I Pet. 3:17 “For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.”

SOVEREIGNTY

Why is it when we are going through hard times we beg God to get us out of it? If you really look at this verse, it may be God’s will for us to go through those times. Does that mean God hates us and wants us to suffer?

To truly understand this whole concept we have to acknowledge and accept the sovereignty of God and that everything that comes into our lives as believers has to go through His hands first. If we do that, then no matter what it is, no matter how dark the night seems, no matter how close to death we come we know that God is still on His throne and He is not shaken.

TEACHING MOMENT

Suffering is NOT something we want to teach our children, is it? No, we want their lives to be as pain free as possible. No parent wishes their child to suffer. But there will be those times when they will. We just can’t prevent it. So, how do we teach them to handle it? Through teaching them the verses all through Scripture that tell us about suffering.

As soon as you see, through the discernment of the Lord, how God is using this suffering in their lives, make sure you tell them. They may be too hurt at the time to see it themselves or to even recognize it once you point it out. Do it anyway. Open their blinded eyes to the grace they have received through the “gift” of suffering.

God only wants to make us better, never bitter. His will for our lives is always to fashion us to look more and more like Jesus. So, the next time you are going through a “suffering time” look in the mirror and say to yourself, “Lord, I just want to see Jesus in this mirror, not me.”