Godly Character through Suffering

Introduction

In God Expects Us to Grow in Godly Character,

Noted four ways in which we have opportunity to grow our character:

By responding properly to daily pressures, difficult people and responsibilities

By responding properly to God’s discipline

By initiating the process, ourselves

By responding properly to trials and storms in your life

false teaching claims that God wouldn’t allow believers to suffer.

A. Saints should expect to suffer

First: the curse hasn’t been reversed … YET!

Only in Paradise will it be said …

Revelation 22:3 (NIV) No longer will there be any curse.

The curse placed on this earth will be reversed – but NOT YET!

!It’s true that on the Cross, Jesus cried out: “It is finished!”

The purchase of salvation was complete and inaugurated – the “NOW”

But the results of salvation were just beginning and aren’t fully realized or experienced – YET!

Evangelicals emphasize the “not yet;” excluding much of the “now” Result: they experience little of the Spirit’s power and witness few miracles

Charismatics emphasize the “now;” excluding the “not yet”

Result: many experience disillusionments because they expect everything to be as it will be in the Kingdom – but it isn’t.

As we already said,

salvation, together with some (though not all) of its blessings, is inaugurated NOW;

but it awaits its final completion or realization or consummation in the future – NOT YET!

Though Jesus came to set up the Kingdom – and He did indeed establish a beachhead for the Kingdom NOW – it isn’t fully here … YET!

Jesus said as much …

Matthew 11:12 (NIV) From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.Jesus’

Death and resurrection dealt Satan a fatal blow, assuring both his destruction, and the resurrection of mankind & the earth!

That’s what Paul meant when he said …

Colossians 2:15 (NIV) And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

How were the powers and authorities disarmed?

How did Christ triumph over them by the Cross?

Justification ensured that we were no longer enemies of God

Romans 5:1 NIV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Justification freed us from the enslavement of sin

Romans 6:6–7 NIV

6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Justification guaranteed our future resurrection to eternal life (

Romans 6:22 NIV

22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

At the Cross the outcome was assured, and victory is now in sight!

We just await its final consummation at the second return of Christ with the armies of heaven .

Revelation 19:11–21 NIV

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords. 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.” 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

We NOW have been given divine-powered weaponry to fight & defend ourselves with (2 Cor. 10:4; Eph 6:13-17)

2 Corinthians 10:4 NIV

4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

YET… Satan won’t be finally bound until Jesus returns the 2nd time (Rev 20:2);

Revelation 20:2 NIV

2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

The benefits, blessings, miracles and surprises we receive here, aren’t the full ‘meal deal!’

They are only refreshing deposits and foretastes; promises of what is YET to come!!!

Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV) Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.

When saved, we receive a relationship with God – but not even this is in a fully realized manner!1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV) Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; THEN we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; THEN I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Second: disease and trouble are still our lot … NOW – though we all experience healings and deliverance

Were there healings in the OT? YES!

Naaman, commander of the army of the Aram was healed after he heeded Elisha’s instruction to dip himself in the Jordan River seven times (2 Kings 5)

Peter and John healed the lame man at the temple (Acts 3)

Dorcas not only was healed – she was raised from the dead after she had died from an illness (Acts 9:36-40)

Acts 9:36–40 NIV

36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.

God performed such extraordinary miracles through Paul that even handkerchiefs and aprons that touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured, and evil spirits even left them

Acts 19:11–12 NIV

11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

But, many of God’s followers then and now DID NOT and DO NOT experience God’s healings – YET.

Even the great apostles and saints of the Early Church experienced sickness and death!

Timothy had stomach illness (1 Tim 5:23).

Epaphroditus was ill and almost died (Phil 2:25-27)

Paul left his friend, Trophimus, sick in Miletus (2 Tim 4:20).

Not even intense prayer was able to reverse Paul’s ‘thorn in the flesh’ (2 Cor 12:7-10)!

