"Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)

Saturday, June 26, 2021

**Suffering Has Its Purpose

         We can not avoid physical suffering in this life. I believe that God has a purpose for allowing anything to happen to us. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was struck dumb when he doubted what the angel Gabriel told him, that his wife Elizabeth in her advanced years would conceive a son. He didn't regain his power of speech until John was born. And Paul was struck blind by a bright light on his way to Damascus when Jesus called him. He regained his sight three days later when Ananias of Damascus laid his hands upon him and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul also mentioned his thorn in flesh the Lord gave him to keep him humble. We don't know what it was, but it could be a form of physical suffering too. My left shoulder joint due to a number of falls has suffered pain for years. I know that the Lord can heal me in an instant should he so wish. In the meantime, I know he has purposed it too. For us who follow the Lord, we know that offering our sufferings up to him glorifies him, and one day all our sufferings will turn into eternal joy in heaven.   

No comments:

Post a Comment