Ed Welch:
1. Don’t be surprised by suffering (1 Pet. 4:12). The Son suffered, so
do those who follow the Son. You will not be spared the sufferings that
the world experiences, but you will participate in them, both for the
world’s benefit and your own.
2. Live by faith, see the unseen (Heb.
2:2). Normal eyesight is not enough. Your eyes will tell you that God
is far away and silent. The truth is that he is close—invisible—but
close. He has a unique affection for fellow sufferers. So get help to
build up your spiritual vision. Search Scripture. Enlist others to help,
to pray, to remind you of the Truth. Ask the God of comfort to comfort
you.
3. Suffering will reveal what is really in your heart. It will
test you (Jam. 1:2). Where do you turn when tested? Do you turn toward
Jesus or turn inward?
4. God is God, you are not (Job 38-42). This
is important. Humility and submission before the King can quiet some of
your questions.
5. Confess sin. There is nothing new here; it is a
regular feature of daily life. Yet it always helps you to see the cross
of Jesus more clearly. It is the quickest way to see the persistent and
lavish love of God (Heb. 12).
6. Keep an eye out in Scripture for
the Suffering Servant. He has entered into your suffering, and you can
enter into his. (Isaiah 39-53, John 10-21)
7. Speak honestly and
often to the Lord. This is critical. Just speak, groan, have someone
read you a psalm and say a weak, “Amen.”
8. Expect to get to know God better while in this wilderness. That is how he usually works with his people (Phil. 3:10-11).
9. Talk to those who have suffered, read their books, listen to them.
You are not alone. Insist on being moved with compassion as you hear
other stories of suffering.
10. Look ahead. We need spiritual vision
for what is happening now and for where the universe is heading. We are
on a pilgrimage that ends at the temple of God (Ps. 84).
With thanks to Vitamin Z.
1 comment:
That is a great and instructive list. It certainly speaks of the need to make good use of the good times to fill our hearts and minds with all the Good Stuff so that we are ready to weather the storms. And to have dear brothers and sisters (be they in books or in real life) to gently point us back to Jesus when we are doing it tough. Thanks for sharing.
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