“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17)
Love, joy, peace, the knowledge that God is good, that His mercy endures forever, that He is kind and compassionate. Everything that comes from the Lord is good, whether you think so or not. His wrath and vengeance, the eternal damnation of all who deny the Lord Jesus Christ, pain and sorrow upon those that defile His Holy name. These are also good.
My friends, even the pain and hardships that are affecting you are good, if they come from the Lord, and in all truth, even if He allows our adversary to affect you, it is good.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
This is a hard pill to swallow, as it is said, when the pain wracks your body, when you have been serving as best as you currently know how to, when the Lord is your Shepherd. If He says, “Follow me into the valley of the shadow of death,” we follow, if He says, “Accept this gift of suffering from me,” we say, “Thank you Lord, thy will be done.” “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” (1 Peter 1:7)
There is no better way to refine a man’s faith in the Almighty than with trials and tribulations, the fire purifies us, if we trust in His will for our lives.
Many are going to find out soon if they are truly serving whom they say they serve, and I believe these days of the beginning of sorrows are showing far too many that they were never more than the chaff, that they were only professing Him with their lips, that their hearts belonged to another, mainly themselves.
Questioning and even complaining at times does not mean that we are not of God, there are several chapters in the book of Job that prove this point, and do not think within yourself that when Paul was being dragged away to be whipped and beaten again that he had a smile on his face and a “Praise God” on his lips every time. We are all deserving of pain, of suffering and even death. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Eph. 2:8)
Why does the Almighty decide that some need to suffer above others, why do some seem to spend more time in that valley of the shadow of death than others who are also His chosen ones? “Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.” (John 21:22)
As this world grows more evil, as the Holy Spirit allows more and more sin to evolve, more who serve the Lord Jesus Christ will be tested, more of what we once considered our freedoms, yea, even our rights, will be removed, Satan can find few who will willingly follow him without some type of reward. We have our reward, His name is Jesus Christ. “After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” (Gen. 15:1)
Pain is an incredible motivator, what you must question within yourself, if indeed you have been crucified with Christ, is does that pain motivate you to continue along the path to the Celestial Kingdom, or does it make you question what the Lord has sent into your life, does it make you question His love for you?
I do not think that many of us spend enough time contemplating the words of that man that God Himself called righteous as he sat there in extreme pain, suffering and great sorrow when he said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” (Job 13:15)
“Thy will be done.”
Perhaps the four most difficult words to comprehend, to say in all honesty, to voice aloud and truly mean.
Job received more than he had before, the Most High may ask you to continue in the suffering, as he did Lazarus who sat at the rich man’s gate, even to the point of death.
All things happen for good.
Do you honestly believe that?
