The good soldier!

(2Timothy 2:3)  “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

Life has its surprises and it if filled with so many different emotions. Suffering has its part to play in our lives, just as much as happiness or love. God by means of nature teachers us that there is a time and a season for all things. This is God’s design! How do we know this? Not only do we see the changes through spring into summer into autumn and then finally winter sets in. But we also have one of the wisest men to have ever lived, teaching us this lesson; - “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. What gain has the worker from his toil? (Ecclesiastes 3:1-9)   

If we are ever in doubt about where we find ourselves or whether we are in God will, all we need do is examine our lives and the trials we face in reflection to the life of the Lord Jesus. When we see clearly, no matter what the trial, we realize that it lives with one intention, to teach us obedience. Knowing that eventually we will reap our reward, heaven our destiny and we will receive a glorified body where there will be no more death for the true believer

Let us consider a planting of a harvest; we know that certain seed must be planted in spring if we are to reap their fruit, plant that seed in winter and the crops will fail. We must obey God’s order to reap His fruit. Now take this principle into our lives and we too will be the beneficiaries of His grace. Obey the Word of God and what it teaches and it will be well with our souls.

How often do we suffer for wrong-doing? I can only speak for myself, far too often is the retort! It needn’t be this way; God has so loved us that He sent His Son to die in our stead. That does not mean I needn’t suffer, suffer I must! But the apostle Peter teachers us that we should never suffer as evil-doers; “But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.” (1Peter 4:15) – I suppose in today’s day and age we are all guilty of such charges, I know I am! But it needn’t be like this as we have the mind of Christ. Let no one deceive you into thinking that as Christians we should only ever have season of pure bliss and no famine in our lives.

Our paths have been carefully plotted out by an all knowing and ever wise God, even the Lord Jesus had to walk the path His father had so ordained. And as a man there times when He even looked to avoid the inevitable: - “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."” (Matthew 26:39) – And what of the time when he was at His weakest as he hung upon that cruel Roman cross; “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"” (Matthew 27:46)

Both these trying time served a purpose in God’s sovereign will and so do all the trials in our lives serve their purpose!  

How often have you heard people ask, why? How often have I asked the very same question? The short answer is for us to learn obedience and to trust our God with our lives. We spend so much time evaluating our situation without understanding the importance of the Holy Scriptures on the very topic.

Suffering is an integral part of a believers life, God has so ordain it! We needn’t always understand it at the time, but we must learn to walk by faith. When God tells us that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose, we must then believe it! As it will reap its fruit in due season!

What then is God’s will for the believer? “For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1Peter 2:19-24)   

We will only ever find the fullness of life when we learn to appropriate the Holy Scriptures and what they teach us as the be-all and end-all of our daily living. May God cause His gracious light to shine into our lives so that we may be the salt of the earth! May our lives grow from strength to strength as we learn to walk obediently before our great King! Hear our cry, we earnestly pray, dear beloved heavenly Father.

Signing off

Tyrone