Suffering Brings Glory — Basilea Schlink

God's Fatherly Will in Our Suffering

God lives and works today. His eyes look down upon each one of his children. Nothing in our lives is hidden to him. Nothing happens that he does not allow according to his wise fatherly will. God has an eternal goal for us.

Listen to the following meditation by Basilia Schlink.

Our Attitude Toward the Cross

Almost nothing is more important than our attitude towards suffering, towards the cross in our lives. Why? It's our attitude towards the cross, if it's the right attitude, that will help us to bear our suffering more easily and to be comforted.

Suffering, Eternity, and Our Earthly Attitude

In addition, our life in eternity hinges upon our attitude towards the cross and the suffering we must bear in this life. For our attitude creates a heaven or a hell on earth. And where we live on earth will determine our eternal dwelling place, too.

The Futility of Escaping God-Allowed Suffering

It may also be that I've made every effort to escape from my suffering, even by becoming involved in serious sin. However, none of our efforts can ever help us escape the difficulties and chastisements the Lord has put into our lives.

For behind our difficulties is the hand of a living God, who is the judge and the ruler over the living and over the dead. It's utmost foolishness to try to push away the suffering He sends us, because He's love and only has our best interests at heart.

Accepting the Cross With Praise and Thanksgiving

Therefore, the consequences of trying to escape suffering are very great. To suffer in the right way means to accept our cross, praising and giving thanks for it. God, in His grace, is chastening us and preparing us for eternity.

Suffering With Christ and Sharing His Glory

One day, we must all face death in the judgment seat of God. However, in Romans 8, 17, we read that if we suffer with Christ, we will also share His glory. That's incomprehensible. Crowns and thrones and glory are awaiting those who come out of tribulation, who have overcome.

They're the ones who have learned the lessons of the cross and suffering. What grace God has poured out upon our lives through these trials! From the very beginning, God planned that the cross and pain should bring us grace and glory.

And because He is love, this grace and glory can be ours in eternity, and already here on earth, too.

You have been listening to a program written by Basilea Schlink of the Little Land of Canaan. To learn more about how God lives and works today, visit us at our website, www .canaan .org. That's K-A-N-A-A-N dot org.

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God bless you.