Divert with me from the topic “listening” to a blurb I wrote for a mentoring situation Sunday.
We’re all born selfish, arrogant and ego-centric. This state carries on to some degree until adulthood. God draws us to Himself and we begin a walk with Him. For the new Believer it is a spiritual infatuation state – self-centered, thrilled with what Christianity has done for them.
Out of this beginning we are asked to cooperate with God’s Spirit to forge lives of selflessness, compassion and love. This transformation is impossible apart from adversity. Suffering. Becoming Christ-like and others-centered is a painful process. We tend to avert this route, possibly through an addiction or another avoidance mechanism, missing out on the opportunity for pesonal growth.
We have two choices: a maturing relationship with God or major disallusionment and growing selfishness that develops from avoiding suffering.
Suffering. The question is not whether we’ll suffer, but how we’ll suffer and just as important, how we’ll respond to suffering. Romans 5:3-5 helps us understand the Biblical role of suffering. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Catch the progression: suffering > endurance (perseverance) > strength of character > hope > never disappointed.
Gary Thomas in his book Authentic Faith suggests that Character is forged only when we pass through fire. Suffering is ordained on our behalf, teaching us to endure with hope and patience, valuing it for the benefit it brings. Suffering is not a house in which to dwell but a doorway to blessing.
No comments:
Post a Comment