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Many Christians misunderstand difficult times in life. What they think is bad is, in God’s eyes, good & necessary. They think of pain as destructive rather than constructive. I know. I just described myself.
Why is it whenever there is pain, hardship, or difficulty we attribute it to Satan? Who says He is always the one causing the pain? And who says pain is always punishment for sin? Isn’t it possbile that maybe GOD is at work and has a purpose? Are we that inept with the Scripture in this area? Heb 12:5-6…
Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, & chastises every son whom He receives.
The words discipline, reproved, & chastises are not “feel good” adjectives. They bring pictures of “time out,” spankings, & pain. We associate them with a person’s anger directed toward us for failures or mistakes… mainly from our parents who disciplined us in what we perceived as anger twoard us.
Aside: Parents, NEVER discipline your children in anger. If you do, they will transfer that toward God when He disciplines them. Explain your discipline as motivated by love (They won’t understand), for their good. Paul addresses this in Eph 6:4…
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline & instruction of the Lord. {Now back to the topic at hand}
“Do not regard lightly.” The Christian should first consider the pain in life as coming from our all wise & loving Father. The One who wills only & always our good. While human parents will their children’s good as best they can, GOD… in His absolute power… effects it without fail.
It is incumbent upon us to be discerning in hardship & difficulty. We must first consider God is ultimately behind it working to make us more like Jesus in answer to our “Bless us Father” prayer. He sees & knows better than us things to be addressed (Our idols). Thus James 1:5…
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, & it will be given him.
Instead of demanding “Why GOD?!” we must humbly ask “What?” What are You showing me? What do I need to change? What do I need to repent of? What idol are You after? We ask those questions & address them to become more like Christ SO THAT God is glorified.
As we said previously, God does not leave Christian’s sanctification to chance… thus the meaning of Ro 8:29, “Those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” Focus on: To be conformed to the image of His Son…
Heb 5:11-6:2 is about maturing in Christ. The reader is implored to leave the elementary things & move to more mature elements of the faith. Then Heb 6:3, “And this we will do if God permits.” IF GOD PERMITS! Our level of maturity is in God’s hands. God is the primary mover in life & we rely upon Him for us to work toward our own holiness (1 Cor 15:10).
Let’s see how God did this in Paul & by extension us. Paul was taught by Christ[i], spoke in tongues[ii], healed people[iii], raised people from the dead[iv], & visited heaven.[v] The danger was Paul could become prideful. Thus 2 Cor 12:7…
To keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But He said… “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Before we go further, if Paul needed God’s intervention… what about us? There is danger we could become “too elated” (Prideful) because we don’t know our character flaws. God uses pain to reveal them to us! Thorns!!
God’s answer to Paul was “My grace is sufficient for you.” Not “WAS.” Not “WILL BE.” But rather “IS SUFFICIENT.” What God is saying is that the thorn would result in “More of God” in His life.
Think. Sometimes pain (Discipline) is NOT due to sin, but to PREVENT IT! God preempts our ability to sin as it is written in Jude 1:24-25
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling & to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, thru Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, & authority, before all time & now & forever. Amen.
God kept Paul from stumbling into pride by sending a thorn… a messenger of Satan… into his life. The thorn was a constant painful irritant & distraction. Paul prayerfully asked God to remove it & God said NO because the presence of the thorn (Pain) was more important than ease or comfort.
It was the thorn (Messenger from Satan) that kept Paul from stumbling! If the thorn were not present, Paul would have stumbled… & many others would have also as a result.
According to Jude, the thorns that keep us from stumbling ALSO results in “Presenting (us) blameless in God’s presence with great joy!” Can we please get into our heart & mind that God’s goal, will, & purpose is our ultimate eternal good?! I need it. You need it. We all do!
Understanding these truths, our response is… JOYFUL WORSHIP! Read Jude again. We’re living this life just to live again… forever… eternally… with GREAT JOY… in God’s presence! 2 Cor 13:9-B…
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, & calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Cor 13:9B-10 is Paul expressing joyful worship because of what the thorn accomplished! This is only possible by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit worked in Paul a new counter-intuitive perspective. Each time he felt the thorn, he was infused with more of God… he became more Christ like… more holy… he prayed… he relied on God that much more.
Each time Paul was insulted… persecuted… was weak or experienced hardship, he boasted! He was GLAD! He became more content! All because it meant God was conforming him to the image of Christ.
Now let’s leave theology for a bit & think. What upsets you? What is causing you pain? What hardship do you have? Who is a thorn in your side? What situation is there you don’t like being in? Think about the things beyond your control that bother you. Got them in mind? Okay… now…
Consider God put/allowed those in your life because YOU need to become more like Jesus. Those are present because YOU need to be more humble, gracious, merciful, loving, & forgiving. YOU need to rely more on God because you are a control freak who needs to rely on God by faith more.
Don’t worry about the other person… let God handle them. Don’t worry about what you should DO as much as the kind of person you need to BE. Get your mind off this world & think as God would have you… about heaven. Only THEN will you become of earthly good. Colossians 3:2…
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, & your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
The best thing many here can do in response is to go home… get alone with God… meditate & listen to HIM. Some of you need to get your mind off WHAT is happening to you & instead focus on THE KIND OF PERSON you need to be in Christ.
Ron's Sunday Sermon 