The Fellowship of His Suffering
Psalm 134 says, “BEHOLD, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD. 2. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD. 3. The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.”
It’s appropriate to ask the Lord for his blessings. However, it’s even better to bless the Lord. To bless means to hallow or consecrate by word or by divine help. It’s only by God’s grace and power that we can approach the throne of grace to bless the Lord. The greater blessing is to seek the Blessor instead of the blessing.
A Gift is that which is voluntarily given freely and without merit. Gifts are always of grace, not of works. God has given us spiritual gifts richly to enjoy so that we can have the capacity to bless him in return.
One of the paradoxes in the Christian life is that tribulation and pressure is a blessing. In Philippians Paul writing from a Roman prison said, it’s a gift to be able to suffer for Christ’s sake. According to Romans 5, For tribulation worketh patience and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that is given to us. James 1 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
According to James 1:12, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” Once a man has been approved through the trials of life, he shall receive a crown of life.
Endurance produces character and integrity. Through endurance we’ll come to understand who we are and more importantly whose we are.
When we think that we’re worthy of praise, God will humble us. God disciplines and corrects us because we’re his children and he’s a loving father. The problem with discipline is that it hurts. Through discipline we’ll understand the value of quiet grace.
Pete recalls that while he played triple A baseball, he thought that he should be in the starting lineup. However, there are things we will learn on the bench that we would never learn as an all-star. On the bench we’ll learn Character. When we’re humble, we will know our Lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship of his suffering. When the Lord calls a man he bids us “come and die.” Unless we die to self we cannot learn to live unto him.
Discipline and correction trains up a child in the way that he should go. Then when a child is older he will not depart from it. Correction means to “restore to an upright position.” Sometimes it hurts to be straightened, but when tribulation has her perfect work we will be perfect and entire wanting nothing.
Bully Graham wrote a book called “Peace with God.” When Pete read this book as a young Christian, he came to the part that described the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. These are the character traits of living according to God’s will empowered by His gift of the Holy Spirit.
Sitting on the bench produces opportunities to trust in the Lord. These times of reflection help us to connect the dots to understand God’s purpose for our lives. According to the November 1 devotion from Oswald Chambers/ book “My Utmost for His Highest,” “Know ye not that ye are not your own.” We have been invited into the fellowship of his sufferings. Galatians 2:20 says, For I was crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the one who loved me and gave himself for me.”
The politically correct say that if you profess Jesus Christ, you’re guilty of hate speech. To love Christ is to hate the things of this world. God will break up our private lives when we stand for his word. Our lives become a thoroughfare for others to tread upon. Our identity in Christ allows us to bear up under suffering. Through the trials of life God will allow us to confess as Jesus did on the cross when they drove the nails through his hands: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Pete recalls that enduring the pain of Suzan’s suffering with terminal brain cancer, was the most precious and loving time of their forty nine years of marriage. Pete agonized as he injected medication into Suzan’s abdomen. She smiled as he administered these painful injections. Suzan reminded Pete, “Joy is not the absence of pain. Rather joy is the presence of the Lord.” These were precious times of fellowship in suffering together in the Lord.
The devil will say “God is a selfish God. He wants all of the glory and honor and praise for himself.” The devil always questions God’s love. However, as we serve the Lord through the trials and tribulation of life, we will learn as Paul did, “thy strength is made perfect in my weakness, thy grace is sufficient for me.” In seeking the Blessor we will be most blessed as we forsake ourselves in the love of God.
Oswald Chambers says, “God comes to us with the grip of his son’s nail pierced hands. He says, “arise and shine. Come unto me all ye who are weary and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Thank God for breaking our heart for what breaks his.” We’ll come to understand that when he helps himself to what we hold most dear, we will know the fellowship of his suffering and the depth of His Abiding Love.
Through the trials of life, may we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael