Pain and Struggles

Right in the beginning Job said “that which I feared the most has come upon me”.  Job had a spirit of fear in his heart, and God has not given us a spirit of fear.  As upright/blameless as Job was, deep down in his heart he feared that God would allow something to happen to him.  God show Himself faithful in spite of it and got Job through it so that in the end he would not curse God, but praise God.

There is in us this fear that somehow God is not going to pull through.  The Devil is not omniscient all knowing like God, he is limited by God.  Satan can do nothing to us if it does not bring God the glory in the end and for our good.  If you do not understand this, then in the midst of your trial you will start questioning the goodness and the nature of who God is.  Satan deceived Eve into believing that God could not be trusted, that God was withholding good from them – planting the seed of doubt in the goodness, the love and the character of God – if you think that way then Satan got you.

You should not ask “why” but what is in it that I should see and learn from this.  We are a work/crafting in progress “His workmanship {‘work of art’ in Greek}”.  Never believe the lie that God is mad at you, you are His child, He loves you.

Ecclesiastes 7:14 ¹⁴ In the day of prosperity be joyful,  But in the day of adversity consider:
Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.” 

In times of good it is more dangerous in the life of a Christian to wander.  It is during the times of adversity/trials that we draw closer to the Lord, call and rely on Him>

We prone to think in good times, it is always going to be like this but things can change quickly.  Matthew 14:22-23, the storm in the Sea of Galilea, “immediately Jesus…”  God is for you nothing can be against you.  God is not angry at you, He all took all His anger and wrath and put it on His only begotten Son Jesus on the Cross because He so loved you and me.   God will get you through!  God is not going to let you sink, He did not let Peter sink.  Why “immediately”? because feeding about 20 000 people with a boy’s sack lunch, He has the fish & loaves, bless it, and broke it, and the disciples distributed it, every time they stuck their hand in the basket there was more – so much that there was plenty leftover.  Disciples probably did not see the need to leave because everything was so great.  They fed on the Word of Life spiritually and food to eat.  Then Jesus dismissed the people and He distracted the disciples from a situation that could have led to pride.  He will never tempt or set us up.

Genesis 50:20, Joseph had no pride and says to his brothers “but as for you, you meant evil against me BUT GOD MEANT IF FOR GOOD …” Maybe God is preparing you for that which he is preparing for you.  Joseph had the right to think that God has left him or why are You allowing this?  Joseph’s dreams prepared him for a powerful position. 

But, how could good possibly comes from “my” current situation, I know Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. but …

In order for God to work it for the good, He must work out His purpose, His plans for you and Jeremiah says, it is not to harm you, it is to prepare you, to prosper you to give you a future and a hope, you would not believe if, it is unbelievable.  Joseph in the pit would never believe that he was going to be the most powerful man in Egypt 17 years later.

Maybe God is allowing it because He is humbling you so you will depend completely upon Him.  Paul write in 2 Corinthians 12:² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.” – he tells them 14 years later, he never told anybody about it and even now he speaks of it in the 3^rd person, about the experience being caught up to Heaven,  2 Corinthians 12:³ And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴ how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. ⁵ Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. ⁶ For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.” Paul says that it could have made him very arrogant. 

2 Corinthians 12:⁷ And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet/torment me, lest I be exalted above measure.”  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  We don’t know what that thorn is.  Whatever that thorn in your life is, the Lord says to you “My strength is sufficient for you”.  Paul takes pleasure in his infirmities, needs, persecutions, distresses for Christ sake,  ”for when I am weak then I am strong”.  Paul took delight in all of those because it is a much-needed reminder of his weakness, who I am/think I am and who God is.  If God removed it, it would have gone to his head – it keeps Paul totally dependent on God.  Paul bragged how weak he is!

How could you ever realize the strength of God unless you come to the place of your own weakness.  If I am strong in my own strength, do I need Him?

