Suffering Has a Divine Purpose – Part 2

GOD never promised that His children would live blissfully happy and trouble-free lives. Here on earth we will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33), but suffering has a divine purpose. 

GOD even uses suffering we bring on ourselves due to our own disobedience for our good and His glory. (Romans 8:28)

GOD uses all of life’s suffering as a pathway to victory and joy.

Because of CHRIST’s atoning work on the cross, all sin is forgiven. However, we should not excuse trials we suffer as a result of ungodly choices as we are not spared the natural consequences of sin.

Our Heavenly Father loves us too much to allow our behavior to go uncorrected – He must remind us that He does not take sin lightly. We must be prepared to accept the penalty for our actions.

Thankfully, we serve a GOD who judges our sin fairly and with righteousness. GOD never intends to punish for His gratification, but to humble and sanctify us as forgiven sinners. Even though our actions grieve His Spirit, GOD uses our wrongs to draw us closer and to shape and mold us into the image and likeness of CHRIST.  He makes our transgressions work for our good and His divine purpose.

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. Hebrews 12:7&10  

King David experiences first-hand GOD’s fairness in judging sin and its consequences.

Most of us are familiar with the Old Testament story of David’s sin of murder against his army officer Uriah to cover his sin of adultery with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba. David’s sin is exposed by the Prophet Nathan and he acknowledges that he deserves to die at GOD’s hands. However, GOD gave Nathan a message for David – that GOD had forgiven him (“The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die”) but there would be consequences (Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child that is born to you shall die.) 2 Samuel 12:13-14.

Out of this experience, David wrote Psalm 51 which has served as a great source of encouragement to many in need of GOD’s mercy and restoration for sin.

David also penned Psalm 103 which opens with a crescendo of worship to GOD, “Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.” followed by many reasons why we ought to praise GOD, one being “He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.” (103:10)

We all deserve GOD’s full wrath for our sin but we receive forgiveness and a comparatively mind chastisement because the eternal punishment for them has been paid by His SON’s sacrifice on the cross.

CHRIST bore the full wrath of GOD in our stead. The least we can do is accept with grace the natural consequences for our wrong-doing and praise GOD that He works all for our good in the end.

Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom. Let all that I am praise the Lord. Psalm 103:22

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Our gracious and loving Father, thank YOU for loving us enough to forgive all our sins, crown us with tender mercy, and restore us to righteousness when we fail. Thank you for turning our downfall into divine glory. Thank YOU Father for giving us victory over sin and death through our LORD JESUS CHRIST, for abundant life here on earth and everlasting life with YOU in Heaven. We give YOU all the glory, all the honor, and all the praise, and we pray all things in JESUS’ Mighty NAME.  Amen!

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile