Suffering Part 7

Suffering Part 7

 

Ok, I just remembered something about the first few chapters that I forgot to include and want to do that real quick. Remember when Job's wife told him to curse God and die? What she was actually telling him to do was to take matters into his own hands and stop trusting the Lord to work things out for his benefit. I know for me that is usually my biggest temptation...to take things into my own hands. Especially in regards to when I'm suffering.

For example: You're looking for a good doctor or a new church home and you keep meeting with failure. Nothing that you've tried is quite what you're looking for. So you take things into your own hands and either settle for one that's really not what you wanted and you know it's not what the Lord wants, or perhaps you decide that since you haven't found one after all this time, that you'll just give up and not try anymore. Both reactions are taking things into our own hands, rather then trusting the Lord to work it out. I'm afraid that I'm very familiar with this sin because it's one that I seem to habitually fall into.

I'd like to quote something from the book here about this too because he says it so well:

Quote:

Faith is living without scheming. It is obeying God in spite of feelings, circumstances, or consequences, knowing that He is working out His perfect plan in His way and in His time. The two things Job would not give up were his faith in God and his integrity, and that's what his wife wanted him to do. Even if God did permit evil to come into his life, Job would not rebel against God by taking matters into his own hands. Be patient. An Old Testament study.

  

What does Col 1:24 mean?

 

Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

 

 

Quote:

Colossians 1:24 . This reconciliation by Christ of Jews and Gentiles to God in one body is a mystery revealed only in Christ. Paul rejoiced that he was able to suffer for them what was still lacking in regard to Christs afflictions. By this he did not mean that Christs suffering on the cross was insufficient (cf. Rom. 3:21-26; Heb. 10:10-14). He was speaking not of salvation but of service. Christs suffering alone procures salvation (1 Peter 1:11; 5:1; Heb. 2:9). But it is a believers privilege to suffer for Christ (2 Tim. 3:11; 1 Peter 3:13-14; 5:9; Heb. 10:32). The word affliction (thlipsis) never used in the New Testament of Christs death means distress, pressure,or trouble (which Paul had plenty of; 2 Cor. 11:23-29). Ordinarily it refers to trials in life, not the pains of death. Christ does indeed continue to suffer when Christians suffer for Him. He asked Saul (later called Paul) on the Damascus Road, Why do you persecute Me? (Acts 9:4) Since the church is Christs body, He is affected when it is affected. For the sake of Christs body Paul willingly suffered (Phil. 1:29). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures

I thought this one was interesting too:

Quote:

fill up that which is behind”literally, the deficiencies”all that are lacking of the afflictions of Christ (compare Note, see on 2 Co 1:5). Christ is afflicted in all His peoples afflictions (Is 63:9). The Church is His body in which He is, dwells, lives, and therefore also suffers [Vitringa]. Christ was destined to endure certain afflictions in this figurative body, as well as in His literal; these were that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ, which Paul filled up. His own meritorious sufferings in expiation for sin were once for all completely filled up on the Cross. But His Church (His second Self) has her whole measure of afflictions fixed. The more Paul, a member, endured, the less remain for the rest of the Church to endure; the communion of saints thus giving them an interest in his sufferings. It is in reference to the Church's afflictions, which are Christs afflictions, that Paul here saith, I fill up the deficiencies, or what remain behind of the afflictions of Christ. She is afflicted to promote her growth in holiness, and her completeness in Christ. Not one suffering is lost (Ps 56:8). All her members have thus a mutual interest in one anothers sufferings (1Co 12:26). But Romes inference hence, is utterly false that the Church has a stock treasury of the merits and satisfactions of Christ and His apostles, out of which she may dispense indulgences; the context has no reference to sufferings in expiation of sin and productive of merit. Believers should regard their sufferings less in relation to themselves as individuals, and more as parts of a grand whole, carrying out Gods perfect plan. A commentary, critical and explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments

I think this one however helps the most to understand what is being said:

Quote:

Suffering for the Gentiles (Col. 1:24-27)

Pauls enemies made much of the fact that the great apostle was a prisoner of Rome. The false teachers in Colossae probably ridiculed Paul and used this as a weapon to fight the truth of the Gospel. But Paul turned this weapon around and used it to defeat his enemies and to build a closer relationship with the church in Colossae.