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. ⁶ Now if we are afflicted (weighed down with troubles), it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. ⁷ And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.”   You are going through a really difficult and hard time, may be in future God is going to use you in the life of another with the comfort you have received from Him. God is going to get you through this, and joy is returning in the morning. 

You will mature spiritually - you will develop perseverance.

James 1:2-4 ² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds - how is this even possible? - because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance (the perseverance is only find by going through the trial, there is no shortcut, it comes by way of the trial, let perseverance finish its work and don’t fight it- let it.

Maybe God is allowing this hard time to show you your helplessness so you will cry out to Him for help.  Jehoshaphat is crying out to God in 2 Chronicles 20:10-15, ¹⁰ And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them— ¹¹ here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. ¹² O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” ¹³ Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord. ¹⁴ Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. ¹⁵ And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.  ¹⁸ …Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.”

Turn to God as your only hope, let go of this life and lay hold of eternal life.

No matter how bad your circumstances are, it cannot change how good God is!  Thank Him for the promise that He will see you through, and He will never leave nor forsake you!

JF***

Matthew 11:¹ (NLT) When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to His twelve disciples, He went out to teach and preach in towns throughout the region. ². John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing.  So, he sent his disciples to Jesus, ³. “Are You the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”  ⁴Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen – ⁵ the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.”  ⁶ And He added, “God blesses those who do not turn away because of Me (offended by Me).”

Why would John out of all people, doubt?  Read the declaration that John made which makes his declaration from prison even more confusing:

John 1:29-34 ²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me (far greater than I am), for He was (existed long) before me.’ ³¹ I did not know (recognize Him as the Messiah) Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”  ³² And John bore witness (testified), saying, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained (resting) upon Him. ³³ I did not know Him (He was the One), but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that He is the Son of God.”

John grew up with Jesus, He was familiar with Jesus and His family.  Then one day God said to him, “there He is” and John was able to baptize Jesus.  This is one of the only places in Scripture that you see the Three Persons of the God head in one place:  Jesus the Son of God going down in the baptism of water, and as He comes out the Holy Spirit descends on Him like a dove, And, then God, the Father says “this is My Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased”.  Why only a few years later, after John’s being in prison, deep down in the dungeons of Herod’s palace, a miserable place, for two years. Satan probably told John, “maybe you’ve got it all wrong, maybe you identified the wrong Man, look where you are in this prison, doesn’t seem that He is coming to get you”.  Remember we have all Scripture, but John only had the Old Testament, the writings of the Prophet Isaiah. And John probably remembered

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released, and prisoners will be freed. ²He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come…”. 

So, John has been waiting for this Messiah, and now he is in prison and Jesus isn’t coming. In all his inner pain and darkness - doubts begin to flood in.  So, he sent his disciples, ‘please go and ask Him “are You the promised Messiah?”  Interesting when Jesus sends the message back, He tells John some of the things from Isaiah 61, but He doesn’t mention the part of prisoners been released. And the little phrase “blessed is he that is not offended by Me” who doesn’t turn away from faith because of Jesus.

Are you in a situation that you have questions like, I’ve done everything for my children and now they’ve turned away from Jesus – “why didn’t You keep them save, why did you allow them to go into drugs”. Nothing in my life make sense anymore.  You may ask God difficult things, and it is completely ok, to the level that you are willing to be honest with God – is an indication how much you trust Him.  God knows everything about you right now and He loves you completely. So many things we don’t understand but you, but in your tears, you know that He loves you.  Almost like Jesus washes your tears for a second time and you start to see people differently, as another human being who is struggling and suffering.   You may say ‘God I don’t like what is happening to me, I don’t understand this, but I love You in the midst of this’.  The big question is, will you love a God you don’t always understand, will you still trust when nothing in your life makes sense?  You should have a relationship with God based on nothing that you brought to the table.  A relationship with God that doesn’t answer all our questions but come to that place where you know that God is love and that He loves you right now.