Isn't Seven the Perfect Number?

It`s coming up to seven years.

Seven years since I was happily on my way home one dark, wintery night, the trunk full of groceries and my heart full of anticipation.

In just a few minutes I'd pass the farmhouse where my daughter lived with her husband and sons.  She was expecting twins, and I couldn't wait!  I knew I'd wave and honk as I drove past, eagerly thinking of the reunion.

Twelve minutes after Rachel's house, I'd see the familiar lane, lined with maple trees over a hundred years old.  I'd see the porch light on, and know that the kids would pile out of the house to welcome me home and carry in the groceries.

BANG.

Disoriented.  Where were my glasses?  What was that noise?  Why was some guy opening my passenger door, telling me to turn off the engine?

"Are you all right?" he asked as he reached in and turned the key.  (I hadn't done what he asked...it simply didn't register that the engine was still running, but the car wasn't moving.  It was never moving again.)

I want my glasses.  I can't see.

I plead with the man.  "Can you find my glasses?"  He feels for them on the floor of the car, and hands them to me.

Ah, that's better.  They're crooked, but not broken.

At least I can see.

"Can you find my cell phone?"

He does, and I instantly call my hubby.

"I've been in an accident."

"Are you all right?"

"No, I can't move."  I meant the car.  The car wasn't going to move again.  But Rick thought I was paralyzed.  What was I thinking?

I wasn't thinking.  I was in shock.

I managed to call 911.  Through faltering lips I told them the intersection: Perth Line 44 and Road 150.

I snapped at the man who had driven right into my lane.

"No, I don't want to sit in your vehicle."  (Leave me alone!)

My glasses-finder and cellphone rescuer noticed the shaking.  Shock.  He insisted I get out of my car, and helped me to his truck.  My teeth were chattering and soon would crack, I thought.  He turned up the heat.

Police.  Ambulance.  Rick.  Mike.  Hospital.  Rachel.  Waiting, waiting, waiting.

Waves of pain.  Worry.

Am I going to die?

What are these waves of electricity running through my skull?  Am I having a stroke?

X-rays.

"You're fine, Mrs. Billson.  Go home and rest."

***********************************************************************

It's been nearly seven years, and I still remember many details of that evening.  I remember how the snow felt, pelting against my face.  I remember my heart leaping when I saw Rick drive up in the big truck.  I remember worrying when I saw Mike (I didn't want to worry his pregnant wife, Rachel... with the twins!)

It's been nearly seven years, and I haven't had a day without pain.  Not one day.  My neck hurts.  My head hurts.  My back is tight and sore and painful. My chest hurts.  And oh, how my shoulder hurts.  Pain is ever-present.  It keeps me awake at night.  It keeps me from hobbies and fun.  It keeps me feeling grouchy at times.  Pain is my constant companion.

But God...

God takes the most eminent and choicest of His servants for the choicest and most eminent afflictions. They who have received most grace from God are able to bear most afflictions from God. Affliction does not hit the saint by chance, but by direction. God does not draw His bow at a venture. Every one of His arrows goes upon a special errand and touches no breast but his against whom it is sent. It is not only the grace, but the glory of a believer when we can stand and take affliction quietly.–Joseph Caryl

The Enemy meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.

He will bring beauty out of the ashes of the crash.  He will teach patience in affliction, perseverance in the midst of pain.  He will give grace to endure, and He will remind me that these past seven years are a light and momentary affliction, because GLORY is FOREVER.

 I'm a little late in discovering this brother's blog, but Greg Lane is a most eminent and choice servant of the Most High God.  I wish I'd known of his blog before this, because he's just announced that he won't be blogging any more, as ALS has robbed him of the ability to do so.  He's written many a post, so go there and explore.  I know I will.

How to Handle Trouble.

The Bible has much to say about trials and tribulations.  Suffering is normal for the Christian.  


The first chapter of James addresses this issue.  


Trials test our faith, making us steadfast, teaching us to tenaciously hold on, trusting God's timing.  He will remove the trial when it has done its work of producing maturity - a deeper communion with Christ, greater trust in Him, and a stable, righteous, godly character.


