Europe has been hit hard by the little-known but controversial pandemic of the little-known COVID-19 virus. In the face of the vastness of this world, the innumerable tragedies and sufferings, we realize that our attitude makes a difference in bringing people to Christ.
Elisabeth Elliot in her book Let Me Be a Woman says: “I’m not another kind of Christian because I’m a woman. But should I definitely be a very different kind of woman because I’m a Christian?And in his book Suffering Is Never In Vain, he also uses this quote in the chapter on gratitude.
- God controls all the events of this world.
- Every meal.
- Every pleasure.
- Every good we have.
- Every ray of sunshine.
- Every night of sleep.
- The moments of health and sickness.
- Also made us live surrounded by people with different difficulties.
- Perhaps of character.
- Or different diseases and sufferings.
- My husband.
- For example.
- Went through a tough health test that lasted 7 months.
- It is a rare infection of the spine.
- Derived from a bacterium.
- It would be urgent to place two or three prostheses on the first discs of his spine.
- But this was not possible as long as he had inflammation and now.
- In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- With the collapse of hospitals.
- Doctors had no choice but to postpone his second surgery.
- And during that time he was not only enduring physical pains.
- But you could see the worst pain.
- Dear people around us dying of the virus.
- It was very sad.
- But how did Elisabeth Elliot say?”Suffering is never in vain!”.
First, knowing and trusting in the Word of God, if we lose confidence in the Word of God it is obvious that we do not pay attention to listening to it, or that we do not read it and study it as we should, and above all, we do not apply these truths to our daily lives.
Understand that suffering is necessary for the human being, for it produces character, maturity so that we may not be Christians with nothing as James 1. 3-4 said:
“Knowing that the test of your faith, once confirmed, produces perseverance.
However, perseverance must have a complete action, so that you are perfect and complete, in no case deficient.
To know that our beloved Redeemer is at the right hand of God the Father who intercedes for us; this understanding is an anchor that keeps our souls firm in Christ in the midst of storms; His love brings us peace and joy, and we can see it clearly when the Lord warned Peter:
“Simon, Simon, behold Satan has asked you to sieve like wheat!But I prayed for you that your faith would not be lacking; Then, when you come back, strengthen your brothers. “Luke 22: 31-32
Therefore, it can also totally save those who approach God through him, always living to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7. 25)
The example of the life of the Apostle Peter teaches us, among many things, the advancement of the Kingdom of God, the dissemination, the spread of the gospel and perseverance, for after suffering, it has been widely used by God and we see the transformation of his character into his letters, after being humiliated, Peter can speak with humility, sweetness and love, it is through suffering that we will see God , who he really is, his character, his attributes, and then when we meditate on The Being of God. , his promises and work throughout the history of mankind, and therefore, when we worship Him, we are transformed into His Image.
God’s purpose in? Sifting is testing and perfecting our faith, this perfection will not be complete in our earthly life, but here and now he has given us everything we need to face suffering, he gave us his own son Jesus, to save us from the greatest cause of suffering. , sin, also separation from God and the suffering of eternal damnation. He suffered the greatest suffering, the cross, separation from the Father, the wrath of Almighty God was poured out on the Lamb, who was slaughtered, wounded by God and oppressed, and as a submissive Son, he endured everything without complaint, but with joy in our place (Gen 22; es 53; 2Co 5,21; Heb 12,2).
Proclaim the glorious Gospel to me, preach yourself and others, and show them God’s love and righteousness.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and cannot kill the soul; fear rather the one who can make the soul and body perish in hell. Matthew 10:28
Intercede, present your suffering and that of others as a sacrifice before the altar of God, with tears of compassion and a respectful cry before the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
God is worthy to worship and proclaim even in the midst of suffering: even when His answer is a NO, as we see in the scriptures, God’s no to his only and beloved Son, when He cried that it would be possible to pass the cup. to él. de his wrath, and it did not happen, but it was completely poured out upon Jesus, and as he did with the Apostle Paul when he asked him to suppress his suffering (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). are more sublime than we can understand when we are in the midst of suffering.
As we endure, we will see God more and hope that glory will be revealed in us: persevering involves having spiritual discipline to accept the challenges of suffering in a way that glorifies God.
“Now, perseverance must have complete action, so that you are perfect and complete, not deficient at all. Romans 5. 4
Perseverance in discipline occurs day after day in submission to God’s will. Then we can prove the truth of hope as the Apostle Paul in Romans:
“For for me, I am sure that the sufferings of the present time cannot be compared to the glory revealed in us (Romans 8. 18)
Remember that pressed grapes produce good wine; To produce good wines it is necessary to press the grape well and also filter the broth so that it does not leave bad residues, it is the same process that every Christian must go through to have a strong, mature and tasty faith in the eyes. of the world and then people will see Christ through our lives of sensitivity, love, and compassion for them.
“I have seen that it is through the deepest sufferings that God has taught me the deepest lessons. And if we trust him, we can come to the unwavering certainty that he’s in charge. It has a loving purpose and can turn something terrible. “in something wonderful, so we must understand that suffering is never in vain. ?Elisabeth Elliot
“Now can the Lord bring their hearts to the love of God and the constancy of Christ. (2 Thessaloniki 3. 5)