The Truth About Suffering and Tribulation
You might suffer, even to the point of losing your life, for preaching the Gospel. In that situation, God promises that he'll comfort you. Paul teaches us that if we find ourselves under religious persecution, we can turn to God and be strengthened. As we're strengthened, it helps us persevere, and we come out with hope and patience. But you can not say that God will mess around with your life's circumstances, to make you suffer, to teach you patience.
This blog contains highlights from the sermon “The Truth About Suffering and Tribulation” by Clint Byars. We encourage you to watch the full message.
““Do you finally believe?” Jesus replied. “Look, an hour is coming and has already come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!””
God is not the author of your suffering. It's not in his script for your life. Tribulation and suffering are in the world, but they're not from God. If you should find yourself suffering religious persecution, God promises that He will comfort you.
These two passages address the issue of suffering.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction (tribulation), so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction (tribulation), with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. 8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction (tribulation) we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that "was to” (was meant to) make us (But that made us) rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
Verse 9 can be a little confusing; here's how it reads in the original language.
Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that made us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.
We usually read it this way.
But that was meant to make us rely not on ourselves…
The word "meant" is implied unnecessarily. The implication is that God purposed or allowed them to suffer, so they would rely on him and not themselves. But what Paul is saying is that it happened, and their response was to rely on God.
It's a subtle nuance, but it's an important one. When we find ourselves suffering due to persecution, our response should be to rely on God for comfort. And when we're comforted, we can then comfort others because we know that God will comfort them too.
It clearly says God will comfort us in suffering, but it does NOT clearly say the suffering was from God, you have to read that into the text.
God is not the author of our suffering. He comforts us when we find ourselves in it. And the only kind of suffering that God says we must endure is for preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of Jesus.
Suffering With Christ
2 Corinthians 1:5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
Aren't we supposed to share in Christ's sufferings? In other words, if Christ suffered, aren't we supposed to experience the same things?
It's a fair question; let's look at what Jesus endured.
He was persecuted for saying that God was his father.
He was called a blasphemer for claiming to be the Messiah.
He was arrested by Rome on the Jew's behalf, for claiming to be the Messiah.
Once arrested, he was beaten and tortured.
He was nailed to a cross.
He was made to be sin for us.
He passed into the grave from which he rose again.
You could be persecuted like Jesus was persecuted, but only partially. You may be persecuted for preaching that Jesus is the Messiah. You may be arrested and beaten for preaching the Gospel. You may be killed for not rejecting your faith in Jesus. But you cannot suffer for your own sin, Jesus did that for you. You can not be beaten to gain healing, by His stripes you were healed. And God will not kill you as a sacrifice for the salvation of the world.
The only suffering that we can share in is the preaching of the kingdom of God
Life's Circumstances
There is no Biblical context for God, causing someone to suffer through ordinary life circumstances. Here's my point; some teach the illness, job loss, lost property, sick children, and depression are part of God's plan, so you'll suffer and turn to him.
There is no Biblical corroboration for the idea that God will cause adverse situations in your life to make you suffer and learn patience or become more holy. People make that stuff up.
People find themselves in difficult circumstances and wonder why God allowed it or what he's trying to teach them. In difficulty, we often turn to God and come out of it more dependent on him. Because of the outcome, we wrongly assume God allowed it for that desired end. That sounds logical, but it's unbiblical, there is no case of God treating people that way, ever. You may say, "what about Job," I address that in the video above.
Conclusion
You might suffer, even to the point of losing your life, for preaching the Gospel. In that situation, God promises that he'll comfort you. Paul teaches us that if we find ourselves under religious persecution, we can turn to God and be strengthened. As we're strengthened, it helps us persevere, and we come out with hope and patience. But you can not say that God will mess around with your life's circumstances, to make you suffer, to teach you patience.
Precious In His Sight
How to End Self-Condemnation
Are you hard on yourself? That may be a good thing but it may be a bad thing. If you push yourself to be better in healthy ways, keep it up! But if you tend to compare yourself to others, or you feel like you’re not as far along in life as you’d like and you condemn yourself, stop it! I have good news for you! In this article, I’ll show you how to be free from self-judgment and condemnation.
