Comfort isn't all that, Part 1

You know we have a lot of biblical sounding clichés that aren’t in the bible:
Cleanliness is next to godliness.
God helps those who help themselves.
Money is the root of all evil (well that is partly right. It’s the love of money that is the root of all evil.)
But the one on my mind since coming to Africa is: God will never give you more that you can endure.
While the bible says he won’t allow temptation greater that we can flee from, I think the opposite of this statement is quiet true.
I believe God will intentionally allow suffering, and sometimes great suffering.
Why? That doesn’t seem like a very nice God does it?
In some cases, God will allow suffering in the lives of someone who is far from him,- not to punish him, but to break him of a rebellious spirit, and send him running home into his loving father’s arms (think of the prodigal son eating pig slop.)
But in other cases, it is our suffering that causes us to become Christ-like.
1Peter 2:21 …suffering is all part of what God has called you to. Christ, who suffered for you is your example. Follow in his steps. He never sinned, and he never deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly…
We don’t like to hear that do we? Heck as Americans we don’t even like to be uncomfortable, let alone suffer. We have air conditioning, extra strength Tylenol, 1000 thread count sheets, and Whoppers-your-way.
And if someone looks at us cross eyed; Well buddy, you better watch out! We’ll haul your butt into court so fast your head will spin. We’ll make sure justice is done!
Oh, but how different is Jesus? He says:
Matt 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.Hebrews 5:9 though he was a son he learned obedience by what he suffered.
Yikes! Jesus had to suffer. It was through suffering that he learned obedience.
1 Peter 4:1 therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourself also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.
In other words, those who accept suffering with the right attitude, and don’t seek revenge, and pray for those who have treated them wrongly, have grown into spiritual maturity.John Bevere puts it this way:
“Physical growth is a function of time. We don’t see two year olds who are 6 feet tall. Intellectual growth is not a function of time. We have 14 year old who have finished high school, and 5o year olds who haven’t. Intellectual growth is a function of learning.
Spiritual growth,- is it a function of time? No. We have people who have been saved for 20 years who are still wearing spiritual pampers, and make the most noise in the church. Is it a function of learning? No, the Pharisees could quote the books of the law from memory, but couldn’t recognize the son of man. Spiritual growth is a function of suffering. But I know many people who have suffered and it has made them bitter, they just end up with a sourpuss heart.
Spiritual growth is this: When we encounter unfair treatment, when we encounter offensive behavior, and we choose to obey God’s word in the mist of it rather than react and defend ourselves, and avenge ourselves or return evil for the evil that was done to us. God says when you do that, that’s when you grow.”
1 Peter 2:1 touches on this when he says, “So get rid of all malicious behavior and deceit. Don’t just pretend to be good! Be done with hypocrisy, and jealousy and backstabbing. You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation…Hey I don’t like this anymore that you,- who likes to suffer? But I see that, when it inevitably comes, I can handle it the right way and become better because of it. It will make me stronger, and more mature.
At least that is encouraging!