Within the previous chapters, I addressed my own responses to Mom. Reactions of shame, guilt, and jealousy. Also, I began telling you of God’s lessons of life through each phase. Furthermore, I spoke of how God used my marriage to Pete to learn of God’s unconditional love toward me by allowing my heart to experience unconditional love and forgiveness toward Pete. But what of Mom and Pete? What were the emotions that they suffered? How could it be that God allowed their suffering? Could their suffering have divine purpose? Such agonizing suffering within their minds! Only time allowed me to see their suffering. Wrought with guilt over their own actions, they demonstrated often a forgiveness unparalleled toward me. At times, like a lion caged, I lashed out with words that cut deep. My anger and response, I felt were justified; but, alas, they were not.
My journey, as well as theirs, through dark and winding paths of suffering were all guided by God’s Hand of love. My angry response to perceived wrongs, in truth were born out of a lack of faith or obedience to God. Though I may at times have believed, my anger, sorrow, and unrest were born out of a righteous indignation for their wrongs. The truth is: God is Sovereign. My suffering, as was theirs, came from an Almighty, Sovereign God who always remains more concerned with our eternity than our momentary comfort. Yet, in the midst of all that suffering, He bids us to draw closer to Him. There, abiding in His arms of Grace, we learn to lay aside all else that we might find true Joy, Peace, and Rest in Him.
IS THERE TRUE JOY FOUND IN OUR SUFFERING?
Our journey here is preparing us for an eternity of true joy in His presence, surrendered to and surrounded by His Perfect Love. Beyond that, He bids us to discover that abiding, steadfast joy here and now.
None of us would say as we begin this journey of following Christ that we desire suffering. Yet, we are told of Him, the perfect righteous Son of God who is Truth itself; “that He learned obedience through suffering.” (Hebrews 5:8). He, who is equal to God, joint-creator of the universe, and co-designer of this plan of salvation, humbled Himself in obedience to suffering upon this earth. Not that He had ever been disobedient; rather, He learned of the very nature of submission and obedience through His suffering. He who came to die that mankind might be offered salvation free and full, suffered the mockery and ridicule of the very ones He came to save. Humbly, He submitted Himself to ridicule and the empty words of faith from even His followers. So, often, they, as we were more concerned about His gifts than knowing Him.
Yet, God bids us to come to Him, to abide in Him. There we may find rest for our souls and joy for our heart. However, to truly know Him, we must join in His suffering. Yet it is with such patience and tender mercy that He guides us through the suffering. In suffering, we learn to let go of the selfish desires that bind us to this world and keep us from Him.
THE SUFFERING OF CHRIST AND OBEDIENCE
Perhaps Soren Kierkegaard said it best.
Ah! The one who knew all, whose thoughts comprehend all, who needed not to come to the knowledge of anything, because what He knows not does not even exist, of Him is it said that He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
Christ learned obedience. Indeed, from eternity His will accorded with the Father’s, and He freely chose the Father’s will. But when, as in the fulness of the time, He came, thereupon he learned obedience by the things which He suffered—which He suffered when He came to His own, and they did not know Him, when He went about here in the humble guise of a servant, and bore the weight of God’s eternal plan, and His words were spoken as if in vain, when He, in whom, in whom alone there is salvation, was in the world as something superfluous…when nobody heeded Him, or, what was harder when He aroused the worthless interest of a vagrant curiosity….Even the vinegar was not a drink more sour for the Holy One, than the vacuous interest taken by the idles, and the revolting tribute curiosity accorded Him who is the Truth!”[1]
The True Joy Set Before Us, in Our Suffering
Now, standing in the presence of God, do you think that Pete would bemoan the suffering he endured upon this earth? Nor would Mom who has finally find the true joy of being in His presence here. Through prayer and reading His word, she is happy for the first time in her life. It has been through the suffering I endured, that I have come to learn of Him. I, too have learned to trust in Him and to let God be God. For it is in learning, through suffering, that His plan is best for me. “the sufferer painfully learns, first, that in spite of all, it is God who ordains, and then goes on to learn in glad obedience, to leave to God to ordain!”[2]
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds (Hebrews 12:1-3).
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR?
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. Because there is nothing more important than this, I urge you to seek Him today.
ARE YOU IN OF NEED PRAYER?
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Or if you would like to tell me your story or thoughts comment here
For more information regarding suffering see:
Can Illness and Suffering Be God’s Grace and Love?
Can Man Really See God Through Suffering?
How Can Suffering Be God’s Divine Purpose for Good?
Can Suffering and Pain Lead to True Joy?
How Suffering Brings You to the Heart of Jesus
Do You Want to Know the Secret to Abiding Steadfast Joy?
A labor of love, this book provides you with 3 foundations of truth from the scripture which once known will provide you with abiding, steadfast joy. Undaunted by the storms of life; your joy will overflow.
WHEN INJUSTICE AND VIOLENCE REIGN:
Through a study of Nahum, Habukkuk, and Zephaniah; I brought their message into our modern times. Answering the questions of “Why, God?”
Providing a foundation of faith and hope; even, as we see so much evil in the world and in our nation. With so much sorrow and despair, this book I wrote to guide you into discovering God’s Perfect Plan of love; amid this chaotic world filled with life’s storms.
You may click on the picture for more information on either of these books.
ANOTHER Book Available
You can find this and all my books on Amazon.com, search Effie Darlene Barba or click this link to be taken there
OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE
If you want to know more about other books I have written: You can read more about each one at: Book Resources.
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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2018
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Footnotes and Credits
[1] Kierkegaard, Sufferings, 52-53
[2] Kierkegaard, Sufferings, 58.