A Study on Suffering, part 1

Last fall it was suggested to me that I start a personal Bible study on *suffering* to see exactly what the Bible says on the subject. I recently decided to go back and review the study I did then, and continue where I left off. Today I was hit all over again with issues relating to the original situation that prompted that study, and was frankly tempted to have a huge pity party. I was reminded that I had committed to get back to the *suffering* study this week, and decided that perhaps that would be a good antidote for the dark mood that was threatening to settle in. These are random verses along with my own notes from my study last fall...

Isaiah 53:10-11
"Yet it was the Lord's Will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though the Lord makes His life a guilt offering, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand. After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied, by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities."

my notes: Christ *had* to suffer in order to accomplish salvation...and there are things that God wants to accomplish that can *only* be accomplished through our present suffering--"...for God appoints nothing at random...In Christ there was no fault; why, then, was the Lord pleased that He should suffer? Because He stood in our room, and in no other way than by His death could the justice of God be satisfied." (John Calvin)

Mark 8:31
"He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the Law, and that He must be killed and after 3 days rise again."

my notes: One of the purposes of Jesus coming to earth, known before the beginning of time, was to suffer. God knows what it is to watch a child suffer--and He did it willingly, knowingly, because He loves *us* so much.

Philippians 1:29
"For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him."

my notes: It is part of God's *plan* that we are to suffer for Him! "...it has been granted..." implies this is a gift, a privilege.

I Peter 2:21
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps."

my notes: We were *called* to suffer! We should *expect* that and not be surprised. We are to follow His example in suffering...and the suffering of our children is an opportunity for us to help *them* learn to follow His example.

Psalm 22:24
"For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from Him but has listened to His cry for help."

my notes: I wrote in my Bible over 17 years ago~"He has *not* forsaken us!" It's still true!

That last was written last November...and it is *still* true! No matter how deep the suffering that we are going through, or that we are watching our children go through..."He has *not* forsaken us!"

I'll try to post part 2 over the weekend...this will probably be continued in several parts.