Based on the following verse, some suggest that Jesus healed every ailment when He was on earth and therefore we must too

Matthew 4:23 (NIV) Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

However, there are significant problems from such an interpretive rendering

First, it clearly says that Jesus healed every disease/affliction –

it does NOT say that he healed every person who had a disease/affliction.

For example,

if ten sick people who each had a case of measles were healed by Jesus, you wouldn’t say, “Jesus healed every disease.”

You would say, “Jesus healed all ten people who had measles.”

However, if ten people, each having a different disease, were healed by Jesus, you very possibly would say,

“Jesus healed every disease.”

Second, we know for a fact that Jesus didn’t heal every sick person He came in contact with

For example,

at the Pool of Bethesda, Jesus only healed one paralytic (John 5:1-15),

Our souls may be redeemed, but our bodies sure aren’t!

They still suffer from disease and ultimately from death!

Which is why Paul said …

Romans 8:23 (NIV)…[we] groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

God is not breaking His promises to give us complete and final healing – not at all!

It’s just not coming fully NOW – it awaits fulfillment at Jesus’ second coming!

Revelation 21:3-4 (NIV) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Finally, the curse will be completely reversed for good!

How about troubles in our life?

The Church had just barely been birthed when Stephen was stoned to death.

We also recall that John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod before Jesus was even crucified!

James, the brother of the Apostle John, was also beheaded by this same Herod (Acts 12)

And Peter would have been beheaded the next morning, had the angel not freed him from prison that night.

Hardship followed Paul and his teams to the end of their lives.

Paul says …2 Corinthians 6:4 (NIV) Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;

A little later in this same letter, Paul illustrates what he meant by this

2 Corinthians 11:23-28 (NIV) I have … been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24  Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26  I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27  I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28  Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

The apostles spent much effort encouraging Christians to remain true to the Lord despite their hardships

Acts 14:21-22 (NIV) They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22  strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.

Writing from prison, the Apostle John identified with his brothers and sisters who were suffering

Revelation 1:9 (NIV) I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Jesus warned us not to expect better treatment than He received …

John 15:20 (NIV) Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.

So, BECAUSE the Kingdom and all its attendant blessings have not YET been fully realized, Jesus taught us to pray accordingly …

Matthew 6:9-10 (NIV) "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

The Kingdom hasn’t fully arrived … YET!

But Jesus promised that it will …

Revelation 22:20 (NIV) He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

NOTE: Our purpose in this section is NOT to say that God doesn’t heal as He did in the NT era. He absolutely does! In Level 3 we’ll examine the purposes for these healings then and now. The purpose of what was just said in this section was simply to demonstrate that NOT EVERYONE will be healed ALL THE TIME in this lifetime, if they just meet the conditions of some formula, such as having enough faith. Suffering, as we’ll see next, is still the lot of the Christian: Jesus said and modeled that, as did the Apostles and the Early Church. And part of that suffering includes sickness and disease.

Third: Suffering is God’s plan and will for Christians

Let’s begin with Job

Job 1:12 (NIV) The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

The writer of Hebrews goes one step further in explaining God’s dealings with His own.

He says that God sends the suffering because we are His sons and because, as His sons, He loves us!

Hebrews 12:5-6, 11 (NIV) And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6  because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son” … 11  No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Isaiah 45:7 (NIV) I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.

You can’t get much clearer than that!

When Peter asked Jesus what they would receive since they had left everything to follow Him, Jesus replied that they would receive 100 times as much, as well as eternal life.

Mark 10:29-30 (NIV) "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.

”Did you see that?! Jesus included, “… and with them, persecutions!”

Suffering was God’s plan for Paul, Paul said it was God’s plan for others as well …

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

Paul reminded the church at Rome that for believers, the cross (in this lifetime) comes before the crown (in the next lifetime)

Romans 8:17-18 (NIV) Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18  I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Some object that if people just had enough faith, they wouldn’t have to suffer such things. After all, isn’t that what Jesus said?

Matthew 9:22 (NIV) Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

But did you know that TRUE FAITH can result not only in so-called “positive” effects in believers’ lives, but “negative” ones as well?

