The Lord Asks For Faithfulness

 Note: If you receive this blog via email, Feedburner will no longer work after June 2021 and the emails will cease after that time. You can still view new posts at:

http://sufferingandsolace.blogspot.com/

Or if you still want an email of the post sent, leave me a note in the comment area below this post. Thanks!

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” Hebrews 11:6

Recently I was watching a wonderful television series called “The Bible.” It reminded me of the theme that runs throughout the entire Bible: faithfulness. From Noah in the ark, to Abraham seeking a new homeland, from David and Goliath, all the way through to Jesus going willingly to a cross, faith is a very important theme in the Bible.

I was also recently watching a few episodes of a television series called “Cosmos.” Despite its beautiful graphics, and scenes of the creation, it was utterly devoid of any belief, faith, or respect for the Creator who gave us the creation. It was a show made by men refusing to believe anything they cannot see, measure, or quantity.

Faith pleases God. When are faithful and believing, even when we cannot see a good outcome in front of us, God is pleased by our continued trust in Him.

For many of us, our afflictions and illnesses have tested our faith. It is hard to believe in the goodness of God when we live daily with the “badness” of sickness and disease. When we focus only upon what we can see, we can lose our vision of what we cannot see. Hope fulfilled is a wonderful thing, but waiting for our hopes to be fulfilled can be challenging.

God may be asking you to trust Him despite your circumstances. He may be allowing you a time of trials on your way to becoming stronger in your faith and learning to rely upon Him. You may think nothing could be harder than to trust God in your circumstances, but remember Abraham, David, and Jesus. Have the faith found in the Bible, and believe that even when you do not see or fully understand, that God will provide a way for you.

Prayer: Dear Lord, every day feels like a test of faith when we are ill. Help us to remain faithful and always trust in You. Amen.

Get Closer To Jesus

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

Christians often say they want to be closer to God. But what is preventing them from doing so? Nothing. It is not as if God is ignoring them, or uninterested in being close to them. It is more likely that we simply do not take time for Jesus.

There are a number of ways we can spend time with Jesus. The obvious methods are prayer and reading about, meditating, and thinking upon Jesus and His life. Prayer brings us into direct communion with Christ. Reading the Gospels and the Bible in general keeps our focus upon Jesus and His teachings.

There is also another way. When we serve others in some fashion Jesus said it is like we are serving Him.

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:40 (KJV)

And there is yet one more way we can please Jesus and draw closer to our Lord. Obedience. Following and practicing the teachings of Jesus Christ. 

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46

There is no mystery to drawing closer to Jesus. We need not wait for a spiritual revelation to become close to our God. Jesus laid out simple steps that will serve every believer, enabling them to both draw nearer to God and to please Him. We need to change our focus, set aside time, and have the desire to please our Lord. What then follows will be a stronger, deeper attachment to Him and with Him.

A relationship with God is not altogether different than any other relationship. To be friends, please a spouse, get to know our kids and grandkids better, we need to spend time and energy on them. When we do those things closeness will follow.

Draw closer to God this week. Read about Jesus, think about Jesus, talk to do Jesus, and follow His teachings. If you will do these things, you will become closer to God.

Prayer: Dear Lord, there is no mystery to drawing close to You. Help us to keep our eyes and energy turned toward You and to know You better. Amen.

We Give Him Our Praise

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

    I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:18

    Often we feel overwhelmed by all that God has done, and continues to do for us. We know we can never repay Him, and our debt to Jesus is beyond comprehension for His saving grace.

    Such feelings of humility are correct. We are forever indebted to a God so good that He loved us when we were yet sinners and in open rebellion against Him. Only after receiving the Salvation that comes through Jesus Christ do we truly understand the fullness and the goodness of God.

    What can we do for such a God? We can honor Him, share Jesus with others. We can testify about His goodness. And one of the most important things we can is to give God our praise.

    C.S. Lewis said:

“it is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence”

    Even in the praises we offer God we find Him continuing to bless us by revealing Himself even more clearly to us. Praise and worship are an important part of the path every Christian walks. God exists and becomes more to us and our Christian faith as we praise Him.

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3 (KJV)

    Through songs, prayers, or simply lifting holy hands up before God, we worship and praise Him with gratitude in our hearts. For eternity we will praise the One who has given us every good gift and has awaiting us blessings beyond our wildest dreams in heaven.

    There are many reasons for the suffering child of God to be discouraged and weary and think that praise is unattainable. Yet, if we can draw our eyes and attention off of ourselves for a moment, and look to the heavens considering the God who made us, praise will flow even from the hurting soul of the believer.

    Find time to praise God today. Make time to praise Him. It is one sure way to feel closer to God.

    Prayer: Dear Lord, life leaves us discouraged and weary. Give us strength to look beyond our troubles and find You in the midst of our praise as we lift Your Name in worship and gratitude. Amen.

Suffering Brings Light

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. Hebrews 12:2

It should not surprise us that suffering can bring about good things. Yet we do not like to think of suffering as anything but a calamity to be avoided. 

I have noticed many great writers suffered from bouts of serious illness or ongoing infirmities. Charles Dickens suffered from asthma. George Orwell who wrote the book “1984” dealt with tuberculosis. Ernest Hemingway suffered mental health problems. Virginia Woolf suffered from manic depression. Sir Walter Scott suffered from illness as a boy, which kept him indoors reading stories that led to him becoming a prolific writer. Robert Louis Stevenson the author of “Treasure Island” suffered a lung ailment from boyhood into his adult years.

I have heard several instances like this and I can relate because my own series of afflictions lead me to both read and write. When one is forced to develop an “inward life” due to illness and affliction the door can open to other creative outlets.

Still, no one would choose to be ill or suffer ongoing affliction no matter what artistic talent or ability may come of it. Though it is encouraging to see that some good can come from suffering.

The One who suffered for us all did not do so for any personal benefit. What could you give to God? Indeed, He already had everything. Then He stepped down from the glory of Heaven into the poverty of humanity. Jesus suffered the indignities of mankind from being born in an animal stable and wearing diapers. Then as a grown man the scorn and ridicule of both the powerful and lowly among humanity even as He healed, taught, and helped humans.

The final act of His suffering reveals Jesus upon a criminal’s cross, hung between two convicts while being mocked. They cursed Him and dared Him to step down from the cross to prove He was God.

The greatest light of all was Jesus, and He brought light to us. Those who suffer affliction and endure difficult lives on earth will be set free of these indignities we now suffer. Those who place faith in Christ, accept His offer of Salvation from our sins, will enter into the glory Christ brings to every child of God.

His suffering brought light to a hurting world. Out of the suffering of our Lord came the light that leads us into an eternity free of pain and misery and filled with the glory of God Himself.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for humbling yourself to live and die among us. And Thank You for saving us from sin and eternal misery through Your goodness, love, and light. Amen.