Suffer Well, the Promise is on the Way!

Suffer Well

God isn’t moved by our emotions, he is moved by our faith and trust in Him. So many times when we go through a situation, we cry, we plead, we vent our frustration towards him when that has never been a means to get his attention.  “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”— Hebrews 11:6. If you believe God exists, then you believe he is not a man that shall lie and that every promise ends with a yes and an Amen. Throughout scripture he urges us to trust him. Our trust cannot be contingent upon our circumstances, that would contradict the very essence of faith. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”-Hebrews 11:1. Now Faith, not later Faith, but believing what God can do in the future despite what we see in our present. Faith isn’t based on the reality of what we see, but on the unimaginable potential of what we don’t. That is why he tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”-Proverbs 3:5-6-The reason why we waiver in faith is because we don’t trust God, because we want to understand instead, as if understanding what God is doing is going to make us trust him more. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”-Isaiah 55:8–9. It doesn’t make sense to trust God in some of the most darkest, uncertain, and frustrating circumstances, and we begin to try to make sense of it, all that is when our faith begins to Crumble. Suffering is the fruit of the spirit, and it is equally as important as the other 8 characteristics of God, that’s why it’s called Fruit and not “Fruits”. They all work hand-in-hand together. You cannot suffer well without patience. You cannot practice patience without the peace of God, the peace of God requires you to practice self-control, denying your emotions, but counting everything joy, not allowing your flesh to overpower your gentleness and kindness when experiencing frustration in uncertain times, goodness keeps you from taking matters into your own hands, and faithfulness gives you the strength to endure while waiting on God, and love ties it all together because if we love God, then we’ll do what he commands. God warns us that our faith will be tested. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.-1 Peter 1:7. Notice that the scripture says when your faith remain strong through many trials the praise and the glory and the honor will be revealed the day that Christ comes , so this is a lifelong journey of being tested. It’s not a one time thing that’s why the Bible says. If you want to be my disciples, you must deny yourself pick up your cross and follow me. Suffering is supposed to bring us closer to Jesus, not pull us away. It is not meant for us to question God, but to thank God that we get to partake in his glory. Because those who suffer with Christ will also reign with Christ. He even tells us if we are called to suffer to suffer well. Suffering is not meaningless. It is an opportunity for God to build our character and often times it is a test of our heart to see where we truly stand in our faith. So if you’re going through a season of suffering, and you’re feeling the refining fire, and it seems too much to bare, remember God is pushing you to be more like Jesus, and ultimately Jesus died for us, so we have to die daily, because the flesh in the spirit are constantly at war with each other. I encourage you with these words. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.-Joshua 1:3

Dear Heavenly Father thank you that I get to partake in a cup of suffering with you, that in my suffering, I get to know you in a way that comfort could never show me. Increase my faith during times of trials, and show me where I need to improve to be more Christlike. Thank you for the refining fire that removes the impurities that keep me from being holy. Today I rejoice in my suffering, for I know that it pleases you, for it is the very expression of faith that moves you, and if I want anything from you, I have to believe that you are who you say you are, every bit of your word and not only what pleases me. For my life was bought with the price. So today I present myself a living sacrifice, acceptable, and pleasing to you. Thank you that your power is made perfect in my weakness and through my suffering. I can experience a supernatural strength. In Jesus name. Amen