A Planting of Faith Seeds for the Glory of the LORD
The truth about suffering…

On the day Jesus was crucified God began adoption proceedings to adopt you and I into his Eternal Family. On the day when Jesus stepped out of his tomb God’s adoptions proceedings were completed and now you and I are members of God’s Eternal Family.

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” (Romans 8:14–17, NLT)

As I read today’s scripture verses I smiled and hung on every word feeling blessed beyond expectations, belief, and worthiness until I read the last 6 words in verse 17, “we must also share his suffering,” then I lost my smile and turned myself off to what I was reading. Suffering is such a harsh and depressing word after who really wants to suffer? Who really wakes up and says, “Well, today I think I will go find some ways I can suffer?”

On September 17, 2013 I didn’t wake up in the morning and say, “I think I’ll have a heart attack today just so I can suffer as Jesus suffered.” A whole lot of things contributed to my heart attack but wanting to have it wasn’t one of them. The heart attack just happened as part of life, I didn’t want it, Patti didn’t want me to have it, God didn’t want me to have it, but it was what life had in store for me that day. Your story isn’t any different than mine you may not have had a heart attack but you’ve experienced suffering against your will as well, haven’t you.

As harsh and depressing as the word “suffering” is Eugene Peterson in the Message Bible presents verse 17 (I’ve added verse 18 as well) in a slightly different light. “…If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him! That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times.” I don’t know about you but I am smiling again!

The good news/truth is God has adopted each one of us therefore, “…since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.” It doesn’t get any better than that!

Believe it! Experience it!
Grace and PEACE!
Gary

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Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.”
(John 20:19, NLT)

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“Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.”