2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Paul, in this passage, was discussing a trial he was enduring. He described his suffering as a thorn in his flesh. Many people differ as to what this “thorn” was, but for our topic today, the more important point is why did God allow it and how was Paul to deal with it? Paul reminds us that God has a Sovereign plan for our suffering, that His grace is sufficient to deal with any sufferings, and that God’s grace is constantly available. One commentary put it this way, God would not remove the thorn, as Paul had requested, but would continually supply him with grace to endure it (cf. 1 Cor. 15:10; Phil. 4:13; Col. 1:29)…Also, the weaker the human instrument, the more clearly God’s grace shines forth…Paul took no pleasure in the pain itself, but rejoiced in the power of Christ that it revealed through him.”^[1]

That is our hope and prayer for you over the next several weeks, as we look at this subject of suffering and testing of our faith, that we will grow in endurance and that we may be continually growing in maturity in Christ.

The Book of James opens with this incredible statement, “Consider it all joy, when you encounter various trials.” This reminds us that in this world, we will suffer. No one is exempt. When most people are in the throes of trials and tribulations, they tend to ask themselves one of two questions: The first question is, “Why is this happening?” The second is, “How am I going to handle this?”  By asking these two questions, the sufferer is seeking clarity in the midst of a very trying time.

The “Why” questions are a search for meaning and purpose in the suffering; the “How” questions are a search for ways to adjust to the situation. Corrie Ten Boom once said, “There is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still.”  She was trying to relay the point to those that are hurting, that God is bigger than their problems. Not only is He bigger, He is wiser than they are, so He can help them deal with any confusion they may have in this life.

One very comforting passage, I often turn to, in times of suffering, is found in 1 Peter 5:10 – “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

God wants to use this very difficult time in your life to strengthen and fortify you.

Is that what happens when you go through times of suffering? How do you handle suffering and pain in your life?

Idolatry. Most of us do not realize that one form of idolatry is making good things in life the most important thing in our life. This is what we all do, countless times per day, when we sin. We turn away from true, faithful and loyal love for God in Christ and turn to other loves…St. Augustine in his Confessions stated that these Unwarranted and Unacceptable “loves”…

• Leave you hungry (starving, famished, ravenous, unfilled, unsatisfied, discontent) – These loves cannot possibly meet your greatest longing. They cannot satisfy your starving souls. You will always leave the table of gorging, EMPTY and UNFULILLED. God loves His children too much to allow us to be satisfied and content with any lesser thing than His own love. Keep going back to the cistern…it is broken…it can’t hold water (Jeremiah 2:13). That leads to the second thing false loves will do. They will…

• Leave you in bondage (imprisoned, incarcerated, confined, caged, captive, bound) – These loves cannot possibly free you. You may actually think you are mastering it, but watch yourself…they will soon be mastering you. Whether your love is money, sex, drugs, pleasure, power, or possessions or anything else…they will eventually clamp the shackles on you and will not you go. That leads to the third thing false loves will do. They will…

• Leave you lonely (isolated, secluded, cut off, deserted, lost, friendless, abandoned, ignored, disliked, and feeling alone).

Ultimately, it comes down to this – Do you honor God? Do you trust God?

It is impossible to ignore Christ and the interests of His kingdom and glory, and live in indifference to the things of God and prosper (Haggai 1:1-15).

What are some of your thoughts?

Real change is begun in the heart. The heart is the root of all behavior; it is that which is central to humanity. It is the inner person that reasons, emotes, and chooses. To truly change, we must rely on the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. We cannot become a man or woman of God without both working consistently in our hearts and in our lives. We must ask God for His wisdom. We need to learn how to love, trust and fear God more than anything else in this world. We must give up our idolatrous lives. We need to destroy the idols of our worship. We must become true worshippers of the true God. This radical amputation will involve several needed steps. Some of the steps are as follows:

1. Repent before God. Psalm 51:17 – The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise. (NAS)
2. Love God. Matthew 22:37 – And He said to him, ”You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (NAS)
3. Trust in the Lord. Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (NAS) 2 Peter 1:3 – His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
4. Delight yourself in the Lord. Psalm 37:4 – Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart. (NAS)

As these Scriptural passages point out, God desires to change us into true worshippers of Him. He has plans to prosper us and not to harm us. He desires to give us hope and an amazing future (Jeremiah 29:11). Most of our clients that come to the center are in need of radical changes in their lives. Their lives have often times become unmanageable. Helping them to know what real change is and Who brings that about, in their lives, has become a central aspect of our work and ministry with them.

By God’s grace, we will become even more effective and competent in our counsel and ministry to those we serve.