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Suffering

by Duane Huffstutler  
4/11/2010 / Christian Living

Suffering

2 Corinthians 1:5-10 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7 And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. 8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; (KJV)

Let's take a brief look at our lives. We have bills that we have to pay every month. We have children that know it all. We have a spouse that doesn't always agree with what we want or say. We get a cough and a slight fever and we think we are dying. We talk to someone about Christ and are put down, ridiculed. We think we are suffering for Christ but how much of this is brought on by ourselves? Our extra bills are because we want extra toys. Our children know it all because we have not taught them respect. When our spouse doesn't agree do we look at ourselves to find out if we are going with the spirit of God or our selfishness. When we get sick we think Satan is attacking us but we have abused the body and run it down to where it is not able to take care of itself. When we are ridiculed about talking for Christ, have we studied to show ourselves approved unto God or are we just speaking off the top of our heads with Christ not being in it.

When we get into a bind whether of our doing or of the permission of God what do we do? Do we run to God or do we run away from God? Most of us start thinking that God has failed us and run away from him. We never stop to think that maybe he has allowed it to build us up or to draw us closer to him. Sometimes he allows things to get our attention. We are paying too much attention to this world or to the things of this world that will not matter when all is said and done standing before God. Everything that we have here, our houses, cars and toys everything is going to be left here and destroyed. The only thing that will last is what we have done through the Holy Spirit and under the power of the Almighty God. Everything we go through is there to draw us closer to God. It is for the sole purpose of helping us to trust him more and to rely on God. It is to draw us into his presence. But we must examine ourselves to find out if what we are going through is self-induced or is it of God. The self-induced is allowed to teach us that our focus is in the wrong place.

As for suffering we have not seen any suffering but if we don't get our lives close to God and stand up in this world to keep Christ in this country we are going to. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-30 Paul talks about what he went through. His was not self-induced his was because he stood for Christ and would not back down. In other countries today people are being put in prison for life, beaten, tortured and killed because they stand for Christ and will not back down. In these places the church is growing because they are running to God. If that were to happen to us would this church grow or fall apart? Would we run to God or away from him? In the last few years there have been reports of soldiers coming into churches and getting preachers then killing them in various ways in front of the congregation. What would we do? This is just making them stronger; they are running to God.

Do you trust God or are you too busy playing with the world? It is coming to this country. We had better start running to God and getting into his presence and living there. Because when it starts will be the wrong time to try to get there. We are lazy and have had it to easy. We get what we want, we do what we want, and we say what we want. It is time to be asking; what does God want?

Duane L. Huffstutler, Written 2011, Faithwriters.com
Duane L. Huffstutler is the Sunday School Director at Oak Grove Pentecostal Ministries in Bonifay Florida. All scripture is from the King James Version (1611)

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