He also Suffered:

Through my devotional Bible reading time, I have been learning about David and his journey to become king of Israel while comparing that to the journey of Christ becoming the ultimate king.  We see through David’s journey, he had some suffering and some pain to experience.  This includes his relationship with Israel’s first king Saul.  Saul eventually started hating David, being filled with rage and jealousy.  He was jealous of the promise of who David would be.  This means he started to plan how to kill David. David had to live on the run and fear for his life. Saul would catch up to David, and while David had the opportunity to kill Saul, the Lord was with him and helped him to forgive Saul and to let him go unhurt. 

Through this devotional Bible reading, we are also reminded of Christ’s tough life he had on earth.  He didn’t have it easy.  He was very much abused and was even killed by crucifixion.  Before that, however, he was mocked by the Pharisees and Sadducees, he was left in the desert to fast and was tempted by the devil for 40 days and nights.  None of these experiences were easy, yet he was able to overcome all suffering for the sake of his people.  This should serve as an encouragement to us all.  We need to remember this during the times of our personal suffering.  Jesus has experienced pain and suffering and has come out stronger from it all. We too can conquer through our suffering and come out stronger, with the help of Jesus Christ, our lord and savior.

I have seen many people in my life go through recent suffering.  I have had some friends and family members who are struggling through their health, while others are struggling through their friendships or personal relationships.  I have also seen some struggling after the death of a family member or a friend they know.  It has been hard to watch and hear about this all surrounding me.  I have tried to keep the prayers long and to keep all these people in my thoughts. 

I personally have been going through some minor struggles, very minor in comparison to most.  I have had so many blessings in my life recently.  I just had a blog post about getting married and finishing RAGBRAI.  Those were two very great things.  However, I have also had a car that keeps struggling to work.  As of writing, it has been in the shop for the past month and a half.  While I have been blessed to borrow a car from others, I still would have an easier time knowing my car is going to be completely fixed.  I also have been struggling with a bit of a cold the last few weeks.  I can remember during these minor inconveniences to be strong in Christ. 

There are a lot of verses and tales in the Bible about suffering.  However, one of the verses was James 1:12, which says.  “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”  I love this verse because it is a reminder for all of us believers to live steadfast and to stay steady, even during the times of intense suffering and pain.  If we do choose to stay steadfast and strong, then we will receive a crown of life and this isn’t just regular life but rather it is eternal life.  

There are two challenges for this week.  The first one is to spend time thinking and reflecting on whether or not you have been learning a lesson from one of your struggles.  Is there something in particular you are developing from your time in this suffering?  Maybe it is not going to be a struggle you are experiencing right now.  Maybe you are too close to the hurt to really see the growth you have made.  Maybe it is from a past hurt or experience. What is something you have learned from a past amount of suffering that can help you overcome future struggles? 

I know one area where I have struggled is in the area of friendships.  I have had some amazing friendships in my life.  I have had many women who have helped me out through life and have helped me develop a deeper relationship with Christ. However, I have also had friendships who have hurt me throughout the years.  I have been left out, and dismissed by some friends.  I have really struggled with a feeling of hurt.  Through those friendships, I have learned how to focus more on Christ for my validation and not the thoughts of others.    

The challenge for this week is to spend time in prayer to God about any suffering you are experiencing today as well as the suffering of others. The best way to overcome this suffering or this discouragement from suffering is through prayer.  Similarly a way to show love and care  about others is to spend time in prayer for them.