In hindsight, many of us have much comfort knowing that the trials we endured and overcame as Christians were enabling us to identify with the sufferings of Jesus. There is a fellowship by association that comes with suffering. There is also tenderness and mercy which develop, when the heart is allowed to remain pliable under the Lord’s dealings. One who has known heartache and bereavement is more apt to sympathize, and want to be part of pain relief, rather than inflicting it. The resurrection life of Jesus which wells up within us when we have made Him Lord over our lives, accentuates the sensitivities toward the suffering of others. We are being conformed to His death, in dying to self, so that others may live
2 Corinthians 5: 18 – 20 says, “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the Word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ be reconciled to God.”1 Peter 2: 20 says, “For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example to follow in His steps.”
Many, even as Christians, are oblivious to the gift suffering is, which enables us to be instrumental for the Gospel outreach. The majority of the world knows suffering as its daily portion, and flighty self-centredness is not what will touch their hearts, and enable them to see Jesus in our lives. I never dreamed that the things which I suffered in my life could ever be used for the Glory of God, and yet God, in His Holiness, knows that water pours faster out of a bucket full of holes. The secret is to let Him continually keep filling it up.
2 Corinthians 1: 9 says, “Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves in order that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.” 2 Corinthians 4: 7 says, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves.” Colossians 1:27 says, “To whom God willed to make known what is the riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Dearest Holy Lord Jesus: I thank You today for Your suffering Body. I pray that You will strengthen Your people to overcome in their times of trials, that their testimony might be the seed which enables the lost to have courage to also reach out to Jesus for Salvation. May our eyes be freshly opened to the benefits of appropriating Your overcoming power in our lives. Revelations 3: 21 says, “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His Throne.” Glory to You alone!