When you are in the middle of the trial, ask for wisdom in faith, believing that God is working!  God has you exactly where He wants you.  Are you rich?  Poor?  No matter.  Rejoice and trust Him in your circumstances.


Christian, remind yourself that you are beyond blessed, because you will receive the Crown of Life that the Lord has promised to you.  So hold on!


If you react to trials sinfully - in complaining, in anger, in despair - you are giving in to the lust in your heart. 


Don't blame God!


Everything that happens is under God's control.  It is His PERFECT will for you.  Don't be deceived into thinking that the trial you are facing was somehow outside of His plan.  HE IS ALWAYS IN CONTROL.  He will always bring good out of evil for those who love Him.  And remember, we only love Him because He first loved us.  He set His affection on us, and called us by His grace.

James 1:17  Every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from t he Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

His gifts are adequate - they meet the need perfectly.
His gifts are complete - nothing is missing.
His gifts are beneficial - they are for our good.


DO NOT CHAFE UNDER YOUR YOKE!


God is Light.  There is not even a shadow in Him.  So don't worry that He means you ill.
God is Changeless.  Immutable.  So trust Him to do what He promised.
God is Love.  He chose to regenerate us, to bring us out of the darkness of our sin.  
                                          So respond with awe and love and service to Him and to others.


Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.  You have no idea what God is doing in the circumstances you are facing.  Don't blame your spouse, your sister, your parent, your friend.  Even if the actions of another have contributed to the squeezing, to the unbearable load you are under, keep on keeping on with faith and joy.  Do not let yourself question God's goodness or His Sovereignty.  Counter any evil thoughts with the implanted Word of God.  Never believe the whispered lies of the devil.  


Be doers of the Word.  Your actions should follow your beliefs.  Do you believe that God is good?  Then act like it!  Don't succumb to despair because you've eaten nothing but rice for a week.  Be thankful for the rice!  God has given that to you!  You have health and strength to cook it, to eat it, to enjoy it with your family.


Do you believe that God is in control?  Then keep on trusting, even when things look bleak.  If your marriage is failing or your child is dying of an incurable disease, God has not failed you.  Do not succumb to unbelief!


If you have grasped that God is good, at all times, in every way, then act like it!  You will be blessed if you proceed in faith.  As Elisabeth Elliot says, "Do the next thing."  But do it in faith, believing that God is with you, that He is helping you, that He knows the path that you take and will work it all for your good and His glory.


When things are falling apart around you, bridle your tongue.  Control the words that are coming out of your mouth, by casting yourself on Jesus.  Die to self, yield to His will, and let His life shine through you.  Remember His example - He suffered more than any man, yet without sin.  


His life is in you.  Walk by faith.

Leave Me Alone.

Job, a righteous man, said it.

"Leave me alone."

Job 7:16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever.


Leave me alone, for my days are a breath.


17 ¶ What is man, that you make so much of him,


and that you set your heart on him,


18 visit him every morning


and test him every moment?


19 How long will you not look away from me,


nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit?

Job has lost everything.  His livelihood, his children, his health, his reputation, his standing in the community.   And he just wants to be left alone.

Why won't You leave me alone, You watcher of men?

Give me a chance to catch my breath, to swallow my spit. 

Have you ever felt like that?  Has your world crashed in on you and tested you, stretching you to your limits?  Have you felt that God has abandoned you, or treated you unfairly?  Do you wonder why He ordained the trials and tribulations you are experiencing?
 
How do you react?
 
Do you want to be left alone?
 
     NO. 
 
     You really don't.
 
     You would be lost and undone without God.  To Whom would you go?  He's the One who has the words of eternal life.  He's the One who has the power to heal, to redeem, to restore, to bind up the brokenhearted.
 
It may be some day that you think you want to be left alone.  You may even cry it aloud, like Job. 
 
But after you do, after you've lamented and mourned and sobbed and spent all of your tears, do the only logical thing.
 
Turn your heart towards God. 
 

