Suffering and Thanking

Good Thursday morning! Suffering, suffering everywhere I look it seems nothing but suffering. Aaaugh! What is a person to do? Just what we have always done: we can pray to the God of Heaven and Earth. Most of us were born too late to pray as Jesus suffered on the cross. But we have a lot of suffering to pray for right now. One of the major steps in our Christian growth is the gradual realization that not all of the suffering is our own. At the first as little Christian infants we are mainly concerned with the suffering we experience daily. We call out to God and He gives us rest, but we begin to see other suffering. In the pains and trials we have walked through with Jesus, we begin to gain an understanding and compassion for the suffering of others. Without a lengthy stay in a hospital, I would have much less understanding of what others are going through in their hospital stays. How would I know what Christmas in a hospital is like without celebrating one myself? The suffering you and I are going through may serve (may?) God's purpose even though we cannot see how at the time.

My sufferings are limited. God controls everything so that I am not overwhelmed in His strength, though I am often overwhelmed in my own. Some suffering I will not understand because I have no experience. Praise God that we do not have to suffer everything. In some things, others will be better able to comfort a brother or sister in Christ because of their own particular journeys through those dark valleys with Jesus. In all sufferings, Jesus has given us the Comforter to help us and lift us up. Not one of us stands alone in suffering. The times seem dark, but the light shines.

In all the tales of suffering that I see in the body of Christ, what stands out? "Thank God," "Thank you Lord," "Thanks to God"... always the gratitude of thanksgiving to our Lord. How sweet that must seem to our God when we give Him thanks in those tough times. How much more must our Lord have compassion and rush to ease our pain when we give thanks even in the darkest moments. See how quickly our Father responds as more prayers rise up to Him when we pray for the suffering of those we love. We must suffer for a time, but great are the promises of our Lord.

Look up to the heavens today, your hope draws near!
Bucky