Pauls rejoicing (v. 24). Instead of being ashamed of my suffering, I am rejoicing in it! How could anyone rejoice in suffering? To begin with, Paul was suffering because of Jesus Christ. It was the fellowship of His sufferings (Phil. 3:10). Like the early Apostles, Paul rejoiced that he was counted worthy to suffer shame for His name (Acts 5:41). A Christian should never suffer as a thief or as an evildoer; but it is an honor to suffer as a Christian (1 Peter 4:15-16). There is a special blessing and reward reserved for the faithful believer who suffers for the sake of Christ (Matt. 5:10-12).

Paul had a second cause for rejoicing in his suffering: he was suffering because of the Gentiles. Paul was the chosen apostle to the Gentiles (Eph. 3:1-13). In fact, he was a prisoner in Rome because of his love for the Gentiles. He was arrested in Jerusalem on false charges, and the Jews listened to his defense until he used the word Gentiles (see Acts 22:21ff). It was that word that infuriated them and drove them to ask for his execution. (The full account is given in Acts 21-28, and an exciting account it is.)

So the Gentile believers in Colossae had every reason to love Paul and be thankful for his special ministry to them. But there was a third cause for Pauls rejoicing: he was suffering for the sake of Christs body, the church. There was a time when Paul had persecuted the church and caused it to suffer. But now Paul devoted his life to the care of the church. Paul did not ask, as do some believers. What will I get out of it? Instead he asked, How much will God let me put into it? The fact that Paul was a prisoner did not stop him from ministering to the church.

It is important to note, however, that these sufferings had nothing to do with the sacrificial sufferings of Christ on the cross. Only the sinless Lamb of God could die for the sins of the world (John 1:29). Paul was filling up in his turn the leftover parts of Christs sufferings (Col. 1:24, literal translation). The word afflictions refers to the pressures of life, the persecutions Paul endured. This word is never used in the New Testament for the sacrificial sufferings of Jesus Christ.

The sacrificial sufferings of Christ are over, but His body, the church, experiences suffering because of its stand for the faith. The Head of the church in heaven feels the sufferings that His people endure. (Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? Acts 9:4) Paul was taking his turn in sharing these afflictions, and others would follow in his train. But Paul did not complain. “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ(2 Cor. 1:5).
The Bible exposition commentary.

 

For example, I'm disabled and live with pain. Just yesterday my kids came over for a get together/cook out and my youngest daughter brought along her mother in law. Her mother in law also lives with pain. We got to talking and I was able to encourage her a little. Later that night my daughter called me and told me that her mother in law told her that she was so glad she had gone to my house, because now she knows she's not alone anymore and that there are others that are dealing with the same things. She was so relieved she was close to tears. She was more then "a little encouraged". I couldn't have done that if I hadn't understood from a first hand experience where she was coming from, and also if I didn't have Jesus to guide me. Now though, she also understands and it won't be long before the Lord will be able to use her to encourage and strengthen someone else.

Now for the clincher, at least it is for me. I was injured in January of 2000 which is when I started this journey of living with pain. But I'd like to take you back 2 weeks before that, on New Years Eve of 1999. At church for New Years eve we have a tradition of joining together in prayer for guidance for the coming year and then we go up to the alter one at a time and pull a scripture card out of a large bowl. Whatever verse is on it, becomes our scripture for the year.

I remember being a little dismayed when I got mine, because to be honest, it just plain frightened me. I had a gut feeling that I really wasn't gonna like whatever it was that was going to happen. In fact, I felt that so strongly that I told one of the elders and we prayed about it and the Lord filled me with His peace, although He did not say I was wrong. OK, now on the card there's a verse on one side and a little prayer like devotional on the other. Obviously I still have it. Here's what mine said:

"The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation." Exodus 15:2

"Lord, order my steps today. Make me strong, not for the sake of possessing strength, but to make me sufficient for the crisis moments in my life and in the lives of others who reach out to me".

See what I mean?  17 days after receiving this card my life changed forever. Thanks to Lord I was prepared spiritually for the change as much as anyone can be. It still hurt and I still struggled and fought, but I did have that little edge He'd given me. Once I finally accepted my new "life" He was then able to start preparing me for my new mission.

One thing about out God that's for sure. He never wastes anything and there's always a reason for everything He does and everything He allows to happen. We can also count on the fact that everything really will work out to our good just as His Word says. What throws people off though is that often our ideas of what should happen are not the same as what God has in mind.

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.

1 Corinthians 12:26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.