Being Like Him - a 40 Day Lenten Devotionalનમૂનો

Suffering

The way the early Church understood suffering is far from how we perceive suffering today. The suffering of Jesus was both physical and emotional. The early Church drew their inspiration from their Master’s suffering to which they were eyewitnesses. Did the family of Godhead plan suffering when they created mankind? The first blessing pronounced on mankind did not include any suffering. Suffering entered an otherwise perfect world as a result of sin. The pleasure of work turned into a fight for survival, child bearing and rearing turned into painful labor. The complementary partners turned against each other, the sibling rivalry instigated the first murder.

Suffering became the fabric of human life in this world. Adam and Eve were created to partner with God to steward and govern the world. However, after sin entered, restoration needed the Messiah to enter into suffering. The Godhead invites us who are redeemed to partner in this mission of redemption.

Suffering is part of the process of restoring and it is granted that we His disciples endure such suffering. Jesus himself said, to follow him meant to deny oneself and carry the cross. To partner with Christ also implies partnering with him in suffering. However, God does not abandon us to suffering, he promises to use our sufferings to refine us to be more like Him. It is only through the way of the cross that we bear much fruit.

To suffer like Christ is not an option for some rather a mandate for all believers of Jesus. It does sound tough, but it is not impossible to endure because Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to sustain and comfort us in our suffering. Peter reminds us that suffering and trials are only for a little while and we are called to rejoice in the suffering of Christ. He says, we will be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. He affirms suffering as a blessing. (1 Peter 4:13-14). How many times have we considered suffering for Christ as a blessing? Blessings these days are understood only in terms of wealth, health and happiness being in abundance. Blessings of that kind are short-lived and can often take us away from His purposes and His mission.

There are some lessons that suffering teaches which nothing else will. My brother-in-law, who died of cancer, shared his testimony on the day he died, about the way he had come to understand Christ in the 18 months of his sickness. He affirmed that he knew Christ like he never knew before. He resounded Paul’s words “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” Paul intentionally longs for Christ in His sufferings (Phil 3:10). God is looking for willing cross bearers!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for suffering the cross for us. Help us to fix our eyes on eternal glory and persevere through our present sufferings. Help us to know you more through our experiences. Help us to embrace the cross and not the cheaper gains of life, irrespective of our circumstances. In Jesus name, Amen.