Perseverance in Suffering

Intro - After all that we’ve said about suffering, how are you going to make it. Yes it is unrelenting…and yes it has purpose…but so what? What can you do about it!!!

Measurement

To perservere in suffering you must have a heavenly opinion and joyous outcrying.

James 1:2–4 ESV

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

“Count it all...”

After all that we’ve said about suffering, how are you going to make it. Yes it is unrelenting…and yes it has purpose…but so what? What can you do about it!!!

How do you measure, add up, evaluate the trials that you deal with. What are your opinions of suffering? Where does it come from and more important WHO is God to you in the midst of it?

What do all of the trials add up to?

The vantage point of anything is going to determine how you define it.

I remember there was a time when I was so in love with this girl. The problem was there was going to be a time when we were going to be apart and wouldn’t be able to see each other. I cared about her so much that I wept to the point of becoming light headed and couldn’t gather myself. The pain was unbearable…the problem was I was 7 and it was all because my mama didn’t have gas money to get me to daycare that day…see how perspective changes the whole story. I still remember my mama looking at me like...”umm, this seems a bit excessive for missing one day of daycare” lol. Looking back it seems so crazy to behave that way. One, she probably wasn’t even really that cute, ya’ll seen some of your 7 year old pictures, and two in the grand scheme of life it wasn’t that deep.

Now to be clear, as adults there are things that are genuinely going to hurt, suffering that’s going to be tragic and traumatic…I don’t want to make light of that.

However, what will that suffering look like in light of the glory that is to come? It’s amazing what people can face when they approach it from a different perspective. How do you measure your trials?

How do you evaluate it?

How do you evaluate it?

Many times in this life we evaluate something based on how productive it is.

Our despair in suffering is caused by the belief that the outcome of the trial or the suffering isn’t going to be worth it.

Here Scriptue is calling us to measure our trials, not based on the moment but on something greater…and to face it with JOY

“…joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds...”

Joy isn’t the natural response to suffering…however it is a command here to respond in that manner.

One of the challenges of facing trials is the determination that you will not allow the suffering to override the belief in the promise…and that belief in the promise produces joy.

One of the blessings during this difficult time has been the nearness that I have with my family. I can’t remember if there’s ever been a time when I’ve felt more connected with them. And not only them but the conversations that I’ve had with others, I cherish them in a unique way now…not taking them for granted. One of the promises that we can hang our hat on is that just as with those relationships that the Lord is near to us during times of trouble.

Like my youngest son or daughter, they can crawl up in my lap during times of fear or anxiety…so too can you in the time of suffering.

This is exactly what Jesus did…He looked past the suffering on the cross to the joy that awaited Him once it was all over cf. Heb. 12:2

Or remember the story of Jacob…working 14 years for the hand of Rachel in marriage but to him they were but a moment…when love is present suffering isn’t the same.

Every day, every moment of suffering that Jacob had to endure drew him closer to the love of his life.

What is your opinion of your suffering? Does it stir you to draw nearer to the Lord?

Because in Him you find joy overwhelming…love overflowing…and contentment that seems like madness to this world.

I recall stories of Christian martyrs singing songs of praise and hymns as they were being taken to be burned at the stake, our Lord Jesus praying for His mom as He was tortured to death...

Love, and the joy that comes from it, OVERWHELMS the pain…CRUSHES the suffering…that is what has been granted to you…THAT is how you are to face the trials

These trials are unexpected, come in all types, and are inevitable.

TR: The trials that are unexpected, come in all types and are inevitable we respond to with joy....why? How can we conceive of such a ridiculous notion? BECAUSE WE KNOW SOMETHING THAT OTHERS DON’T KNOW!!! There’s a mentality we have that others don’t...

Mentality

“for you know...”

Your opinion of the trial/suffering is going to be dependent upon what you know.

The term “know” is ginosko and is learning by experience.

Here it is in the present/active which means that are actively initiating the knowledge, the awareness, through what they are enduring.

They have an active participation with the trial. They aren’t fleeing from it, nor to some degree could they. Instead they are in the midst of it, living, breathing, weeping, struggling their way through.

They are experiencing it! And they are in the process of learning!

This knowledge isn’t just a knowledge of suffering, for many people in this world have suffered and don’t know God. This knowledge is of someone who has placed faith in God during trials and seen that faith work.

They’ve counted their trials as joy and they experienced testing taking place…and they’ve seen its work!

There is some knowledge that only comes from participation.

What has the Lord brought you through? Cancer? Abuse? Abandonment? Hunger? Betrayal?

And because of it there are things that you know you can endure, you know you can make it through. WHY? Because some of ya’ll know faith…produces…steadfastness

“faith produces steadfastness”

Literally the examination of your faith through a trial produces an ability to bear up under weight.

I’ll never forget the first time I went to the gym with Ryan and Brent and we were doing squats. This is what they do. I didn’t do squats. But I wasn’t about to punk out either. So I try to lift what they did and looked like a fool. Legs over there looking like a baby giraffe. My form was off and I barely moved the weight…that was their warm up set.

Some of us are still on our warm up sets in the faith…thinking that we’re going to be able to make it when times get hard…but those that are seasoned look at your walk and say…your form is off.

It is in times like these folks where we need those who have testimonies to share them, those that have rested in the hands of the Almighty to come forward and testify to the Lord’s greatness!

Because you KNOW, you have EXPERIENCED the salvation of the Lord! See the beautiful thing about the Body is that just like with Brent and Ryan…***had I not been able to lift the weight they were there spotting me.***

When you spot someone you have someone there to help you lift it when the weight gets more than what you’re accustomed to! They can see when I begin to compromise my form just to try to get the weight off of me!

And they’re there to assist me lifting it if need be.

How do we get through suffering? TOGETHER! We draw close to each other and as the weight bears down we lift up together and that trial produces in us STEADFASTNESS!

The ability to withstand the weight, the pressure, the suffering longer this time than the time before.

I love the quote that says “I’ll do today what others won’t do so I can do tomorrow what others can’t do”…today I will face my trial with joy because I know tomorrow others what be able to and I will be called upon to help them.

TR: And lastly the steadfastness itself has its work, there is a method to it...

Method

Don’t start moving out of place now…let that endurance produce its work…have its FULL effect..

Let the faith that you possess, the steadfastness that has been produced, keep you standing so that you can reach maturity.

Steadfastness’ perfect work is maturity

We can face trials with joy because we know they produce the ability to bear up more weight, grow in the Spirit…and that growth leads us into maturity!

The maturity to ask for wisdom on how to navigate the trial (v. 5) the humility to not to get to high on times of comfort (v. 9) and the depth of gratefulness to exalt during times of lowliness! (v. 10)

If you are immature in the faith it might be because you need to quit running from all the tough things in your life, you need to square up, face them, praise God for ‘em and grow THROUGH them.

LAND IT LOUD

Make that pain face the power of your joy in the Lord and if it doesn’t move…you don’t move either. You PLANT YOUR FEET and draw a line in the sand.

And as you stand watch the strength of the Lord raise up in you and complete you!

And as one heck of a consolation prize for your endurance…v. 12 says...

James 1:12 ESV

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.

On top of growing into Christ likeness as we persevere, drawing closer to the Lord, Yahweh our God grants us blessedness and the promise of receiving a crown of life!!!

Revelation 2:10 ESV

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

How do you face suffering? With the joy of Adonai knowing that IT WILL NOT overcome you! But instead it works the work of Yahweh by producing steadfastness and ultimately maturity in the faith

What was meant to destroy you…actually made you stronger…because you are the Lord’s and your faith is in Him!