Lamentations 3
21 ¶ But this I call to mind,


and therefore I have hope:


22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;


his mercies never come to an end;


23 they are new every morning;


great is your faithfulness.


24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,


“therefore I will hope in him.”


25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him,


to the soul who seeks him.


26 It is good that one should wait quietly


for the salvation of the LORD.


27 It is good for a man that he bear


the yoke in his youth.


28 Let him sit alone in silence


when it is laid on him;


29 let him put his mouth in the dust—


there may yet be hope;


30 let him give his cheek to the one who strikes,


and let him be filled with insults.


31 For the Lord will not


cast off forever,


32 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion


according to the abundance of his steadfast love;

In The Hours of Pain and Sorrow

Psalm 107 is a Psalm of praise, exhorting the Redeemed of the Lord to say so... to proclaim the steadfast love of the Lord in saving and preserving them.  He gathers His people from far away and leads them on a straight path, satisfying the longing of their soul.  Sometimes, He leaves them in prison and bows them down with hard labour, or turns their rivers into a desert. 

Psalm 107:33

He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground,

34 a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants.

Why?  Because He loves them and He is working all things together for good for those who love Him.  As Matthew Henry says, "If Christ be ours, all things, one way or another, shall be for our eternal good."

So how are we to react to the hours of pain and sorrow?   By knowing that the same God who turns rivers into a desert can and will turn a desert into pools of water.

35 He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water.

God alone knows what is best.  He alone is able to teach us to trust Him fully.  He is our shield in times of temptation, our shelter in a weary land.  He knows what it is to be despised and forsaken, to suffer want, to be mocked and smitten and reviled.  He also knows that we are blessed when we partake of His sufferings in some small way.

Ps. 119:65 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.

71  It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.

God has a good purpose in the hours of pain and sorrow.  Trust Him. 

No matter what you are facing, remember that God is able to deliver you, 

and He will deliver you , in His good time.

The last verse of Psalm 107 is a good reminder.

43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;

let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord

In The Hours

1. In the hours of pain and sorrow,
When the world brings no relief
When the eye is dim and heavy,
And the heart oppressed with grief
While blessings flee, Savior Lord we trust in Thee!
While blessings flee, Savior Lord we trust in Thee!

2. When the snares of death surround us,
Pride, ambition, love of ease
Mammon with her false allurements,
Words that flatter, smiles that please
Then ere we yield, Savior Lord be Thou our shield
Then ere we yield, Savior Lord be Thou our shield

3. When forsaken in distress,
Poor despised and tempest-tossed
With no anchor here to stay us,
Drifting, sail and rudder lost
Then save us Thou, who trod this earth with weary brow
Then save us Thou, who trod this earth with weary brow

4. Thou the hated and forsaken,
Thou the bearer of the cross
Crowned of thorns and mocked and smitten,
Counting earthly gain but loss
When scorned are we, We joy to be the more like Thee
When scorned are we, We joy to be the more like Thee

5. Thou the Father's best beloved,
Thou the throned and sceptered King
Who but Thee should we adoring,
All our prayers and praises bring?
So blessed are we, Savior Lord in loving Thee
So blessed are we, Savior Lord in loving Thee

© 2007 Kevin Twit Music (ASCAP).
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

How Firm a Foundation

How Firm a Foundation

How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,

is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He has said,

to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

"Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed;

for I am your God, and will still give you aid;

I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,

upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

"When through the deep waters I call you to go,

the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;

for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,

and sanctify to you your deepest distress.

"When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,

My grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply;

the flame shall not hurt you; I only design

your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

"E'en down to old age all my people shall prove

My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;

and when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,

like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.

"The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,

I will not, I will not desert to his foes;

that soul, though all hell should endeavour to shake,

I'll never, no never, no never forsake."

I have been reading "Suffering and the Sovereignty of God", edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor. You can read it online. Most of the chapters in the book originated as talks given at the 2005 Desiring God National Conference, and they address such questions as: In what ways is God sovereign over Satan's work? How can we be free and responsible if God ordains our choices? What is the ultimate reason for suffering? How does suffering advance the mission of the church? How does God's grace enter our sufferings? What about hope when things look hopeless?

