The Furnace of Suffering

Are you suffering?  Do you find yourself in a situation that is causing you great pain, either physical or emotional, or both?  Are you afraid of what tomorrow may bring?

No one likes to suffer.  We were not created to suffer.  We were created to enjoy God in all of His fullness and to live in joy and peace.  But sin entered the world and thwarted our original destiny. Hence, our suffering.

But suffering is not the end of the story.  Jesus Christ came to deliver us from suffering. The Word of God says that Christ died and rose again from the dead "to destroy the works of the devil" (I John 3:8).  Jesus Christ came to give us abundant life (John 10:10).

So, why do we continue to suffer?

One reason is that we are still in this world, and the world is infested with sin.  But I believe that the main reason for our continued suffering is to bring us to the point of total dependence on God.

We humans create for ourselves bastions of false security in which we place our trust.  We trust our jobs to give us security. We trust our governments to give us security. We trust our own strength to give us security.  But there is nothing and there is no one who can give us security but God.

The Lord uses suffering to unfasten our tight grip on our false securities.  He wants us to depend totally on Him. But we are so attached to our false securities that God must sometimes use drastic means to wrench us from them.  Hence, we suffer.

Are you now in the furnace of suffering? Then rejoice! God is pruning you, cleansing you, purifying you.  He is transforming you into the image of His own dear Son. 

Be encouraged by these words from our wonderful heavenly Father: "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5).
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Copyright 2014 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All rights reserved.
Photo by Jon Sullivan. http://www.public-domain-photos.com/

Looking Beyond the Facts

For many people all over the world, Christmas is often a time of sorrow and regret. Family members may be missing at the dinner table for one reason or another. Broken relationships may trigger deep regret. Family feuds may linger because of bitterness and unforgiveness.

If this describes you in any way, let me offer a thought. Problems have a way of responding to the way we look at them. If we look at the negative situations in our lives as impossible situations, then we will despair. But if we look at the negative situations in our lives as opportunities for miracles, then we will be encouraged.

No matter what is going on in our lives, we can choose our response. We cannot always choose what happens to us, but we can always choose how we respond to what happens to us.

If you are suffering emotionally, turn your eyes toward Jesus. Focus on Him. He knows your sorrow. He knows what you are going through, and He wants to comfort you and to heal you. All you have to do is ask.

May Jesus Christ reveal Himself to you in a very special way this Christmas season, and may the New Year bring you a powerful revelation of His deep and infinite love for you.