesus, apace, with peace & ease, in a very grand style & colours, in Jesus’ most colourful name!
Beloved, you & I in Jesus don’t belong to this world, so we’re not to suffer what the world suffers rather as ambassadors of Christ, we’re to be inhibited & unhindered with our limitless ability in making this world a better place – 2 Corinthians 5.20; John 3.8;
Isaiah 9.7; & Acts 13.36.
Any area of life that the wicked one & his agents are attempting to force suffering on you, rise up in the Word by the helps of the Holy Spirit & search out the truth for the way out – 1 Corinthians 2.9-10; 2 Timothy 2.15.
Look at how Jesus did it – Hebrews 12.2, & follow His example.
Look at how Daniel, Shedrach, Meshach & Abednego did it & follow suit – Hebrews 6.12.
Pray in tongues over your discoveries & allow the Holy Spirit move you through & over those seemingly impossible circumstances – Habakkuk 3.17; 1 Corinthians 12.7-10.
As you pray for grace to take Scriptural steps out of those prisons of life, plead the blood of Jesus for your deliverance into the better than good life which Jesus came, suffered, died, rose up & went to the Father’s right side for you to enjoy – Hebrews 12.24; Revelation 12.11; Hebrews 6.9; Romans 8.32; Revelation 5.12; Hebrews 12.28.
Our God, our Lord Jesus, our Lord Holy Spirit have not changed but They change terrible situations to fantastic & glorious stories – Malachi 3.6; Hebrews 13.8; 9.14.
Don’t be complacent about it & be unwavering in your hot love & pursuit of our Father God & our LORD Jesus – Romans 8.37-39; Revelation 2.4-5.
Rise up & go out every day, focused on Jesus & your assignment in faith, love & hope, full of joy & gladness, knowing that the whole of heaven has mobilised on your behalf, already – Revelation 6.2; Psalm 27.1-3; Hebrews 13.5-6.
Don’t let your faith fail, build & strengthen it in the Word of God, praying in the Holy Ghost, getting testimonies of those who have Scriptural proofs – both in the Word & our contemporary days – Luke 22.31-32; Jude 1.20; Romans 8.26-29;
Keep your spirit & soul high in God’s love & your body & life will keep going up – Jude 1.20-21; Revelation 2.4-5; Matthew 22.37-40; John 14.21,23.
Oh, beloved, I’ve made up my mind, as I’ve seen in Scriptures & in the lives of those who have gone ahead of me, & as the Holy Spirit is lifting me on, that by His grace, I’m going to become who He has ordained me to be in Jesus without hurts Joel 2.7-11(KJV); Ephesians 2.10(Amplified version):
[7]”They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks”:
[8]”Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded”.
[9]”They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief”.
[10]”The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining”:
[11]”And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it”?
Ephesians 2.10(Amplified version):
“For we are God ‘s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]”.
The above is for each & every one of us in His body – Colossians 2.19(Amplified version):
“And not holding fast to the Head, from Whom the entire body, supplied and knit together by means of its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God”.
Beloved, you’ll grow with the growth that’s from God, in Jesus’ most colourful name!
Be BLESSED with better than good testimonies, in Jesus’ most colourful name!
PEACE!
JESUS IS LORD!