We must look at this in its entirety, because it is seldom, if ever, considered!

Hebrews 11:35-40 (NIV) Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36  Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37  They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- 38  the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 39 These were ALL commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40  God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Are you serious?! By faith, some were mocked, flogged, chained, imprisoned, tortured, sawn asunder, stoned and killed by the sword?!

It says that God had planned something BETTER for them – that they would be made perfect – there’s the godly character thing coming out again!There’s a deep misunderstanding among many, about what faith is

Sometimes God’s “word” to us is to escape suffering. In that case we can have faith in God’s word to us that it will be exactly as HE has said it will be.

E.g. Paul and the shipwreck (God told Paul he would be okay)

As we mentioned above, this same Paul PLEADED three times that the Lord remove his debilitating “thorn,” but the Lord said He wouldn’t do it!

!Paul makes it clear that the Lord revealed to Him that it was NOT His will to remove it.

To keep Paul from becoming conceited, because of the surpassingly great revelations being given to him and not to others!

If Paul had become conceited he would have lost his reward (1 Cor 9:27).

1 Corinthians 9:27 NIV

27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

God loved Paul so much that He didn’t want Paul to lose his reward!

Here’s where many go wrong when it comes to faith …

Many think that biblical faith is something that arises from believing something WE WANT.

It doesn’t!

Biblical faith is trusting and believing something that GOD WANTS!

And whatever God wants is ALWAYS for our ultimate, though not our seemingly immediate, good

Romans 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.I have often said:

“God cares more about the line of your eternity, than the dot of your present.”

And THIS IS WHY James and other writers could say that their tHere’s a sampling:

Jesus: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12 (NIV)

David: “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” Psalm 119:71 (NIV)

Paul: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4  perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4 (NIV)

James: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3  because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:2-3 (NIV)

Peter: “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” 1 Peter 4:13 (NIV)

You can only consider trials something to rejoice in if you know that God is working it all for good in the end; which in fact He is!

B. How to survive during suffering and trials

Some people don’t survive seasons of afflictionsJesus referred to such people in His parable about soils, calling them rocky soil (Matt 13:5-6)As soon as trouble or persecution come, they quickly fall away (Matt 13:20-21)Other people, however, are exemplary in their response to suffering – Job is the obvious choice here.God had blessed Job greatly! He was the wealthiest and greatest man in the East (1:3)Besides all this he had seven son and three daughters (1:2)But then, as Paul put it, the “day of evil” arrived (Eph 6:13), and Job experienced a complete reversal of all his blessings:

All his business interests and wealth were wiped out in one dayAll seven of his children were killed in a ‘natural’ disasterHe lost his healthHe lost his reputation and the respect of his friendsEven his wife “threw in the towel” at that point, baiting her husband …Job 2:9 (NIV) “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"Still, Job would not give in. He replied …Job 2:10 (NIV) "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.What an incredible response to his wife. He also responded well towards God …Upon receiving all the bad news about his losses, He worshipped God! He actually WORSHIPED God!Job 1:20-22 (NIV) At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21  and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." 22  In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.It takes a mature trust in God to do that!So then, how can we survive in the midst of suffering and trials?

