THE SCHOOL OF SUFFERING
James 1: 3 for you already know that the proof of your faith produces constancy.
Recently I spoke with someone about him because of suffering, and the same concern arose about why one suffers when one seeks God. The church has forged a new teaching that comes from years ago that has been telling the church that they should enjoy the triple blessing, health, economic prosperity and spiritual blessing. But they do not tell you all about it, they just take some verses out of context to make you believe what they believe. But this is contrasted in the scriptures when you see that the apostles did not always enjoy economic blessing, they did not always have health and that if while obeying God they enjoyed spiritual blessing.
I believe we have the need to knock down all false teaching, and discover the truth through the scriptures, and today I want to teach you about the spiritual school of suffering. This is a school that God has designed for the believer so that he can perfect him, bring him closer to him, and show him his power and glory.
Not everyone wants to be taught, some only seek to have more things, more blessing, more material things, far from the opportunity to know God and glorify him as his apostles did.
The Bible shows us how this school works, a school set up by God to mature the believer in the faith and affirm his trust in God. The scriptures show us the great lessons that suffering brings to our life, of course, nobody wants to suffer, but to experience it is the best way to forge spirituality in the believer, let's look at:
Lesson of Obedience
Heb 5: 8 Although he was a Son, through suffering he learned to obey;
Jesus himself had to learn to be obedient through suffering, because then we believe that we have to skip the lesson, it is not easy to suffer, but he brings comfort and strength to the one who is tired.
The lesson of Perseverance or perseverance
James 1: 3 for you already know that the proof of your faith produces constancy.
We are inconstant beings in everything we do, so that we can persevere in faith we need that the suffering refine us and produce in us constancy, in prayer, in the reading of the word, in fasting and in giving.
The lesson of Perfection
Heb 2:10 Indeed, in order to bring many children to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom, and through whom all exists, would perfect through suffering the author of their salvation.
Christ himself the author and finisher of our faith was perfected through suffering, again we can not skip such a wonderful lesson, of being able to be perfect as God is perfect.
The lesson of Joy despite the circumstances
1Th 1: 6 You became our imitators and the Lord when, despite much suffering, you received the message with the joy that the Holy Spirit infuses.
Enjoying oneself in the midst of suffering is something that seems illogical, but it was what those who served God experienced, joy in the midst of persecution, of pain, of the loss of loved ones, of abandonment of their families and of losing everything for Christ. .
The lesson of the Blessing in eternity
2Co 4:17 For the light and ephemeral sufferings that we now suffer produce an eternal glory that is worth much more than all suffering.
We must recognize that every earthly treasure does not compare with the blessing we can enjoy in the eternal, but in order not to become attached to the material we must suffer in this world.
The lesson of Compassion and love
1Co 12:26 If one of the members suffers, others share their suffering; and if one of them receives honor, the others rejoice with him.
As brothers in Christ we now make a new family, and this new family shares suffering and joy, honor and dishonor, persecution and freedom in Christ. We share everything with love and devotion among the brothers.
The lesson of comfort and freedom in affliction
Job 36:15 To those who suffer, God delivers them through suffering;
in his affliction, he comforts them. [5]
As we all have suffering in common, then we can experience the liberation of suffering that allows us to understand the truth and brings comfort to the afflicted heart.
The lesson of identification and unity with Christ
Rev 1: 9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering, in the kingdom and in the perseverance that we have in union with Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
Now we are one in Christ and suffering is the tool used to unite us more to Christ while we persevere in the faith and trust we have placed in God.
CONCLUSION
What I write may seem easy, but it is one thing to write now after suffering, that when I was in the midst of suffering, now it seems easy to say or write it, but when I was suffering I felt lost, alone, abandoned, defeated, lost, unloved, good many lies that only suffering can uncover and show in truth for man to stop seeking comfort in himself and man and seek him, to stop justifying and take charge of their decisions , to abandon all praise of men and conform to the divine will.
Suffering is liberating, protective and safeguarding the truth that God has arranged for man to know him. If we do not suffer we will not know him because it is in the midst of suffering that we can know him outside of our comfort zone and see him as he is.
In addition, suffering is the best school that the believer can have, because it will teach him to obey when he lacks obedience because he will have to face the consequences of his sin, will teach him to live in holiness away from the evil that once hurt him , will teach you to trust in the divine will, even if you do not agree and will cause us to enter into greater communion with God. My times of suffering have brought me out of the monotony and parsimony in which a comfortable life can be converted, they have taught me to let go of myself and what I have been given the privilege of having. What has the suffering taught you? It is an answer that only you can give, but if you reflect it you will find wonderful answers.