Why Is Suffering Part of God's Plan?

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Romans 8:1-17

8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

 
 

Here, when we look at Romans 8:1–17 as a whole, we can see that Paul is emphasizing the nature and importance of life in the Spirit for those who are in Christ.

Yes, Christ’s death set us free from sin and death, but that is merely the first step in God’s plan for humanity, and there is more for those who are in Christ. It’s important to Paul that we understand that God has given the Holy Spirit to those who are in Christ and that He now enables them to live a new kind of life, empowered by the Spirit. To Paul, this is what it means to be a Christian—to live in this new way.

One of the aspects of the Christian vocation is to be at the place where the world’s pain and our prayers meet. In other words, those who are in Christ are meant to be like Christ and intercede for the suffering world.

This is a deep insight into the calling of a Christian that we need to sit with today. In our next day’s reading, Paul will explain that today’s suffering will not compare with tomorrow’s glory.

But, before we get there, we should sit with the idea of suffering in the Christian life.

Why is suffering part of God’s plan to prepare us for our place in God’s glorious future?

 

How Long, Lord? - Psalm 13

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Our new Exodus books are in, and our Exodus reading resumes on MONDAY! Part 2 of our Exodus plan will run six weeks: from February 19 to Good Friday, March 29. It will cover chapters 5-15: the Plagues, the Passover, and the Parting of the sea. Here’s how to get your copy:

  • Pick up a book this Sunday at Asbury;

  • Email Sandie Tomlinson, and she’ll mail you a copy;

  • If you live in Dallas, email Sandie and she’ll tell you how you can pick yours up for yourself there in town.

 
 
 

Psalm 13

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

 
 

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

The psalmist feels utterly alone—no one to counsel him, no one to encourage him. Worst of all, his enemies are thriving while he is suffering.

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

If the Lord doesn’t quickly respond, the psalmist won’t be able to persevere much longer and his enemies will gloat over his destruction.

5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Though there are more psalms of lament than psalms of joy—a fact which teaches us something important about the nature of life on this blue planet—almost all the psalms end on a note of confidence and joy. The psalmist knows that the Lord is faithful forever, and that those who put their trust in him will not be disappointed.

How can you rejoice today, right in the midst of your difficulties?

 
 

 

How Long, Lord? - Psalm 13

in
 

Psalm 13

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

 
 

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

The psalmist feels utterly alone—no one to counsel him, no one to encourage him. Worst of all, his enemies are thriving while he is suffering.

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

If the Lord doesn’t quickly respond, the psalmist won’t be able to persevere much longer and his enemies will gloat over his destruction.

5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Though there are more psalms of lament than psalms of joy—a fact which teaches us something important about the nature of life on this blue planet—almost all the psalms end on a note of confidence and joy. The psalmist knows that the Lord is faithful forever, and that those who put their trust in him will not be disappointed.

How can you rejoice today, right in the midst of your difficulties?

 
 

 

Protected *Through* Not Protected *From*

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As we will see as we continue to read through Revelation, the message of Jesus to the churches is NOT that they will be protected from difficulties, but that they will be protected through difficulties.

In light of that truth, how will you react today to the inevitable problems that come across your path?

 
 

Today’s Revelation Reading (day 07 of 30):

Revelation 3:7-13

 
 

How Long, Lord? [Psalm 13]

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“Where are you, Lord? Are you even listening? How much longer will I languish here?”
 
 

Psalms 13 is another favorite from our new project, Psalms LIVE. Order Psalms LIVE on iTunes here: http://shane.cta.gs/0mf Watch the full concert here: https...

 
 

The Psalms help us pray through our emotions to the Lord. Ever felt forgotten by God? Ever been desperate? Psalm 13 comes from a place of desperation. [By the way, be sure to watch the video by Shane and Shane above—it’s a remarkable musical version of Psalm 13.]

 
 
 
 

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

The psalmist feels utterly alone—no one to counsel him, no one to encourage him. Worst of all, his enemies are thriving while he is suffering.

 
 

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

If the Lord doesn’t quickly respond, the psalmist won’t be able to persevere much longer and his enemies will gloat over his destruction.

 
 

5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Though there are more psalms of lament than psalms of joy—a fact which teaches us something important about the nature of life on this blue planet—almost all the psalms end on a note of confidence and joy. The psalmist knows that the Lord is faithful forever, and that those who put their trust in him will not be disappointed.

How can you rejoice today, right in the midst of your difficulties?

Why Are We Surprised?

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Jesus warned us it would happen, so why are we so surprised when it does?

“‘If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’”
— John 15:18-25

Don’t be surprised when you face opposition because of your commitment to Christ, and don’t believe the lie that if you were just more winsome they would accept you. Remember: they crucified Jesus, and he loved people perfectly.

When you face opposition, know that you are being conformed to the image of Christ and being given the gift of tasting—just barely—the sufferings of Christ himself.

And never forget that Christ was vindicated in the Resurrection, and you will be, too.

Keep going.

 

Today’s Scripture

John 15:18-16:15