One of the chapters, written by David Powlison, addresses God's Grace and Your Sufferings. Go there. Read it. It's well worth the time it will take you to do so.

We all suffer in many ways, some more than others. We all suffer in different ways. Job lost his children, his wealth, and his health. He was mocked by his wife and rebuked by his friends. Paul was shipwrecked and imprisoned, and had to live with the knowledge that he had been responsible for the pain and suffering and death of many of his Christian brothers and sisters. Mary suffered as she watched her Son die on that dreadful cross. Down through the ages, saints have gone through incredible pain, rejection, loss, even torture. And God has been sovereign over every moment.

This past weekend really should have been a time of great reflection and joyful thanksgiving. It's always sobering to remember that Jesus Christ had to die a terrible death on a cruel cross to pay the price for my sin. I am so very thankful that God found a way to redeem my soul. It really is my preference to spend some time on Good Friday meditating on the necessity of the cross.

It turned out that most of our family came over for a good part of the day. We had a great time visiting and going for a nature walk. We enjoyed fellowship and food, then gathered around the campfire as the sun was going down.

Sadly, things were said that ought not to have been said - at least not in the manner in which they were expressed. Feelings were hurt. There were misunderstandings, most of which have been cleared up by now. We are a Christian family, and we're all quite articulate and quick to speak. Sometimes, we aren't careful about the way we express our thoughts. Sometimes, we sin against one another.

In explaining the suffering that God allowed us to experience, I said the following to my daughter:

The way I look at all of this is that we are sharing just a tiny bit in the suffering of Christ. HIS family didn't understand him. He was criticized for doing good. He was mocked and reviled. He was praised (Palm Sunday) then betrayed.

A couple of our kids have experienced much of that. I know it's just a tiny bit compared to what our Lord suffered, but there it is. And it's a humbling, painful experience that sends us fleeing to God for comfort. It makes us question our decisions, and then come to a settled belief that this is what God would have us do at this time.

So, God is good, all the time, in every way.

Christians are not exempt from suffering. Part of the suffering we experience is having to live in this world when we long for the next. We have to live with our sinful natures when we desire to be sanctified and holy. We have to endure being criticized or misunderstood; conversely, we have to endure worrying about those we love when we think they are being foolish. When there are disagreements within a family, it's painful. It causes us to suffer loss.

The thing to do when we meet with suffering -- whether it's from sickness or loss or relationship issues or another form of pain -- the thing to do is to flee to God.

Listen to what He says:

Fear not.

I am with you.

Don't be dismayed.

I will strengthen you.

I will help you.

I will supply you with my all-sufficient grace.

I will refine you.

I will bear you up.

I will always love you.

I will never, no never, no never forsake you.

Psalm 30 is a great reminder:

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up

and have not let my foes rejoice over me.

2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,

and you have healed me.

3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;

you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,

and give thanks to his holy name.

5 For his anger is but for a moment,

and his favor is for a lifetime.

c Weeping may tarry for the night,

but joy comes with the morning.

We have a firm foundation. Even though our lives are shaken, we know that God is in control, and that He is at work in all of our sufferings. We know that weeping may endure for the night, but joy, blessed joy, comes in the morning.

What God does for His Choice Servants

Affliction. Nobody wants it. But everyone gets it.

I have read 580 chapters of the Bible since August 5. Some days I read 10 chapters, and some days I only read 5. But in my reading I have noticed a recurrent theme - Suffering. Affliction. Misery. Tribulation. Trials.

I've read about the afflictions of Job, who lost everything (animals, wealth, his children, and his health) and the trials of Naomi, bereft of her husband and both her sons, living in a strange land. I've read about those who served idols and suffered tumours and barrenness, and about Hannah, who loved God and prayed so hard for a son that Eli thought she was drunk in the middle of the day. I've noticed that no man suffered more than our Saviour did - He suffered so much that He sweat great drops of blood - a sign of great duress. And yet Stephen suffered martyrdom, and was joined by many in white robes before the throne of God, calling out, "How long, O Lord, how long?"

