Patience in Suffering

This is one of the hardest things for me to do.  Instead of being patient while suffering I grumble and complain and even have a pity party at times.  I also blame God and sometimes throw a fit in my mind accusing God of not really loving me.  How come we can read and hear and study the Word knowing that even believers suffer but somehow we forget these things when it happens to us, blaming God and throwing a hissy fit, to our shame.  We live in a fallen world with fallen people but for some reason we think as believers we should be exempt from suffering.

It would be nice if we looked at our struggles as opportunities for growth and not as things to complain about.  When we are under pressure our true character comes forth.  Think of this, a tree can stand and look strong but until the storm hits you will never know if the tree can stand against it.  It is the same with us, until we face trials and tribulations we will never know our ability to stand and not falter under the pressures of life.  God’s desire isn’t always to keep us from pain but to build our character through it and to change us into His image and likeness.  Jesus is God’s only begotten Son but He wasn’t exempt from suffering, He suffered more than any of us.

It says this in Hebrews 5:5-10:

“So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:

‘You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You.’

As He also says in another place:

‘You are a priest forever

According to the order of Melchizedek’;

who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest ‘according to the order of Melchizedek.’”

Read what it says in James 1: 2-4, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

The word temptation here refers to trials or testing not meant as an enticement to do evil.  God never provokes us to sin when testing us.

Read this in James 1:12-15, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

Suffering is something we all as believers need to expect, the question is not will we suffer, but what will our attitude be when we suffer?  Read what Peter says our attitude should be about persecution and, I think, any trial.

It is found in 1 Peter 4:12-16, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.”

I think I have said enough on this subject, but I want to put this in here, the Bible says this in verse 16, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.”

That is what I have done earlier in this ‘Tidbit,’ confessed my sin and I would appreciate your prayers so that I will be healed and not fall into this behavior again.  Thanks in advance!  Something for you to think about!  I hope this ‘Tidbit’ helps all who read it.  God bless you and have a super day!!