Suffering -- > My African, Asian, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Caucasians, Hispanics, Japanese, and Chinese, I would like for each of you to know “suffering produces intimacy with God, suffering equips us to comfort others, suffering refines us, suffering produces growth and maturity, suffering conforms us into God’s image” (Job 42:5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5; Isaiah 48:10; James 1:2-4; Romans 8:28-29). During our time of suffering to produce an intimacy with God, there is an opening of the soul that happens during times of stress or duress. As a result, we experience God at a deep, profound level. Suffering equips us to comfort others because we gain compassion for others who are hurting to enable us to minister more effectively. As a result, people who suffer want people who have suffered to tell them there is hope because those who have suffered make the most effective comforters. Suffering refines us because we are tested in the furnace of affliction because pain and suffering have a way of bringing out strengths and weaknesses to the surface. As a result, when the dross floats to the surface, God skims it off; He purifies and refines us to be the radiant bride of Christ. Suffering produces growth and maturity because if we turn to God in our pain, he can use our suffering to mature our faith. We see this biblical truth illustrated through the persecuted church. As a result, after hearing their testimonies, few would deny that suffering produces beauty and maturity of spirit. Suffering conforms us into God’s image because we may be tempted to read these verses to say that God will bring good out of everything. While He can and does redeem pain in our lives, these verses speak of being conformed to God’s image through our suffering. If we are willing to sit still and let God work, we will find ourselves being transformed into the image of Jesus. Words of encouragement -- > When we seek God through His Word and prayer, we find Jesus. Remember, Jesus understands our pain because he, too, suffered. Therefore, my Awesome Lord Jesus Christ encourages us with these words of (2 Corinthians 12:9) “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Sincerely, From the heart of Heidi Graps
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 12:58:35 +0000
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