Some suffered blindness or lameness so that they could bring glory to Jesus as He healed them. Others were thrown to lions or made to endure illness or poverty or loneliness or tragedy.

Roget's Thesaurus puts it like this:

affliction

n.

suffering, pain, distress, trouble, misfortune, tribulation, trial, hardship, adversity, misery, wretchedness, calamity, catastrophe, disaster, ailment, infirmity, sickness, disease, disorder, grief, woe, sorrow, care, unhappiness, heartache, cross, cross to bear, ordeal, torment, scourge, plight, difficulty, burden, curse, bane, visitation; see also difficulty, pain.

• affliction implies pain, suffering, or distress imposed by illness, loss, misfortune, etc.;
• trial suggests suffering that tries one's endurance, but in a weaker sense refers to annoyance that tries one's patience;
• tribulation connotes severe affliction continuing over a long and trying period;
• misfortune is applied to a circumstance or event involving adverse fortune or to the suffering or distress occasioned by it

Joni Eareckson Tada knows about suffering. She's spent the past 40 years stuck in a wheelchair, without the use of her arms or her legs. I listened recently to a talk she gave called God's Jewels. She taught that Job was right when he said, "Man is born to trouble, surely as sparks fly upward." She reminded her audience that Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble." Trouble, affliction, pain, suffering - all pages in the textbook that teaches us who we really are.

And who are we? Sinners, saved by grace. Saints, in need of more grace. We are people who are being conformed day by day to the image of Jesus Christ by the Hand of God, and the tools He uses to do so involve pain and suffering. Joni said,

God is concerned about your poverty or my pain. He’s concerned about your broken heart or my broken neck, but girls, those things are not His ultimate focus. He cares about that stuff, but those things are merely symptoms of the root and real problem. God cares most, not about making you and me comfortable, but about teaching us to hate our transgression and to grow up spiritually to love Him.

The simple formula is described in 1 John chapter 2, where it says, “If anyone obeys His Word, God’s love is truly made complete in him” (verse 5). This is how we know we are in Christ, and the good news is, God is the master jeweler.

He rules. He orders. He commands. He knows exactly how to handle that hammer, and He is happy to do good toward you. Just remember that His idea of good is to make you more like Jesus, and if our Savior learned obedience through the things He suffered, should the Master expect less from You and me?

That's what we're learning - obedience! God is at work, moulding and fashioning His children, conforming them to the image of Christ, making them LIKE HIM!

So, do not lose heart. Don't be discouraged if your car breaks down and your husband is out of work. Don't despair if you just found out that your baby, growing under your heart, has a serious heart defect. Do not fear if you are dying of cancer or suffering with Crohn's Disease or Multiple Sclerosis or Parkinson's. God is using this suffering, too!

Do not lose heart if your children have rebelled. Do not lose heart if you just found out your husband has cheated on you, or embezzled a fortune, or walked out on you and the children. God will work all things for His glory, and your good.

2 Corinthians 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

God will comfort you in all your affliction - no matter what form it takes. Health issues, financial trials, relationship difficulties; rape, murder, betrayal... God will comfort His people. He promised. His word is true.

2 Corinthians 1:4

who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

So don't be surprised by your pain and your sorrow. Don't ever start thinking, "I've suffered so much - so now God's going to give me an easy path for a while." Joni says, "Hey, God, it's quadriplegia!" Hasn't she suffered enough?

Well, no. Not until she's run her race and finished her course. Until then, she will continue to have pain and trials. She will continue to feel frustrated and lash out in anger from time to time. She will continue to be claustrophobic at times, and it's because God loves her very much.

From Streams in the Desert:

God takes the most eminent and choicest of His servants for the choicest and most eminent afflictions. They who have received most grace from God are able to bear most afflictions from God. Affliction does not hit the saint by chance, but by direction. God does not draw His bow at a venture. Every one of His arrows goes upon a special errand and touches no breast but his against whom it is sent. It is not only the grace, but the glory of a believer when he can stand and take affliction quietly. --Joseph Caryl

Can you stand and take affliction quietly?

