Philippians 1:29-30 – For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

THEME OF THE DAY. SUFFERING AND THE CHRISTIAN. It is unavoidable. Suffering. It comes in all shapes and sizes. It touches every human being; Christian and non-Christian. When sin entered the world way back in Genesis 3, it laid the “welcome mat” down for suffering to come into the human experience. And it will not be removed until the Suffering Servant, the Glorious King of Kings, the Lord Jesus, brings a curtain down on human history. Yet, one of the signs of humanity’s “insanity” is to think we can avoid suffering, even insulate ourselves from it. In an insightful book titled, “Suffering and Sovereignty: John Flavel and the Puritans on Afflictive Providence”, author Brian Cosby writes, “One of the great tragedies of the American story is the loss of a Biblical view of suffering, due in part to an ever-increasing belief of ‘entitled’ health, wealth, and prosperity. We are a nation living from one pleasure high to the next – looking for the next big wave that might take us closer and closer toward the sunny sands of the American dream.”

Christian, God will have no part of “suffering-less” children. So goes the Master, so go His subjects. And suffering is not only the general lot of all humans under the curse of sin and Satan, but it is a “special” gift God tailor-makes and gives to His child. “Special gift”, you might ask? Yes. In fact, that is exactly what today’s scripture tells us. When the Apostle Paul writes, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him, but also suffer for His sake”, this is what the literal translation means . . . “For it has been graciously given, bestowed upon generously for the sake of Christ to not only believe in Him but to suffer for Him.” Be honest. When is the last time you entered a period of suffering and you looked to heaven, praising God with words, “Oh, Father, thank you so much for this gift of suffering. Amen and amen.” Yes, every one suffers in life, but there are various types of suffering and especially so for the Christian. Let’s consider three.

First, there is developmental suffering – “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through the what He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). We cannot grasp Jesus learning obedience through suffering, but the Word says it was so. And it will be so for us. In our suffering, we become like Christ. We learn submission as God’s sovereign hand brings suffering into our lives to purge us from the world and ourselves. Suffering develops a life of obedience.

Next, there is corrective suffering – “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives” (Hebrews 12:5-6). The Bible calls followers of Christ “sheep” for many reasons. One of them is our bent to “looking through the fence” at the pastures and pleasures of the world and drifting out of the green pastures of the Lord (Psalm 23). In doing so, the Good Shepherd will bring suffering into us by His rod of correction.

A third form of suffering is Christ-identifying suffering – “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:12-14). This is the type of suffering this is simply because we refuse to compromise the truth of the Gospel and conform to a world of many false Christs. Take a stand for Jesus in our culture, and we will suffer for it, but it produces joy as we are doing so because of our identity in Him.

Suffering and the Christian. It will happen. God will ensure it happens, but it is suffering with purpose; good purpose. Let’s learn to see it through the lens of our God who does all things well for His glory and our good.

PRAYER: “Lord, help me to not rebel against suffering in my life, but to embrace and learn from it in my life.”

QUOTE: “Suffering as a Christian takes on many forms and all for our good and growth in the Lord Jesus.”