Lately in my quiet time I have been studying about fellowshipping in the sufferings of Christ. Wow, I was not prepared for the world of awesomeness that I was about to enter into. The Lord has brought me along in a journey in order to open my eyes the past two mornings in my quiet times. So what is this beautiful picture that God has painted in my mind? Suffering....no matter what kind you experience...whether it's a tragedy that has caused you to suffer, or the simple fact that you are suffering in a miserable job, or the fact that you are suffering with a problem child...any kind of suffering is REQUIRED in order for us believers in Christ to experience the awesome POWER OF THE RESURRECTION!!! It is impossible for us to experience this beautiful GIFT unless we SUFFER! God has called us to suffer....but He doesn't end it at that....He says YES, you are going to suffer...YES, I have called you to suffer...but do you know why? I have called you to suffer because I want you to SEE the awesome resurrection power!! I want you to EXPERIENCE the phrase "when I am weak, then you are strong...my power is perfected in your weakness"....I want you to EXPERIENCE the life giving power that will rock your world- that is better than ANYTHING you could attain on this Earth.
Today- I was reminding myself of what I studied yesterday and then was lead to studying about how death to myself will equal life in Christ. As a believer I am called to die...die to my desires, die to my RIGHTS, die to my ideas for my life's purpose...DIE...and allow Christ to live in me. Well, what happens when I must die to my rights, desires and thoughts? I suffer! But what happens when I suffer??? I LIVE LIFE THROUGH CHRIST'S RESURRECTION POWER! For example- Blake leaves dirty dishes in the sink....well, my rights tell me that I should make him come clean up those dishes- I am not his maid, I am a strong woman who doesn't need to clean up after her husband. Well, because I have "died", and dead people don't have rights, I must SUFFER as I clean up his dishes....however, now it becomes not me cleaning up unfairly after my husband...it becomes me identifying with the suffering of Christ and REJOICING for it....attaining LIFE because when you suffer for doing right it pleases our LORD! 1 Peter tells us women that we are to be meek and quiet spirits and submissive to our husbands...THAT is what makes us beautiful. Meekness is defined as power under control. Now, in this world....that doesn't make sense...and we fight that a lot. God, if I don't argue MY WAY with my husband then he will always think he can walk all over me! NO...nothing that God tells us to do makes sense in the human mind's standards. (God tells us that..."My ways are not your ways") "Die to live"...."when I am weak then I am strong", "I can only bear fruit after I am dead", "I must hate my life to find it", "I must be a servant to be considered great"....obedience requires FAITH- that even though it doesn't make sense....I don't SEE why or HOW, I still must obey....knowing that God's sovereign vision sees the outcome.
So, as I move forward as a mother and wife- how does this affect me? Well, anytime during the day when I experience suffering...whether it's both my kids in bad moods screaming at me...or it's not getting a bath and feeling ugly...or whether it's something with Blake that has upset me.....it's no longer about ME....it's about identifying with Christ and HIS suffering through dying to my desires and needs, and then living in the power of the resurrection!!! However, this will be a DAILY struggle to remember....just as Peter experience victory while walking on the water to Jesus....THE IMPOSSIBLE...walking on water- he had gained victory over the very waves that threatened his life....the only reason why he had gained victory was because he was dead centered on Christ...the minute a wave hit him upside the head and bad things around him got worse...he started to look at his circumstances and then....SANK. Though I have experience "walking on water" one day...if I don't keep my eyes DEAD centered on Christ those waves of life will distract me and get me quickly focused on my circumstances and I will "sink"!
In Dee Forrest****** I am a mommy to four wonderful little boys. I love my role and want to remember every little detail of the days that I get to spend with them as a stay-at-home mommy. I am a homeschooling momma with a husband who is working full time along with full time seminary. This blog is to help me work through the daily, but mainly, it's to help me remember precious little moments that I never want to forget and cherish forever!
Cath, I am in tears after reading this. Thanks for reminding me that I need to read your blog again.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to find a Bible verse that I can identify with about suffering for Christ, and I think the closest I've come is Philippians 1:29-30 - For it has been granted (GRANTED!!) to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
It says is in the notes section regarding this passage that 'The Christian life is to be a "not only...but also" proposition; not only believing but also suffering.
Love you dearly Cath <3