God is still God even through the Pain & Suffering (2)

Pain is inevitable

Suffering dispels the illusion that we have the strength and competence to rule our own lives and save ourselves. People “become nothing through suffering” so that they can be filled with God and his grace.

Timothy Keller

Pain: A sense of physical suffering, anguish or distress, which has a number of causes. Scripture indicates the sources of pain and its potential spiritual implications and results. Also: Painful; Painfulness; Pangs

Affliction: Persistent bodily or mental distress. Also: Afflictions; Afflictions and Adversities; Difficulties; Disturb; Suffering; Trouble

Its not something we can totally avoid with or a part from Jesus.

Pain & Suffering are from sin in a fallen world

Sin made its way through the original sin in the garden; Rebellion against God.

Sin touches people in many ways

Our choices and decisions that go against God’s design effecting us and the people closest to us.

Other people’s choices and decisions that effect us directly or indirectly

Often the consequences of our sin is attributed to God “punishing us” when its really us reaping the consequences of our sin.

Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, but sometimes the trial of extraordinary graces. Sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions.

Matthew Henry

all of this God uses to our benefits

English Standard Version (Chapter 5)

3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Provision to Overcome

New Covenant

Forgiveness of sins through the cross once and for all

Hebrews 8:12 ESV

For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Hebrews 9:13–14 “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

Hebrews 9:22 “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

Hebrews 9:28 “so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

Hebrews 10:14 “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”

Hebrews 10:16–18 ““This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.”

the lamb slain for us

Jesus dealt with our Sin

so if he forgiven us; and made us right, he also desires to have those same people who have caused you so much pain and suffering. They have sinned against you and they have sinned against God just like you have. So he desires for them to receive it just as you have.

we are required to forgive

Matthew 6:15 “but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Forgiving them frees us, and is the first step into healing moving past the past.

John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.””

however with Jesus our pain is not in vain as mentioned in romans 5:3-5

He is aware of you condition and he hears you and he has provided a way for healing and freedom from your past

God has provided forgiveness to you to overcome sin grave and death

Romans 6:12–18 ESV

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

There are a-lot of people christians or not carrying pain, and often vices or things they use to cope with the affects of it.

The holy spirit once said “ Those things deal with the symptoms, only i can deal with the root of the issue”

God wants to help you deal with the pain you carry, and only the truth will set you free.

God is aware of your Condition

Matthew 9:36 “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Psalm 10:17 “O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear”

Psalm 22:24 “For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.”

English Standard Version Chapter 11

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Our Hope

John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.””

God is aware that you will have difficulties, your are not void of difficulties and hardships

James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

Hebrews 10:36 ESV

For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Persevering through all the difficulties that you may inherit for righteousness sake is better than suffering for the sake of evil

1 Peter 3:13–16 “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”

Matthew 5:10–12 ““Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Eternal life

The new creation/ kingdom to come and be established

new heaven new earth

no more pain and suffering and

evil dealt with once and for all

Heavenly Bodies

Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.””

Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Summary

Sin affects us and causes pain affliction, suffering, for those saved and not saved- “ it rains on the just and the unjust”

Jesus dealt with Sin through his forgiveness of our sins for you and those who sin against you.

Rejoice in our sufferings

It produces endurance, and that endurance produces character

God wants to deal with the pain you carry, and heal you.

Forgiveness is for you and the first step into freedom.

Our Hope in enduring and overcoming and receiving the inheritance. eternal life, heavenly body, new earth , new heaven Jerusalem