HOW TO END SELF-CONDEMNATION
Are you hard on yourself? That may be a good thing but it may be a bad thing. If you push yourself to be better in healthy ways, keep it up! But if you tend to compare yourself to others, or you feel like you’re not as far along in life as you’d like and you condemn yourself, stop it! I have good news for you! In this article, I’ll show you how to be free from self-judgment and condemnation.
SELF-CONDEMNATION
Condemnation means: a damnatory sentence, punishment
Condemnation is rightfully expected if someone is guilty of something. In our court system, we go to trial, evidence is examined, a verdict is made, and if it’s a guilty verdict, the punishment is passed down from the judge. That punishment is the condemnation.
Regarding our standing before God, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. In modern terms, there is no punishment for those who are in Christ Jesus. Why? Jesus was punished in our place. As the word says, he took the penalty for the breaking of the law in himself, “he who knew no sin became sin so we could become righteous.”
Praise God!! Thank you Jesus!! Can I get an Amen!!
Now, it would be nice if your inner man knew that. Meaning, it would be nice if you would stop punishing yourself for your mistakes. Jesus has already taken the penalty for your sin, it’s time to let it go. In fact, as you keep beating yourself up for it, you’re actually reinforcing its power in your life. When you hold your sin against yourself, you’re empowering those destructive behaviors. Why? Because the strength of sin is the law.
By no means should you continue in sin that grace may abound. You should expect God’s grace to transform your desires and attitudes, but you can stop punishing yourself for your mistakes. God isn’t holding them against you, you shouldn’t either.
Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. John 5:24
PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT
Do you feel precious in God’s sight? If you said yes, how about the deepest, darkest parts of you…do you feel precious to God in the hidden man of your heart?
1 Peter 3:3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-- 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
The deepest parts of your being are precious to God, who you really are is valuable to God, no matter what!! In the secret places of your heart, God is not holding your failures against you. So let the deep places be beautiful, you are free to allow his value for you to shape the most base aspects of your being.
When you judge yourself, do you judge based on your actions or on Jesus’ actions on your behalf?
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit 1 Peter 3:18
THE WAY FORWARD
Here’s a good strategy to employ if you are hard on yourself. This is mind renewal instruction, designed to show you how to let go of the past and live in your new creation identity, that is now holy and righteous.
Ephesians 4:21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. NLT
Keep in mind that you put on the new man from within. You are not tasked with seeking righteousness and holiness outwardly through ritual or obedience, it’s who you are. You already own the apparel, the robe of righteousness is in the closet of your heart, reach in and put it on. Put it on in your mind and feel it drape over you in your actions, attitudes and choices…to the glory of God!
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
If your heart is condemning you, if you want to end the cycle of self-condemnation that drives the emotions of repetitive sin, here’s what you do. Read this passage, then I’ll comment.
1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
I’ll sum up this passage in light of our pursuit to end self-condemnation. If your heart is condemning you, it’s because you’re not loving God and people. The only way to love God is to first experience his love for you, daily. You know his love for you by being rooted in the fact the Jesus laid down his life for you. Meditating on the willing sacrifice of Jesus should be very moving in your heart. If it isn’t, I want to encourage you to take some time to meditate on Jesus’ choice to lay down his life for you.
Put yourself in a heart posture before him where you expect to be moved by his act of love toward you. You may not see the Heavens split open, see angels and hear the audible voice of God, but you may feel a deep sense of thankfulness for him. You may also see his value for you as you ponder the obedience of Jesus upon the cross on your behalf.
This passage tells us that if we are rooted in the fact that Jesus laid down his life for us, we will love God and people. Here’s the secret, it will also cause you to love you.
You can love you because God loves you! In the deepest places of your heart, in the areas you keep hidden away from everyone, in the hidden man of the heart, you are precious in God’s sight. It’s time to stop judging yourself, it’s time to stop punishing yourself, and allow the hidden man of your heart to be free!!