The Suffering Christian

There are a lot of people that don't understand the suffering Christian. Many of those are Christians and they find it hard to understand why troubled times come to them. They think that if they follow God to the T, everyday should be cotton candy and lemon drops. They quickly find it discouraging trying to live a Christian life.

My good friend Robert gave me a book based on A.W. Tozer's writings, and he said:

We are all idealist. We picture ourselves a life on earth completely free from every hindrance, a kind of spiritual Utopia where we can always control events, where we can move about as favorites of heaven, adjusting circumstances to suit ourselves. This we feel would be quite compatible with the life of faith and in keeping with the provoleged place we hold as children of God

In thinking this we simply misplace ourselves; we mistake earth for heaven and explect conditions here below which can never be realized till we reach the better world above. While we live we may expect troubles, and plenty of them. We are never probmised a life without problems, as long as we remain among fallen men....

What then are we to do about our problems? We must learn to live with them until such time as God delivers us from them. If we cannot remove them, then we must pray for grace to endure them without murmuring. Problems patiently endured will work for our spiritual perfecting. They harm us only when we resist them or endure the unwillingly.

I'm going through some financial hard times. I pray about it daily hoping bills fall on the right days so my paycheck will come at the right time. It wasn't until I was given this book did I really understand and appreciate my suffering. If there are things bothering me I recognize the problem and pray for guidance and grace to get me through. I no longer worry about the issue because I ask God for help. Now I don't throw the problem under the rug but knowing these things the problem sits differently with me. As I grow stronger every day my troubles will be less trying on my soul and my prayers grace will turn to praise and my praise will turn to work for his glory. Then when the next trial on my faith comes along I know we can face it again together.

God motivates and strengthens us in many ways. We stand strong with God and push through the tough times. Then, when we come out the other side things will be so much sweeter.