Suffering Sermon

Commentary on the State of Mind of the Spirit: The Righteous will Suffer...

Part Three of Eight.

by The Apologetic Wiseguy.

www.EverydayWordsOfWisdom.com

July 16, 2016. Version3.1 beta.

Suffering Sermon Part 2.)

In Regards to Dealing with Others. TRANSCRIPT

I have finally realized and accepted that other people are simply going to be exactly the way they are; independent of my opinion about them. 

And the world is simply going to be exactly the way it is, regardless of my best efforts and aspirations to change it... So I have finally let go and now I just let God do His thing. I stopped trying so hard, and just trust Him more.

Looking back at my life, and looking around now, I see that God has provided everything I need according to His plan for me. I now recognize that I lack nothing, and that is so freeing. I'm starting to feel that I've actually been made perfect and that there is nothing wrong with me. God has healed my wounded flesh and renewed my mind. I used to have all sorts of mental health problems, self-esteem issues, convoluted and contrary constructs of reality and the world around me.

I was conflicted, my perception of reality was way off. I just had some major misconceptions about the world and the truth of it all. These distorted views of mine were all corrected when I finally read the entire Bible.

Yes, leave it to the Word of God to bring order to the chaos. Reading the Bible change my perspective on all that I was wrong about. I was on the right track about some things, I was right on about a few, but I was way off in some big places (like trust). I found that I was focusing my attention on all the wrong things. My loyalties were misconstrued and my trust was misplaced. Reading the Bible, yes, just by spending time in His Word, changed all that for me...

I came to realize that all the abundance I want and need is already here in my life. It is all already here in my world. I just needed to tune into it. I stopped focusing on what I did not have, and shifted my consciousness to an appreciation for all that I AM and all the blessings I already have.

I opened my eyes and saw all the blessings that He has already given me. And reflecting on life, I suddenly realized all that He has already done for me all my years. All the times that He showed up in my life, helping me and I didn't even recognize. And wow. Oh my God. Hallelujah. I'm overwhelmed by his amazing grace. Shame, guilt, grief, apathy and fear have disappeared! Now I live in a constant state of gratefulness. I constantly thank the Lord for every blessing He has graciously given me.

And I remind myself to keep my mind on Christ, to keep my thoughts on good things, because whatever I think about is what will expand; and if I think about what I don't have, then what I don’t have will expand.

If you think about what you don’t like in someone, then what you don’t like in that someone will expand. That is why pouring out endless love is always the best thing to do in all circumstances. Pouring out love in response to hate; defuses the hate. Pouring out love in response to love multiplies that love beyond measure...

1.) Patient Endurance.

Rejoice in your sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance...

American Baptist minister, activist, humanitarian, and civil rights leader, Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. once said quote;

"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals." 

Injustice, suffering, unfairness and the world not being exactly as I want it is pretty much a guaranteed constant in life. That is life... However, I've found that I can refuse to be seduced into being emotionally immobilized over my troubles. 

To quote from the King James Bible, the book of James chapter 1, verse 4;

"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." 

The point is that suffering is a fact of life, for you, for me and for everyone. It's a necessary part of the salvation process, but the bright side is that the suffering of the faithful and righteous always glorifies God in the end. And that is the glorious truth; God always redeems the suffering of His faithful little ones. 

The essence of Christianity is for the Creation to commune in the consciousness of the infinite Creator. The essence of being a Christian is to as said in 1st John chapter 2, verse 3; quote;

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”

That should fill your heart with hope, ease your worries and put your mind at peace... It did when I first finally understood and grasped the love the God has for me. This biblical perspective on suffering makes any Christian's suffering not only bearable but welcomed and enjoyed if that be the will of the Lord...

In the world of pure spirit, there is nothing but endless love and grace. The Father loves His children perfectly according to their needs. Our good Heavenly Father knows us better than we know ourselves. All you have to do is believe in Him. Just have faith, because He is waiting for you to want to get to know Him. Because faith in the Father is the keys to this kingdom, and trust is the ticket to tune into His Holy Spirit. There are no boundaries here, there are no limits, anything is possible with the love of Christ.

But obeying His word and walking like Christ is not always easy to do, and I'm telling you that it will take you your lifetime to learn to comply. The path is narrow and yes sadly it’s true, that few will enter and that many will be doomed. 

But have Faith little ones, because the faithful must patiently endure a trivial amount of suffering along the way. That's right, your momentary suffering is petty in comparison to the immense glory that awaits you. 

Yes, God's magnificent glory and grace is worth enduring any amount of suffering. So, I recommend that in the meantime, you be gentle with yourself, love one another as Christ taught us, and appreciate the miracle that you are alive and breathing right now in the moment. Be patient and kind to everyone, regardless of any reasons you feel otherwise. And most of all love God unconditionally regardless of what comes your way.

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