First: understand God’s love in redemptive suffering

Many people rightly believe that God loves us and cares for usScripture reiterates over and over that God is loving (John 3:16; Rom 5:8; Eph 2:4; 1 John 3:1; 4:9)What they don’t necessarily understand, however, is that God’s love doesn’t look like what they thinkMany Christians are very familiar with the teaching that Jesus went to prepare a place for us (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor 2:9)What they are apparently less acquainted with is the fact that He is at the same time preparing us for that place!2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV) For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (Also: Romans 5:1-5)Remember what I said: God cares more about the line of your eternity than the dot of your present!When we understand God’s wisdom in allowing suffering in our lives, it will anchor our soulsJob couldn’t see any rational or redemptive purposes for his sufferingBut when God finally revealed His purposes to Job, Job marveled …Job 42:3 (NIV) Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.We come to see (as we did above) that God’s thoughts and ways are so much better than ours!And when we do, it anchors us in the midst of the tempest!As the song writer said, “We have an anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast and sure while the billows roll; fastened to the rock which cannot move; grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.”Those who haven’t learned God’s truths about suffering, are soon overwhelmed when confronted by it.They are unnerved and even crushed, concluding that either God isn’t strong enough to do anything about it; or He simply doesn’t care; or worse still, that He doesn’t even exist!At this point, many fall away and never recover.In such cases, Satan’s “false doctrine” arrow has hit its mark and destroyed a soul! Tragic!In Align with God’s Purposes in Your Suffering & Trials we’ll learn that you can discover some of the MANY good reasons why God allows suffering in the believer’s lifeFor the purpose of this lesson, however, we’ll only examine God’s goodness in suffering and trials as it relates to our growth in character.That God allows suffering to come into our lives to mature us, of that there can be no questionJesus Himself said that the Father PRUNES us for the purpose of making us more fruitfulJohn 15:1-2 (NIV) I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he PRUNES so that it will be even more fruitful.That’s akin to what the writer to the Hebrews said, where he used the verb “disciplines” in place of “prunes.” But they’re both speaking of the same thing!Hebrews 12:10 (NIV) Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.Such discipline is good for us first, because it produces the abundant or renewed life in this present life1 Peter 1:6-9 (NIV) In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7  These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9  for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.As we experience the afflictions brought by God to further holiness in our lives, we experience greater degrees of the abundant life which Jesus promised (John 10:10) – right in the midst of the suffering!Some of the greatest times of exhilaration have come in the midst of great trials, when I have taken my trials before the Lord, fallen on my face before Him and submitted myself anew to Him.There, like so many others, I too have experienced, “inexpressible and glorious joy!”Other times it has come quite unexpectedly, as when He showed up suddenly the evening before Fran’s surgery in Philadelphia, and we heard the song, “Jesus Loves Me,” being played in a university food court!Beyond that, we also experience greater measures of the abundant life through the godly character the afflictions were designed to produce!For example, as you learn to love your spouse unselfishly, you begin to experience greater degrees of joy and peace, which are elements of the abundant life!And so, discipline or trials or suffering which produce godly character, help us experience the abundant life offered to us.But trials and suffering also achieve something for our eternal future!2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV) Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.How do these troubles and suffering achieve an eternal glory for us? Let’s back up.Though we are saved by grace through faith, we will be judged and rewarded according to our works2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.However, we won’t be judged just on whether the works in themselves were good or badEven the motives for our good works will be tested for genuineness (1 Pet 1:6-7) at the Judgment Seat of Christ.1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (NIV) If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13  his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14  If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15  If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.Think about it – a good work doesn’t need such scrupulous testing, because it is plain to everyone!Therefore, Paul is saying that God is testing for something that isn’t plain for everyone else to see, because it is hidden in our hearts (1 Sam 16:7).Hebrews 4:13 (NIV) Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.What is it that is hidden in our hearts and will be laid bare, brought to light or tested by fire?Example: Paul in prison

Paul noted that his imprisonment was being used by God to advance the Gospel (Phil 1:12)He explained that his imprisonment had created a boldness in others to fearlessly preach the GospelHowever, he then pointed out that though some were preaching out of love and goodwill, others were preaching out of envy, rivalry and selfish ambition (Phil 1:15).Notice what he calls these …Philippians 1:18 (NIV) But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.We can’t see motives, but God canAnd while He prohibits us from judging motives in others (Matt 7:1-2), He will uncover and judge them on the Day we give account (1 Cor 3:12-15 and Heb 4:13 above).Because this is such a sobering reality, God, in His great love for us, allows trials and suffering which will produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness that will withstand His holy scrutiny at the Judgement Seat of Christ.God allows us to face difficulties in this life, knowing that these can develop character that will bring reward in the next.E.g. Fran

