He says that God came down to become like us. But the reason for His coming down was not to stay down. It was to rise back up with us, to make us like Him. That's an important thing to realize regarding suffering.
As followers of Jesus, we are not impervious to suffering. In fact, we're pretty much guaranteed to suffer. "Take up your cross and follow Me" does not mean living an easy, cushy life. It will often entail suffering.
But the suffering is not the point. It's not the goal. The suffering is for a purpose that is greater than the pain itself. It's to make us more like Jesus. It's to teach us things... like patience, and kindness. The Bible says that whoever suffers in the body is through with sin. So you can see that suffering plays a purifying role in our lives.
God never brings us to suffering just for suffering's sake. He always brings us to it... to bring us through it and on to something far better. If you're suffering now, don't be afraid. He won't leave you there. He will bring you through it to a place so much better that your present suffering will seem like nothing in comparison.
God, thank You for bringing us through it.
1 comment:
Amen
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