Romans 8:17
"Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
Let me just say this... I really dislike suffering. I don't like to suffer and its even worse sometimes to see others suffer. It's a sure part of life though. We all suffer at some point. Whether it be in our relationships, our finances, our work, etc. Ok, if we're honest, we really suffer over things that are very unsubstantial. We all have worries, but are we really suffering or are we just being babies about it? What are the things in your life that make you feel like you're suffering? Is it that you had to stay late at work? Did you get behind a bus this morning that made you late? Did the dog jump on you and get muddy paw prints all over your work clothes, making you have to run in and change last minute? Is the line at the gas pump ridiculous or how about the price itself?...OR... Is your kid sick...really sick? Is your marriage failing? Do you have cancer? Did your spouse just die? Are you just lacking that something in your life to make you happy?
I know it's a lot easier said than done, but I'm gonna say it anyway... turn to Jesus! I went through a pretty rotten rut in my life about a 16 months back and every day was a suffering challenge for me. Time.. I had absolutely no time for me, no time to do anything I wanted or needed. No time to sleep... no time to relax... no time to have a life of my own. I gave up my life and was really living a life for someone else. Time became a precious thing and an enemy all the same. I stopped going to church. Hey... I didn't have time for that, remember? I stopped reading my Bible... a time issue! And at one point I even stopped praying. I was so angry with God. Why, if he could do all these wonderful miraculous things, couldn't he just make my life just a little better, easier?!
Then, one day, he did! It wasn't anywhere near the time I wanted him to, but in time, he did. There was the wonderful, miraculous God I used to know! Then, not only did he fill my rut in, where I wasn't living quite so deeply in it, but he started filling that rut full! Instead of living in a rut, I had a daggone heaping mound to live on!
I went through my suffering stage. Who doesn't? Who's to say I won't have another rut some time? But I know God will always see me out of it. He'll always be trying to fill that rut in and give you a heaping mound. It's just a matter of whether or not we're seeing what he's doing in our lives. Are your eyes open to see God's wonderful miraculous signs? Mine weren't for a long time, and that was my fault. Now Christ has opened my eyes and I can see the fullness of his glory!
I suffered, allright. But when I find myself so-called "suffering" through something now, I try really hard to think about Christ. I try to see that mental picture of him bruised, swollen and bloody hanging from the cross. For me! We will never in our lives suffer the way Christ suffered. And he went through all of that suffering for me... for you... for US! ALL of us!! When we go through our sufferings, as hard as it is, we have to have faith and know the suffering will end and Jesus will rise up and bring joy in our hearts again. In suffering, trust and have faith in Him. Only then will you see the real glories of all God has done, all Christ has done! When we share in his sufferings, we also will share in his glory!
God Bless You!
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