When Fran was so sick for several years, when she wasn’t in hospital, she spent many weeks in bedShe was too weak to work or even get out of bed.As she puts it, all she could do was read her Bible and pray – and she did.In fact, she has often said that this was where she developed a vibrant relationship with Jesus!She developed, not only a disciplined devotional life during that time, but a joyful expectancy for that time. Given the time, such as when I’m on writing breaks, she can happily spend hours in her prayer, Bible reading, memorizing and worship. She LOVES it!But if we don’t use this as an opportunity to invest in our eternal futures, we miss one of our greatest opportunities or gifts, as Fran would put it. What a loss!We shouldn’t focus all our energies on avoiding death, as death comes to us all anyways.Rather, we should use our present life to prepare for where and how we will live forever.So, God allows stuff to happen to us, because He doesn’t want us to lose our reward!Christians sometimes testify about what they USED to do for Jesus – many years ago!And then some life circumstance hits them broadside, and they fall away. They don’t persevere.They don’t press on with Jesus. They quit loving and serving Him – they will lose reward!And we can also lose our reward if we had false motivations for our good works.That’s what Paul was referring to when he said …1 Corinthians 9:27 (NIV) … I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (also: 1 Cor 3:12-15 cp. Phil 1:14-18)So, God allows difficulties in our lives to grow the character necessary to receive and keep rewards (remember 2 Cor 4:16-18 above).Your responses during these times determine whether God’s intended results will take holdYour trials will make you bitter or better. You will either grow up or give up.You'll either become what God wants you to be; or you will shrivel, and your heart will become hard.When you go through those difficult times, what happens to you isn’t nearly as important as what happens in you.Will you submit to our loving Father and live (Heb 12:9)? Or will you resist what He wants to do for you in your trial? You choose. Much is on the line.Understanding redemptive suffering in our lives will help us anchor our soul during these tempests

Second: understand who’s in the ‘boat’ with you

Commentators have pointed out that Matthew and Mark (4:35-41) laid out the account of the calming of the storm, using language that is almost identical to the famous OT account of JonahThe descriptions are strikingly similar:

Both Jesus and Jonah were in boatBoth boats were overtaken by a stormBoth Jesus and Jonah were asleepIn both stories the sailors woke up the sleeper and said, “We’re going to die.”And in both cases, there was a miraculous intervention and the sea calmedFurther, in both stories the sailors then became even more terrified than they were before the storm was calmedTwo almost identical stories – with one key differenceIn the midst of the storm, Jonah said to the sailors, in effect: “There’s only one thing to do. If I perish, you survive. If I die, you will live” (Jonah 1:12).And they threw him into the sea.In one of his books, Timothy Keller then asks: “Which doesn’t happen in Mark’s story – or does it?”The following is a brief summary of what Keller wrote:

I think Mark is showing us that the stories aren’t actually different when you step back and look at them with the rest of the story of Jesus in viewIn Matthew (12:41) Jesus says, “One greater than Jonah is here,” and He’s referring to Himself: “I’m the true Jonah!”He meant this: “Someday I am going to calm all storms, and still all waves. I’m going to destroy destruction, break brokenness, kill death.How can He do it? He can only do it because when He was on the cross he was thrown – willingly, like Jonah – into the ultimate storm, under the ultimate waves, the waves of sin and deathJesus was thrown into the only storm that can actually sink us – the storm of eternal justice, of what we owe for our wrongdoingThe storm wasn’t calmed – not until it swept Him awayIf the sight of Jesus being thrown into that storm is burned into the core of your being, you will never say, “God, don’t you care?”And if you know that He didn’t abandon you in that ultimate storm, what makes you think He would abandon you in the much smaller storms you’re experiencing right now?Mark recorded these events while he & Peter were staying in RomeIt is not difficult to imagine the affect this story had on the members of the persecuted Roman ChurchIt assured them that the strong Son of God loved them and would go with them into the storms of opposition and persecution.Amen!

