Finding Purpose in Our Suffering

BROKEN

Our testimonies are birthed out of our suffering. When we are going through, it is difficult for us to wrap our hearts and minds around the fact that a God who loves us would allow this kind of pain to enter our lives. Without a doubt suffering is part of this journey.  As believers we have actually been called to suffer (Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth him out of them all - Ps 34:19; ...In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world - John 16:33b; My brethren count it all joy when ye fall in divers temptations - James1:2, If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him...II Tim 2:12).  Think about Job, God was the one who called Satan's attention to Job: And the Lord said unto to Satan Hast thou considered my servant Job - Job 1:8. Although we have been called to suffer, we still struggle with processing our pain.

We don't like it nor do we understand it, but when God allows heartache in our lives, we have to remember that God has a purpose for our suffering (I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living - Ps 27:13). Some suffering is designed to teach us things about the nature and character of God that can't be learned otherwise. Although we wish there was another way,  there are some things about Him we can't learn simply by going to Church and reading our Bibles, some lessons  can only be learned through suffering. Deep intimate knowledge of the Lord comes through our personal experience in the valley (Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me... - Ps 23:4a; That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering - Phil 3:10).  The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart - Ps 34:18a).  Job concluded that before he went through, and he really went through, he had heard about God, but after suffering He had personal knowledge and experience with Him (I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but mine eyes seeth thee - Job 42:5).  

When our heart aches, and we are overwhelmed we run to the Lord (From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I - Ps 61:2.)  We can't know that God is the God of all comfort unless we experience discomfort.  We can't discover that He is a present help in the time of trouble unless trouble enters our life. It takes lack in our life to know Him as Provider, and deprivation to know Him as Sustainer.  It is not until our backs are against the wall and we have run out of options that we learn to depend upon God.  Our prayers are even different when we are in pain. 

After suffering we come out with irrefutable evidence about the God we serve - our testimony.  We just have to hold on and keep crying out to Him until we get to the " after " part of our suffering: 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 - I Pet 5:10.  

still calling on His name,
Diane 

p.s. if you are going through keep crying out to Him and remember even though it may be hard, God is good and loves you with an everlasting love. Spend some time in Ps 61 and Ps 116. You may still be in your " a while" but when you get to your "after" you will be made perfect, you will be established, strengthened and settled.

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