Suffering sucks.

We do everything to avoid suffering.

Suffering sucks.

Suffering sucks because there’s never a time where I have suffered and it felt good. Every time I have suffered, it sucked because it hurt.

But sometimes, suffering is the only way we grow and mature.

God allows suffering because God is more interested in our growth and maturity than our happiness.

I know. I don’t like that either.

Check out what the Bible has to say about suffering.

“Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy” (John 16:20).

“But we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

There is a blessing, a maturing, a growth that won’t ever take place in ease. There is a blessing which only suffering can teach us.

Earlier I said that God is more interested in our growth and maturity than God is interested in our happiness.

Here is the best part: Genuine happiness and a sense of well-being, shalom is the result of growth and maturity. The happiness that growth and maturity brings is not temporary nor circumstantial. It is a sense of well-being that transcends the temporary and replaces it with a joy and purpose that becomes a state of being.

Why does God allow suffering? Because God wants us to grow and there is a maturity and growth that only suffering can teach. And it is when we grow and mature that we experience joy and fulfillment.

Every one of us has room to grow. None of us are yet who we ought to be. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are on a life-long journey to become who God created us to be. This process is called sanctification – becoming more like Christ, becoming who we were meant to be.

The question is, “What is involved in becoming?” How do we do this “becoming” thing?

I can’t suggest the complete process because I am still learning how to become a “becoming” person. However, I think I know how “becoming” starts.

“Becoming” who God created us to be starts with moving the things that God has clearly revealed in the Scriptures to the non-negotiable, never-optional category. What that means is if it’s clear through God’s word, we don’t have to think about them, pray about them, wonder about them. If God said it, then we do it.

• We don’t need to pray about whether we should pray
• We don’t need to think about whether we should grow up in the faith
• We don’t need to wonder about whether we should give and serve
• We don’t need to pray about whether we need to share our faith with others to birth new Christians
• We don’t need to pray about strong Godly marriages and families
• We don’t need to wonder about being faithful to our spouse

The things God has already clearly revealed through God’s word, are things we don’t even have to think or wonder about. These are things we do because God said it.

This is the first step in “becoming” who God created us to be. Too many church goers are thinking, wondering, and compromising on things that ought to be in the non-negotiable, never-optional category.

Let’s start this “becoming” journey on the right step!

 

As we continue to live into 2020 I want to do two things:

1. Reflect on 2019
2. Lean forward into 2020 and see what God is up to through the ministry of the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace.

The message of 2019 is “God is Faithful” and “You are Awesome!” In fact, these two are absolutely tied together.

God is so faithful. God is faithful to keep his promises. The Ministry at the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace continues to impact and touch more lives. There is a tangible sense of expectation for God to show up and do what only God can do whenever we gather to worship. God is so faithful!

And…

The primary way God demonstrates his faithfulness to the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace is through you! Every time God shows up to be faithful to us, to the people in this community, God shows up through you! God is at work by calling his church to do his bidding, and it was you who answered God’s call.

God is faithful! And you are awesome! Thank you! Thank you for showing up. Thank you for serving. Thank you for giving. Thank you for doing your part.

Finally, as we look forward to 2020, there is no doubt that God is up to something great through the ministries of the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace. God desires to touch and impact even more lives through his church in the coming year. So, as we continue to live into God’s mission in 2020, keep showing up to serve, give, and make a difference.

God bless you and God bless the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace in 2020!!!

Pastor James <><