Third: Receive God’s wisdom in the midst of your suffering and trials

Sometimes God is willing to tell us what the purpose for our suffering is – if we ask Him, as Paul didWe should ALWAYS ask Him, though sometimes He may choose not to reveal His purpose at that timeWhen God chooses not to tell us the purpose for our suffering, it is because withholding the purpose is intrinsic to the trial.For example, though Job asked for understanding of his trial, God chose to remain silent precisely because the silence was intrinsic to the test.It demonstrated that even when Job didn’t understand, he could STILL trust God!What a trophy of God’s grace, Job was!Satan challenged God: “I bet that if you touch everything Job has, he will curse you.”God replied: “I’ll up the ante – I won’t even TELL him why this is happening to him. In fact, I won’t speak to him at all throughout this test. And you’ll see what sort of man he has become! He will love Me regardless!”

Fourth: Receive God’s love in the midst of your suffering and trials

Though the other three points are all important, none of them come close to achieving what God’s experiential love can do.Explanations and reasons are helpful for the mind, because in part, they answer the question “Why?”But sometimes good answers just aren’t good enough!When your heart is being wrung out like a sponge, an orderly list of 16 good biblical reasons as to why this is happening, can sting like salt in a wound. You don’t stop the bleeding that way.Answers, no matter how good they are, though helpful, are not fully satisfyingE.g. A hurting child:

When the crying child looks up into her mom’s face and asks, “Mommy, why?” he isn’t actually asking for an explanation.All he wants is for mommy to pick her up and reassure her that everything is going to be okayAll she wants is to be loved!Job never did get any answers to his questionsIn fact, God responded to him with 71 questions of His own!But though Job didn’t get any answers to his questions, see how Job responded.Job 42:5 (NIV) My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.What satisfied Job? When He saw and experienced God’s presence!IT’S THE ONLY ANSWER THAT ULTIMATELY MATTERS AND SATISFIESGo to Him – He wants to give you the ultimate gift – Himself. And it will satisfy!E.g. Story: God’s Promise to Fran on our wedding anniversary – 2002

On Sunday morning I was reading the story of the Shunammite woman whose son of promise (Elisha had prayed for and prophesied that she would have a son, though she was barren), had suddenly died (2 Kgs. 4).She rushed to tell Elisha, saying in essence, “What was the point of giving me a son, if I was just going to lose him anyways.”So, Elisha prayed and called the boy back to life!Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me, helping me understand what Fran had been feeling.God had spoken to her the evening she discovered that she was pregnant with Stefan, telling her that He was going to use him powerfully one day to affect many for the Kingdom.Stefan also was a son of promise.But what was the point of the promise, seeing he was now spiritually dead to God and his family.Then the Spirit spoke powerfully to me, instructing me to tell Fran that Stefan would be spiritually raised back to life, just like the Shunammite woman’s son had been raised to life.I called Fran from the office and told her I’d like to take her to Smitty’s for an anniversary breakfast before I had to preach in the services.At the breakfast I shared God’s promise with her.She and I were overcome with tears of joy as God’s Spirit ministered to both of us through His promise that morning!This was just over two years before Stefan came back to the Lord!What you and I really need in our suffering and trials, is God’s experiential love.That’s what Paul prayed for those suffering in the church at Ephesus.Ephesians 3:16-19 (NIV) I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18  may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.There it is! That’s what you need! Go to Him!

C. Steps to grow your godly character in trials and storms

NOTE: The following steps are in the Grow in Godly Character Tool from Ten Steps to Grow Godly Character

Step 1: Worship God, knowing He is working all things out for your good

That’s what Paul said in Romans 8:28Do you believe that God is working all things for good in your life? Can you praise Him in the good times as well as in the hard times? Try it and see what it does for your soul.In this way your spirit is telling your emotions how they should feel about it.David did just that …Psalm 42:5 (ESV) Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation.What happened when you did that?

