Posts Tagged ‘suffering’

20
Apr

True Contemplation of the Cross

   Posted by: Vicki Larraz  in Books

The following is an extract from Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter, edited by Nancy Guthrie (Crossway).

Chapter One: True Contemplation of the Cross

Martin Luther

“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” Hebrews 12:2–3

Let us meditate a moment on the passion of Christ. Some do so falsely in that they merely rail against Judas and the Jews. Some carry crucifixes to protect themselves from water, fire, and sword, and turn the suffering of Christ into an amulet against suffering. Some weep, and that is the end of it. The true contemplation is that in which the heart is crushed and the conscience smitten. You must be overwhelmed by the frightful wrath of God who so hated sin that he spared not his only begotten Son. What can the sinner expect if the beloved Son was so afflicted? It must be an inexpressible and unendurable yearning that causes God’s Son himself so to suffer. Ponder this and you will tremble, and the more you ponder, the deeper you will tremble.

Take this to heart and doubt not that you are the one who killed Christ. Your sins certainly did, and when you see the nails driven through his hands, be sure that you are pounding, and when the thorns pierce his brow, know that they are your evil thoughts. Consider that if one thorn pierced Christ you deserve one hundred thousand.

The whole value of the meditation of the suffering of Christ lies in this, that man should come to the knowledge of himself and sink and tremble. If you are so hardened that you do not tremble, then you have reason to tremble. Pray to God that he may soften your heart and make fruitful your meditation upon the suffering of Christ, for we of ourselves are incapable of proper reflection unless God instills it.

But if one does meditate rightly on the suffering of Christ for a day, an hour, or even a quarter of an hour, this we may confidently say is better than a whole year of fasting, days of psalm singing, yes, than even one hundred masses, because this reflection changes the whole man and makes him new, as once he was in baptism.

If, then, Christ is so firmly planted in your heart, and if you are become an enemy to sin out of love and not fear, then henceforth the suffering of Christ, which began as a sacrament, may continue lifelong as an example. When tribulation and sickness assail you, think how slight these are compared to the thorns and the nails of Christ. If you are thwarted, remember how he was bound and dragged. If pride besets you, see how the Lord was mocked and with robbers despised. If unchastity incites your flesh, recall how his flesh was scourged, pierced, and smitten. If hate, envy, and vengeance tempt you, think how Christ for you and all his enemies interceded with tears, though he might rather have avenged himself. If you are afflicted and cannot have your way, take heart and say, “Why should I not suffer when my Lord sweat blood for very anguish?”

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19
Oct

Trust God and Do Good

   Posted by: Michael Stalker  in Sermons

This morning Mickey Connolly of CrossWay Community Church exhorted us to trust God and do good when life doesn’t go our way. He showed us the example of David. David trusted God. He never charged God of wrongdoing or demanded an answer from Him. What a man of faith! But how do we get that kind of faith and Christian maturity in our own lives?

Maturity doesn’t happen overnight. It comes in a series of small decisions to trust God with small things. The big decisions people make are often the culmination of a character that they developed over the span of years and decades. So if life isn’t tough for you right now, spend time cultivating godly character. Make a habit of regular Bible reading and prayer. Fellowship with other believers. Share your faith with non-Christians. Serve in any way you can. Months and years of doing this will make a big difference when a crisis hits.

Not every big disappointment waits until we are fully prepared to handle it well, though, does it? So what do you do if you’re currently struggling with a major disappointment in your life? I’d recommend everything Mickey said. Please listen to the sermon if you haven’t, yet. In addition to what Mickey suggested, here are some things that have helped me deal with some pretty big disappointments I’ve had over the past few years.

  • Read Scripture
    Reading my Bible every day has helped me through some times when I thought I couldn’t go on. Scripture helped me get God’s perspective on things. When I suffer, the first thing I lose is a proper perspective.
  • Pray
    Being honest to God and talking to Him about my situation has helped tremendously. It’s never right to be angry at God, since that’s an expression of accusing God of wrongdoing. But the Psalms are full of people expressing themselves to God. God knows what you’re thinking and feeling. Talking to Him about your situation helps you run to God instead of away from Him.
  • Talk to other people about your disappointment
    Telling others what you’re going through does a few things. It has helped others know how to pray for me. It opens me up to receive the insights, encouragement, and even correction from others. I’ve been meeting with a friend on a regular basis to talk about God, growth, how I’m doing, and how I’m responding to my circumstances. This has been a lifeline! One suggestion: make sure you pick one or more people who are wise and mature in their Christian walk. Challenging life situations will only be made worse by bad advice. You need biblical wisdom, not worldly opinion.
  • Read good books
    The ones that have helped me most come in two varieties.

    1. Books about God
      These put my struggles in perspective by helping me realize the immensity and grandeur of God. The Cross of Christ by John Stott, The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer, and God and Creation by Herman Bavinck are three that have been particularly helpful. Desiring God and The Pleasures of God by John Piper are very good, as well.
    2. Books about suffering or disappointment
      You’ve got to be careful with these, since there are some lousy books on this topic. I’ve benefitted from Lost in the Middle by Paul Tripp and Depression by Ed Welch. In Two Minds (re-published as God in the Dark) by Os Guinness has helped me at times when I’ve been tempted to question God. I just started reading How Long, O Lord? by D. A. Carson. It looks like a promising book, and I have only heard good reviews about it.

    Life is short. Read good books.

I’ll try to follow up with some more suggestions that have helped me. What has helped you trust God in the midst of your disappointments?

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