Do you see suffering as a gift?
You answer to this like mine was probably “heck no”. We as Americans are in heavy pursuit of pleasure and our own comfort. As believers though, we are called to be citizens of a different world with different priorities and realities. One of the different priorities is God’s glory over our comfort. Somehow in our sinful nature we have even figured out how to pervert the gospel to make it about us.
“Jesus is here to make us happy, healthy, and rich. We use the bible as list of promises that we can get if we just follow the right methods. When bad things happen we throw our hands up to God and scream why as if we are owed something because we are His children.”
As a parent you meet your kids needs and then some and what do they do? They throw a fit because they want more. They don’t need more, they want more. What do we call this when our children do this?
SPOILED
Philippians 1:29-30
29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
We are often spoiled as western Christians thinking God owes us more and more. Here Paul speaks of two blessings, we, as children of God have been granted. One we would all agree is a blessing. We all agree that it is a blessing to be allowed to believe in Jesus. Because of our sins we deserved eternal damnation in Hell and yet God sent His Son to suffer and dies for us so we could believe and be forgiven. The second thing we were granted leaves us scratching our heads. We have been granted the ability to suffer for Christ. What? Hold up, that doesn’t make sense. I though Christianity was the path to blessings. It is but God’s ways are not our ways and suffering for Christ is a blessing. Why, because we are not here to seek pleasure and glory. We are here to honor God and bring Him glory. Suffering through persecution brings glory to God and draws us closer to Him.
If you refuse to see this as a blessing and you are unwilling to accept it you need to examine your faith and ask yourself if you are following the gospel of Jesus Christ or the gospel of self.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Do you see suffering as a gift?
Do you see suffering as a gift?
You answer to this like mine was probably “heck no”. We as Americans are in heavy pursuit of pleasure and our own comfort. As believers though, we are called to be citizens of a different world with different priorities and realities. One of the different priorities is God’s glory over our comfort. Somehow in our sinful nature we have even figured out how to pervert the gospel to make it about us.
“Jesus is here to make us happy, healthy, and rich. We use the bible as list of promises that we can get if we just follow the right methods. When bad things happen we throw our hands up to God and scream why as if we are owed something because we are His children.”
As a parent you meet your kids needs and then some and what do they do? They throw a fit because they want more. They don’t need more, they want more. What do we call this when our children do this?
SPOILED
Philippians 1:29-30
29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
We are often spoiled as western Christians thinking God owes us more and more. Here Paul speaks of two blessings, we, as children of God have been granted. One we would all agree is a blessing. We all agree that it is a blessing to be allowed to believe in Jesus. Because of our sins we deserved eternal damnation in Hell and yet God sent His Son to suffer and dies for us so we could believe and be forgiven. The second thing we were granted leaves us scratching our heads. We have been granted the ability to suffer for Christ. What? Hold up, that doesn’t make sense. I though Christianity was the path to blessings. It is but God’s ways are not our ways and suffering for Christ is a blessing. Why, because we are not here to seek pleasure and glory. We are here to honor God and bring Him glory. Suffering through persecution brings glory to God and draws us closer to Him.
If you refuse to see this as a blessing and you are unwilling to accept it you need to examine your faith and ask yourself if you are following the gospel of Jesus Christ or the gospel of self.
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