Step 2: Go to Him daily for comfort and strength to carry on

God will not always give you the reason just yet, why He is allowing difficulty in your lifeJob didn’t know either.However, what Job discovered is something we can all experienceIn suffering, when we don’t know the WHY, we can be content with the WHO!When a child is very sick, they don’t care to hear the reasons; they just need to feel your comfort and love.And that’s what we all need from our heavenly Father. Go to Him.He is your refute and beneath you are His everlasting arms.Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV) The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Step 3: Set your eyes on eternity by meditating on eternal things

Memorize verses about eternity in order to move your focus from temporary things to fix them on eternal things.This will give you hope and the necessary strength to persevere to the end of your trial

Step 4: Ask God to reveal what His purpose(s) in this are

We learn from the example of Paul that we should seek to understand God’s purposes when we’re faced with sufferingHe didn’t sink into despair or disillusionment; he didn’t become anxious trying to fix it; he didn’t shake his fist at the heavens in anger.He will have said, “OK Father, show me what you’re up to. Your ways are so much higher and your thoughts so much greater. What are you doing that is greater and higher than getting me out of jail! Show me!”And God showed Paul – Paul saw it!And what God showed Paul is another purpose for which God allows us to sufferNow, at other times God does NOT reveal the reason for the suffering – at least not until the testing or trial is over.Job is an example of that.If God had answered Job’s questions during the trial, it would have invalidated the test, because God was proving to Satan that Job would love Him even if everything was taken away from Job, including answers to his questions.The same was true when God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac – God didn’t tell Abraham that he would supply another sacrifice!However, Abraham did find out after the test, what God was trying to do in the middle of the test!Sometimes we find out years laterAnd some things we simply won’t know until we reach heaven.However, not to ask is to dishonor the Lord – for according to James 1 He invites us to askNo doubt, God will be working out several purposes in our trials or suffering – perhaps He’ll reveal one or two of them, while withholding the other purposes for the time being.But when He does reveal purposes, He does so for several reasons:

So, we can align with His purposes, rather than working at cross-purposes to HisTo comfort usTo show us how we can cooperate with Him in the development of our characterPerhaps He won’t give us the purpose, but He may wish to speak to us and show us how to navigate the trial or challenge

Step 5: Pray daily for that character trait

When God shows you what character trait He wants you to learn during the time of trial and testing, begin to pray for that trait to become a part of your characterIf He doesn’t show you which character trait He is working out in your life, choose one that you would like for Him to work out during this season and then pray for that.

Step 6: Confess any sinfulness in the area of character growth needed

The area that God wants us to grow in is the same area in which sinful, unrighteous or ungodly behavior will be seen. This needs to be confessed.Go to Him. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness1 John 1:9 (NIV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Step 7: Receive inner healing, deliverance and freedom from harmful family patterns

Perhaps an old wound from your childhood or past is contributing to your sufferingOr there is a bondage you just can’t conquer alone. Perhaps it’s even generational.In order to get the freedom you so desire, have someone go with you through the steps from the following lessons: Emotional Wholeness and Healing; Deliverance and Destructive Family Patterns.

Step 8: Tell someone & ask for their prayers

You can’t survive your trials and suffering aloneGod designed us to need one anotherAsk you spouse or a friend or a small group to pray with you in these days.And when you do, don’t just ask for prayer to remove circumstances; ask prayer to align with God’s purposes in this, including growth in godly character

Step 9: Be filled with and live by the Spirit

You cannot change your character aloneYou need to be filled Holy Spirit, so that you can receive the desire and ability to work on your characterPaul named four ways to be filled:

When we minister to others – addressing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songsWhen we worship the Lord – singing and making melody in our hearts to the LordWhen we are grateful to the Lord – giving thanks to God always and in all circumstances – even badWhen we submit to one another – submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Step 10: Learn and memorize Scripture about the trait

This will help you remember the trait, but also wrestle God’s truth about it into your heartIf you do this, it will help you immensely.

Step 11: Keep in step with the Spirit

Stop and choose correctlyThe Spirit will remind you of the responses you are learning in the midst of your trialWalk with Him, so He can guide you through it