SUFFERING

Have you ever felt like life is just toooooo much?

All the disappointments, discouragement, pain and

hopelessness is more than you can handle?

I have.

I have lived a long time.  I have walked (Tried to.) with

God for most of those years.  And in the process of trials, 

pressures of life, discouragements, pain, hospital beds 

and heart ache I have learned a few things about suffering.

One.

God uses any and all of these things to TRY to get our

attention.  He wants to draw us to him just like a crying

child will go to it's parent.  If you have been living your

own way - you have just figured out your problem.  Simply

turn to God.

Two.

As a child of God you will still be tested - severely.

If you think being a child of God and the Christian life

is a "joy ride" like some of the "televangelist" would 

have you believe, you better change stations.  It "just

ain't so".

Over the past year or so I have been seeing something

over and over and over in the Scriptures.  For example,

the apostle John who God use to write the book off 

"Revelation" said,

"... I am your partner in patiently enduring the 

suffering that comes to those who belong to his 

Kingdom."

(Revelation 1:9 GNT)

And this is because God has a purpose in it.  No, I don't

like it either, but he is training and strengthening me with

it.  He is preparing me to be with him forever.

Look at these guys below.  They are in army boot camp.

They are enduring training, hardship and suffering 

willingly - for their own good.

So, what am I do do?

TURN TO THE BOOK.

"Good people suffer many troubles,
but the Lord saves them from 
them all."
(Psalms 34:19 GNT)

H.W. Beecher said,

"God washes the eyes by tears until

they can behold the invisible land where 

tears shall come no more."