And they said
to them, “We must go through many hardships here.” (Acts 14:22)
If anyone
knew hardships, if anyone knew struggles, if anyone knew persecution, it was
the Apostle Paul. His ‘list’ is nothing short of amazing.
I think his
entire list bears repeating here.
“Yet, however they conjure up such confidence,
(I am speaking as a fool) I am equal to the task.
“Are they Jewish? So am I. Are they sons of
Abraham? So am I. Are they descendants of the patriarchs? So am I. Are
they slaves of Christ Jesus? I am more so. I have expended my best time and
efforts, languished in prison, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to
death on a recurring basis. Five times the Jews delivered the
forty lashes minus one upon my bare back. Three times I was beaten with rods,
once I was pelted with stones, shipwrecked three times, a day and a night in
the rolling ocean, and (very much like our Lord when He was
here) I have had no place to lay my head.
“I have experienced danger in rivers, danger
from floods, danger from highwaymen, danger from my fellow Jews, danger from
Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in desolate places, danger on the sea,
and danger among false believers. I have
labored and toiled, and have often gone without sleep, I have been famished and
thirsty, I have lacked clothing, and endured the winter’s frost. Besides
all this, I have been anxious for the churches with which God has entrusted me.
Who is weak, and I am not weak with him? Who has lost hope, and I have failed
to encourage him?
“If I am proud, I will be proud of the
things which highlight my weaknesses. The God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who deserves everlasting praise knows I am telling you
the simple truth. In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas set a watch on
the city in order to detain me. Yet, I was lowered in a basket
from a window in the wall, and made good my escape. No doubt, the kind of
departure of which I can take justifiable pride.” (2nd Cor. 11:21-33,
McDonald Paraphrase of the New Testament)
Pt.
2
Forgive
me if I don’t enumerate my own list of sufferings here. While I have endured
much during the course of my 70 years on this planet, I admit what I have
suffered is nowhere as impressive as the sufferings of that apostle of our
faith, our dear brother Paul.
And
it goes without saying that our Lord Jesus Christ suffered above and beyond us
all. Aside from his physical suffering on his journey to, and on the cross, the
Son of God voluntarily took on Himself the sins of approximately 100 billion
people who would ever inhabit this planet. As a result, Christ’ emotional and
spiritual sufferings were far and beyond greater than His physical suffering.
I
was interacting with my former co-counselor recently, and we “stumbled on” the
subject of suffering. And I typed in the following text message.
“I
will often tell my clients and interns that ‘for all the troubles and trials I
have encountered, the longer I live the easier it gets because I know the One
who saved me, and I know the glory that awaits me.”
I
love the verse in what is perhaps the most doctrinally-oriented volume which
Paul wrote; the Book of Romans.
“For I reckon that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which will be
revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18, KJV)
My
friends, this is not all there is. The life we live on this side of the veil is
momentary, and passes like a fog in the morning. As I close this particular bit
of encouragement, allow me to leave you with the following verse.
“No
temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is
faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when
you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
(1st Cor.
10:13, NIV)
by William McDonald, PhD. Copyright pending
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