The lost world would laugh at me, but I am encouraged as I write about this. I went to the post office today to get a big stack of mail and opened some newsletter from a ministry, which usually does not send me letters. I was going to just toss what looked to be a form letter it in the trash but opened it first to take a glance. My eyes fell on this:
“…life in faith has always been difficult for saints.”
“…as a Christian…God’s intention in all the difficulty, affliction, and suffering He ordains for you…is…that you remember that everything God feels toward you as a Christian is gracious. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1). He’s not punishing you for sin. You are His child. He is your Father. He is no longer your prosecutor. He now deals with you as a child, not a defendant."
Hebrews 12 teaches that our suffering is for our holiness. We are guaranteed it, even when we have not done anything wrong. God is at work to grow us up and make us holy.
There have been times in my life when I have said, “God, I can’t take anymore.” What I was really saying was, “God give me my way!” His answer is always the same: “Come to Me,” and “Let Me be everything to you.”
