Suffering

Much of what I have been reading lately has been reminding me that suffering is a necessary part of our life and Christian growth.  If we never endured suffering, we would be weak, soft, and immature.  Suffering produces strength, consistency, persistence, endurance, and character in us as beleivers that we would othewise not have.  This is rarely pleasant or fun, but it is essential to the lfie of the beleiver. 

 

Perhaps this is the reason God is allowing our nation to be headed in the direction that it is.  For far too long, we have had it easy as the church.  We have had the freedom and comfort of being able to worship Him as we will.  We have met with little opposition and it has had little or no cost to us. We have gotten soft and we have allowed worldly influences to creep in our lives and our churches.  We have allowed unbeleivers to come into our churches and proclaim they are Chrisitans and become members.  We have loosened our standards of Christian maturity and growth and sought only to be comfortable and have the easy life.  It is time for our churches to be purged and cleaned. 

 

I was informed by a member of my church this past Sunday that some states have already begun to pass the Hate Speech Bill that prohibits anyone from speaking out against Homosexuality.   Meaning, pastors can now be arrested for preaching out against homosexuality from the pulpit in some states.  The moves and direction we see President Obama taking is certainly not in favor of the church.  While he is not the anti-Christ of Revelation necessarily, he is a anti-Christ.  He cares not for God or His church and will see an increased attack against the church.

 

Suffering may become even more familiar to each of us as believers before the year 2010 is over.  In one way, we need to thank God for the opportunity that He is giving for us to be strengthed and purged as a church.  We need to look at suffering as He does; a method and means by which His bride, the church, is brought to strength and maturity and a wholeness and soundness of Christ-like character. 

 

Even as I write this, I dread the reality that suffering is already in our lives and may yet be coming in greater levels.  Yet, I pray that when it hits me personally, I can see it through His eyes and gladly, willingly, and boldly accept it and strive for God's will to be accomplished through it.  I pray that is my attitude.  No biblical attribute or virtue was every attained without opposition, struggle, or suffering.  The Fruit of the Spirit grows the best and the strongest through oppostition and suffering.  The attributes and character qualities are most clearly revealed through opposition and suffering.  It is a necessary evil that we must face if we desire to be Christ-like in every aspect of our lives. 

 

So, in the words of Steven Curtis Chapmans song, "Bring it On."