
Will you have a scar? Many times you will. Does the scar hurt like the original injury? Not usually…but it is a vivid reminder of what happened. Hopefully a reminder that helps you not do the action again that caused the injury.
In following a life in Christ, there is much suffering because we are trying to live a fully functional life with broken parts and pieces. We cannot do it without pain. The more we give to God, the more He can fix. The suffering will never go away completely because the journey requires a total makeover. But what an awesome difference when we begin to walk with some of the broken parts fixed! How can we do that? God gives us ample guidance in the Scriptures (quick summary is found in Part 1):
- Entrance into a covenant with the FAMILY OF GOD (Matthew 12:50)
- God will BEAR YOUR BURDENS (Psalm 68:19)
- Your PROVISIONS WILL BE BLESSED (Exodus 23:25)
- WEAKNESS AND WEARINESS will be REMOVED (Exodus 23:25)
- You will have an EVERLASTING NAME (Isaiah 56:5)
- You will receive a NEW HEART to KNOW GOD (Jeremiah 24:7)
- You will receive a NEW SPIRIT that will BE ABLE TO OBEY GOD (Ezekiel 11:19-20)
- You will ENTER INTO HIS REST (Matthew 11:28)
- The HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU (Luke 11:13)
- You will NEVER PERISH but have ETERNAL LIFE (John 10:28)
- You will receive the CROWN OF LIFE in heaven (Revelation 2:10)
The sufferings of Christ might make us wince and say, “Ouch, that hurts!” A surgeon or a medical doctor may often have to hurt you to fix you. But how much more effective result we will receive when it is not just a broken bone or disease that will be removed to bring you a small amount of comfort, but a whole, totally new part that will bring freedom, faith and a future with God.
Remember, suffering has value when you have the right view concerning it…and then it can bring you to victory.