Psalm 39:9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth,

for it is you who have done it.

All things work together for good...

Enormous Debt - All paid!

“Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ; let us regard it as the source of all our hopes, and the foundation of all our peace. Ignorance and unbelief may see nothing in the sufferings of Calvary but the cruel martyrdom of an innocent person: faith will look far deeper; faith will see in the death of Jesus the payment of man’s enormous debt to God, and the complete salvation of all who believe.” ~ J.C. Ryle Day by Day with J.C. Ryle, “The Cross”, 48.

Why is one life spared, and not another?

Yesterday in Guelph, a 14 year old girl died when an interior wall of a public washroom collapsed in on her.

The Guelph Mercury reported on the tragedy:

A 14-year-old up-and-coming diver is dead after an interior wall in a Southend Community Park washroom collapsed yesterday.

Isabel Warren was a member of the Etobicoke Diving Club. Recently, she qualified for the Speedo Junior National Championships on the one metre, three metre, and tower. She was to head to Victoria on July 9 to compete at the championships.

Yesterday, the Grade 9 Bishop Macdonell student was in the washroom during an outdoor physical education class when a cinder block wall fell onto her at about 12:30 p.m.

She was rushed to hospital where she succumbed to what Wellington District Catholic School Board superintendent Larry Clifford called "substantial injuries."

One of my church friends wrote to me, confused. She said,

"Just 1 minute before the wall collapsed, our little 2 year old granddaughter was in the bathroom with her other grandma. They passed each other going in and out. We thank God that our granddaughter is safe, but mourn for the young girl who died. Why is one little life spared and another young life taken?"

Luke 13:1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Jesus, in this passage, is bringing up two incidents that had puzzled the people living at that time. Both were tragedies.

In the first instance, Pilate killed some Galileans who were offering sacrifices - they were in the middle of WORSHIP! This would be similar to a gunman coming into our church and shooting us down. It would be a terrible thing to live through, and it would shake the people to their core.

The second occasion was the fall of the tower in Siloam. Eighteen people died. They could have been young or old, rich or poor. Perhaps some of them were religious leaders, and others may have been women or children. It doesn't matter.

Do you think . . . that these. . . were worse sinners . . . ?? Jesus' rhetorical question reflects a popular view that tragedies and physical ailments were due to personal sin. His answer (No) denies any such connection in this case.

Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Though Jesus regularly has compassion on those who suffer, here he draws a broader lesson: this tragic event is a warning that final judgment is coming to the entire world.

Every time something like this happens, we are reminded that life is but a vapour. We are reminded that we are not in control.

I wrote to my friend,

The truth is that we are not in control of our lives. Our days are numbered by God, who does all things well. I am so glad for you, that God spared your little granddaughter, and sorry for the family that lost their precious 14 year old daughter. The spiritual lesson is this: we must repent, and turn to God. We don't have forever. We do not know when we will take our last breath!

I do pray that God will use the death of this young girl to cause many to repent and turn to Him.

I am not saying that we have to have all the answers, or know exactly why God does what He does. Sometimes we look around and simply cannot fathom why God allows certain tragedies, or permits certain tyrannies. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote in his book, Faith on Trial - Studies in Psalm 73,

"Why is it that God allows certain forms of tyranny to persist, especially those that are absolutely godless? Why does He not wipe them all out, and shower His blessings upon His own people? That is our way of thinking. But it is based on a fallacy. God's mind is eternal, and God's ways are so infinitely above us that we must always start by being prepared not to understand immediately everything He does."

"...Perpexity in this matter is not only not surprising; I want to emphasize that to be perplexed is not sinful either. There, again, is something that is very comforting....Ah yes, it is wrong to be in a state of despair; but it is not wrong to be perplexed. Let us draw this clear distinction; the mere fact that you may be perplexed about something that is happening at the present time does not mean that you are guilty of sin. You are in God's hand, and yet something unpleasant is happening to you, and you say: I do not understand. There is nothing wrong with that - 'perplexed, but not in despair'. The perplexity in and of itself is not sinful, for our minds are not only finite, they are also weakened by sin. We do not see things clearly; we do not know what is best for us; we cannot take the long view; so it is very natural that we should be perplexed."

