Today’s Reading, Hebrews 11-13
Focal Scripture: Hebrews 11:37 “They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated.”
How do you view suffering? I can tell you personally that suffering has become an old friend in my life. It is not a welcome friend, but one I have spent more hours with than I care to admit. However, suffering is a great teacher. It is also a great revealer. Every time I suffer I get exposed. When I lack faith, it gets exposed. When I have unresolved sin, exposed. When I need to follow his leading and I don’t, exposed. Suffering for me is a testing of my faith. Do I really believe what God has said and will I apply it in my life? Is that is the question that suffering is revealing in me.
In today’s reading the writer of Hebrews gives a list of men and women who not only suffered but demonstrated tremendous faith. The writer says they were stoned, sawn in two, died by the sword. They traveled around in sheepskin and goatskins. They were destitute, afflicted and mistreated in their personal and spiritual lives. Their suffering was not poison in their lives it was providence. The writer even says that the world was not worthy of them because of their faith.
I hope one day to have a testimony like that when I am dead and gone. I hope my wife and son will be able to look at others and say the world was not worthy of him because of his faith in God. Suffering is coming for everyone. It is coming for you and more is coming for me. We can’t escape that reality unless the Lord comes this moment. So what should we do?
I believe one of the most neglected topics in the church is how to suffer biblically. We all know it’s coming, but we don’t prepare our minds and our spirits for the battle. We also don’t prepare our young people on how to handle this adversity. The only way to battle the power and pain of suffering is through faith!
So is your faith in God greater than your pain? Your suffering will either break you or grow you. The only way to grow is to have faith! I challenge you today to examine your faith in the Lord. For us to overcome and handle this world we must believe that the Lord is greater than everything. Our faith must send shockwaves through eternity.
Have faith in the Lord and learn to suffer well.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading James 1-5
