Suffering Accelerates Spiritual Growth

 

Sometimes believers suffer to accelerate spiritual growth. Any weight lifter will tell you that weight lifting destroy muscles and when they repair they make themselves bigger and thicker than before to adapt to the stressors that destroy them in the first place. Without subjecting these muscles to muscle destroying workouts, they will not grow! Same thing with suffering- suffering allowed us to grow. When we are in the midst of adversity, this is our chance to use the doctrines we learn and apply to the situation. This will cause us to be closer to God as we rely on His provisions in our situation. Without suffering, we tend to be flabby spiritually as there is no resistance to stimulate growth. In Judges, prosperity causes Israel to turn away from God. God gave them to their enemies and before long they turn back to Him. Why? Because suffering reminds us we are not in control and we need Another to help us. Same thing with the early church. It is the persecution of the early Christians that cause them to spread out to the known world, taking Christianity with them. Without these persecutions, they will likely stay in Jerusalem and the Gentiles will not reach a saving understanding of Jesus Christ (at least not right away). But because of persecution, they scattered and the Gentiles received the good news of salvation in Christ. Same thing with us. Sometimes it takes suffering for us to grow spiritually. The sad thing is this observation is valid for many of us: it is only when we are down on our backs that we look up. See Deut 8:1-10 (where Israelites learned that man lives not only by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. I wonder they will learn it if they always have full refrigerators); Jas 1:1-6 (the whole book is about wisdom under suffering, NOT how to go to heaven); 1 Pt 1:7-8 (the salvation of the soul refers to deliverance under suffering); and Rm 5:3-5 (which have Paul exulting in tribulations, read why).

(Kung gusto ninyo ng karagdagang impormasyon, bisitahin ninyo kami. May pagtitipon kami sa Dahat, kada Linggo, alas 8:30-10:30 am. Sa Amoguis, 1:00-3:00 pm. Sana manampalataya kayo at kita-kita tayo.)