We may be perplexed, confused, uncertain. That's okay. We do not have to understand it all. What we must do is to bring our thinking in line with the truth of God's word. It's okay to be confused. It's okay to not understand. And it is infinitely okay to REST in the One who is never confused, and understands all things.

Our Attitude toward suffering

Our Attitude toward suffering

In light of what Jesus has done, what is a little suffering in this life? Not to discount it, but we should always keep that in our minds. We deserved much worse. How dare we question God? How dare we question He who sent His Only Begotten Son to die in our place?

2 Thessalonians 1:5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—

We are to suffer for the kingdom of God. We need to accept suffering, and glorify God in our suffering. We must keep in mind first that suffering will come, and next that our suffering is for a purpose.

Job 2:10 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?”...

John 15:20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

We are not greater than Jesus, and He suffered; We should suffer more so. We should always consider the suffering of Jesus whenever we suffer, because we deserve far greater suffering than what we endure.

We must try whether we can endure brow-beating, weariness, slander, jeering, and hardship; and whether we can be made the off -scouring of all things, and be treated as nothing for Christ's sake. If we can endure all these, we have some of those points which indicate the possession of the rare qualities which should meet in a true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

~ Lectures To My Students C.H Spurgeon.[1]

The Christian life is not a get out of jail free card. "If you believe in Jesus you will have no more problems." The seeker friendly Jesus is not the one in the word of God. Rather, we are called into a state of suffering.

John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

We are going to suffer more as Christians. We are to be in the world, not of the world. The world should hate you.

1 Peter 2:19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Not all suffering is suffering for Jesus' sake. It is a good thing to suffer for Jesus' sake, not to suffer needlessly. There isn't any credit for suffering because we sinned. You should not attribute all the suffering in your life as suffering for Jesus. But you should know that all suffering is suffering for a good end.

1 Tim. 4:10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, especially of those who believe.

Expect and welcome suffering when it comes, and endure with thanksgiving. Not only will trials surely come to a Christian, but we are to rejoice through them. Expect suffering, because we live in a fallen world. Remember though, that God will never send you a trial because He enjoys watching you suffer. He is not a capricious god, like the "gods" of the Greeks or Romans, who enjoyed tripping up the mortals and causing them pain. God loves us, and uses our suffering for good.

James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

God makes us perfect through trial. It is like exercising your muscles; you are in fact tearing them in order to build them up. We should rejoice, and accept whatever God gives us, whether it's trials or good things.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

God always provides a way to endure. He never brings us a trial that is impossible to endure.

Accept suffering from God, for it is a good thing. All things, including suffering, work together for good for those who love God;

For me, suffering is still that jackhammer breaking apart my rocks of resistance every day. It's still the chisel that God is using to chip away at my self-sufficiency and my self-motivation and my self-consumption. ~ Suffering and the Sovereignty of God - John Piper[2]

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

We are to rejoice in our trials.

1 Peter 1:6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Our faith is tested and perfected by fire. We are to welcome suffering, and praise God in it, for He is refining us, perfecting us.

1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

We are to strive, knowing that it is God who works in us. (Phil. 3:8-9) Remember that this life is but a vapour, a shadow of things to come. After we suffer this little while God will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us.

Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

We are to look toward the prize set before us. And it will be so much greater than the good things of this world. Your suffering is temporal, your reward is eternal. We are to strive, in faith through trials, for His glory.

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Conclusion

Suffering is not a bad thing. We can hold onto the truth that God has a good plan and a good purpose for our suffering.

Knowing the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God in suffering does not mean we can go up to people who are going through a tragedy and tell them this. It is something for us to know personally. Then, in His time, God will use the things we have suffered to refine us, to bring good things, to help those who are suffering through similar trials.

I know that I will suffer, and when I do, I pray that our Lord will bring my attitude back into conformity with His word. I pray that I will remember that my suffering is temporary, but will produce a far greater glory. God is Sovereign over Suffering, and it will end.

