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By: Vera Grimmius
You may listen to this devotion in audio form via podcast here.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
- Hebrews 12:11
Who asks for suffering to come their way? Most of us can answer a very affirmative – ‘NO ONE’! Personally, each day I need something gratifying planned. When doing a personality test some years ago, I wasn’t surprised to find out I need joy in my life, and I also discovered I love to cheer and encourage others in positive ways. Reading Hebrews 12 does have plenty of upbeat statements going on, but how one gets there, we are told, comes through discipline and suffering. Ugh. We should look closely at exactly what that could mean. Should I pray for suffering since it produces good? No. I don’t think that’s the answer. When I look at the prophets or important people in God’s Word, they never asked for suffering to come their way. Even Jesus, in Matthew 26:42, asked for the cup of suffering to be removed, if possible. He finished with “Not my will but yours be done.”
We don’t have to search or pray for suffering to come. It will come. When someone is ill and we pray for healing and they are cured, we rejoice. Sometimes, however, healing doesn’t come in the way we ask. Instead, it comes in death. We know the person is healed for eternity, but life here on earth ends for them and changes for us. “Not my will but yours be done, God.”
Hebrews 11:32-40 shows us suffering from these two aspects – where some heroes of faith were able to shut the mouth of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, escaped the sword, were even raised from the dead! Others, however, were killed, destitute, persecuted, and mistreated. They didn’t receive answers on earth, but God had something better planned in making them perfect. We are told to think of both these situations in life so when we walk through either, we can have strength, trust, and faith to walk with God.
In conclusion here is a favorite thought of mine on this subject of suffering:
Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Prayer: Lord help us to stand strong in our faith in a world that has so many challenges trying to weaken the Christian faith. Give us discernment to know how to handle suffering or discipline that You allow in our lives. Empower us to stand strong in Your Word of truth and not grow weary or lose heart. Amen.