Staying Christian in Suffering

All my life I have gone through pain...it is one after another. I used to think God just punished me or wanted me to suffer, but yesterday God has started doing something in my heart: He showed me how much He is for me. Well, yes, I know the Word, but until that Word is revelation to one, it is hard to walk by it.

As I opened the Bible yesterday at Isaiah 53 I noticed that it said in the first few verses that when Jesus went through so much pain, people thought He was punished by God, too. We know that Jesus was suffering to pay for our sins. Granted, I am not Jesus to die for the world, but I believe that sometimes we have the same mentality: when bad things happen, we wonder what we have done wrong and why is God punishing us; when things are well, we think God is for us. Here is a secret: God is for us in bad and good.

Now there are times when God will "spank" us when we do wrong, but that shouldn't be hard for us to figure out. Have you seen a child do wrong? And have you noticed how they KNOW when they are in trouble? My daughter says when she does something wrong: "Oh, no. I am in trouble". (It actually is kinda funny...) So, we know when we do wrong. I like what Curry said,: "Don't say you can't help it or you wouldn't go to hell over it". We are God's kids and I am pretty sure we know when we do wrong. How? Well, we have the Spirit of God inside of us and He convicts us. Now, if we deliberately sin and do not change our ways, then yes, we should expect discipline. Sometimes God will make circumstances hard so that we can repent. That is His goodness because He wants us saved more than He wants us have a job, a car, or a relationship.

But if we walk in obedience or even blow it and repent (change not just say sorry), then we have no condemnation. See, people leave out part of that Romans 8:1 verse. It says that those who are in Christ and LEAD by the Spirit have NO condemnation, not just those who are in Christ. If you are a child that disobeys then there is some "condemnation" or "discipline".

So, if we are in Christ and obey and walk with Him, then there is no reason in the world to think that when things are bad God left us and when things are good, God is with us.

Think about Paul, Richard Wurmbrand, Watchman Nee, etc....they died for Jesus and suffered so much. Did God forsake them? No. They knew that. But do we know that? Do we know that hard times do not mean God left us?

God loves you and He cares about you. He is faithful and He is just, too. He wants to give you hope. Yes, He requires obedience and in His love some will end up in Hell because He is just. He cannot accept anything sinful in Heaven and His Kingdom. But do you know that before Jesus came one pretty much had a very hard chance to enter Heaven...I am glad I did not have to keep the LAW...but with Jesus I am free to enter. Yes, we still need to obey because in Romans 1 and 2 Paul talks about that they were charged with the preaching of the Gospel to bring people to the "obedience of faith". Faith requires obedience. Faith requires that one trades his/her life and let Him take over your body and make the moves and talk. It is an exchange this New Covenant life.

The problem is that we run into things we should not when we do not exchange, but we still live.

HE wants to come and take over your body and let Him live through you. Let His life show. If you are a follower, then that means you have a leader. So, here is my question: "Wherever you are today, following, is it where Jesus led you?" By saying you are following you are actually saying that Jesus led you there, right? Look at your life and see if where you "followed" is where your leader "led"? If Jesus would not lead you where you are today, that means you are following someone else. You need to regroup and follow the leader. I bet he would not lead you into divorce when that would go against His Word. I bet He would not lead you into gossip or stealing. He would not lead you into being selfish and ignoring those around you who need help. And so much more.

God loves you. He is FOR you. If you are in Jesus walking with Him, then He is FOR you. Believe it and watch Him walk with you. Watch Him hold you and strengthen you. Watch him make your enemies fall down before you. Watch Him suffering with you. Hebrews says that HE is even interceding for us in Heaven. Not just anyone, but Jesus Himself. That is big. If we cannot grasp the awesomeness of what He has done for us, no wonder we are so weak and do not see many miracles happening.