Matthew 10:22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Bibliography

Adams, Jay E. A Theology of Christian Counselling.

Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1979.

Shepherding God's Flock

Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co, Phillipsburg, NJ., 1980

Bridges, Jerry. The Gospel for Real Life.

NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. 2003

Carson, D.A. How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil.

Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI. Feb. 2008

Coffin, Charles The Story of Liberty

Marantha Publications, Gainesville, FL, 1987

Frame, John M. The Doctrine of God

P & R Publishing, Phillipsburg, NJ, 2002

God The ESV Study Bible, English Standard Version

Crossway Bibles, Wheaton, IL, 2008

Hobar, Linda The Mystery of History

Bright Ideas Press, Dover, Delaware, 2004

MacArthur, John F. The Gospel According to Jesus

Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1988

Piper, John & Suffering & The Sovereignty of God

Taylor, Justin Crossway Books, Wheaton, IL, 2006

Spurgeon, C.H Lectures to My Students

Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1977

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[1] Lectures To My Students, Lecture II The Call To Ministry - C.H Spurgeon p. 38-39

[2]~ Suffering and the Sovereignty of God - John Piper

Jesus - The Only Example of Righteous Suffering

5. Jesus - The Only Example of Righteous Suffering

As we next consider the work of Christ for us, we need to keep in mind our sin that necessitated it. For it is only against the dark backdrop of our sinfulness that we can see the glory of the cross shining forth in all its brilliance and splendour.

~ The Gospel For Real Life - Jerry Bridges.[1]

When Christ’s coming was first prophesied in what theologians refer to as the Protoevangelicum, suffering was foretold for Him. (bruised heel.)

Genesis 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Jesus is God, and He had perfect fellowship with God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit. But He made himself a lowly human. Imagine the Creator God, in all of His glory and majesty, becoming a creature! He humbled himself for us. (Heb. 4:15)

Hebrews 2:9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

God was made lower than the angels. Jesus was born in humility; He suffered from the very beginning of His life. He was born in a barn, and His mother laid Him in a manger, which is a trough for feeding cattle. (Luke 2:7)

He should have been born as a king! Look back at what Nebuchadnezzar had. That's what Christ should have had - in fact He should have had more. He is the one who is worthy of such a kingship.

But no, Christ came to earth to suffer and die. (Luke 9:22, Matt. 17:12 – 16:21, Mark 10:33)

Mark 8:31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.

In fact, His death was planned with the full knowledge of God, according to the purpose-plan of God. Jesus knew what He was coming to earth to do. He was coming to suffer, for us.

Acts 2:23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

Unlike the other people I have named who suffered, Jesus suffered because He chose to. He suffered for His purpose, in obedience to the Father. He should not have had to endure any of this, because He had never sinned. Jesus was condemned as an innocent man: (Matt. 27:18-19, Mark 10:10-15)

Matt 27:22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

Jesus didn't suffer and die because of something He did. He was not punished by God like the Israelites or Nebuchadnezzar. He did not need to repent, because He had not ever sinned.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

He was punished for our sake.

And, as we gaze upon the glory of the cross, we will also discover that Christ, in His great work for us, not only resolved our sin problem, but also secured for us those "unsearchable riches".... ~ The Gospel For Real Life - Jerry Bridges[2]

Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

Jesus knowingly, willingly went to the cross. He suffered more than anyone had or ever will. He not only suffered physical pain, He suffered mental, emotional and spiritual pain -all on the account of my transgressions. He suffered for me. He took the wrath of God for me.

During those awful hours when Jesus hung on the cross, the cup of God's wrath was completely turned upside down. Christ exhausted the cup of God's wrath. For all who trust in Him, there is nothing more in the cup. It is empty.

~Jerry Bridges[3]

The suffering we endure is nothing in comparison to enduring the wrath of a Holy God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

He suffered so that we could be made righteous. He not only took the punishment, but He gave us His righteousness. We are called sons of God because of this.

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[1] The Gospel For Real Life - Jerry Bridges. p.30

[2] The Gospel For Real Life - Jerry Bridges. p.30

[3] The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges, p. 54