Title When you suffer 2:19-25
When you suffer 2:19-25
Our life is similar to an obstacle race. However, in an obstacle race, obstacles are not intended to cause athletes to trip over the obstacle. Rather, it is to get the players to overcome the obstacle and finally run to the goal.
However, some players may even give up the game altogether if they trip over an obstacle during the match.
Dear saints!
Even in our lives, there are obstacles called 'hardship'. If so, how are you overcoming the obstacle of 'hardship'?
Still, those with good faith overcome hardships well, thinking, "Is this God's will?" But the problem is when you suffer vaguely. To be more specific, it is a case of encountering an unfair event or using an unfairly framed name.
For example, while a couple working as a couple, they worked hard for several years without eating or wearing anything, and even talking to other people that it was Norang, and they barely bought a house, but because the house had already been handed over to another person, they were very confident. If you can't claim the ownership of the company, or you just worked hard and responsibly for the job given at work, other co-workers will see it and say, "A young man is working so hard because his eyes are dark for success." How do you act when faced with such an unfair thing?
What I just gave as an example is just one of the very few things that we can face unfairly in our lives. Other than that, I think there will be many more cases where you have encountered certain hardships vaguely or unfairly. How did you act each time?
Today's text gives three lessons on what to do when faced with such a thing.
First, we are told to be patient by thinking of God (verses 19-20).
This does not mean that you should give up your rights when faced with unfair events. Rather than claiming the right yourself, it means leaving it to God to assert it.
In fact, when we encounter unfair things, if we endure, the world will tell us that we are 'stupid'. And if you live like that, you will say, "I will never be able to survive in this harsh world." So they say that you must find your own rights no matter what you do.
But the Bible doesn't say that. Rather, he said, "Even if you suffer hardship, if you endure it by thinking of God, it is more beautiful in the sight of God."
If I were to find the person who suffered the most vaguely in the Bible, I would say 'David' without hesitation. As we well know, many of David's sufferings were unfair. David's long years of being pursued by his father-in-law Saul was not because David had done wrong to Saul.
But Saul was constantly trying to kill David. Then one day, after pursuing David, he came to Mount Hagilah and fell asleep for a while. When Abishai saw this and wanted to kill Saul, saying it was a great opportunity to get revenge, David said, "Don't do that."
Moreover, when he met Saul in the cave of En-gedi, he had an opportunity to kill him, but David ordered Saul to cut only the hem of his robe and no one to harm him. He did not do so, despite several opportunities he had had to claim the ambiguous suffering he had suffered. I just entrusted that right to God. He let God insist and he thought only of God.
The reason why David was later called "a man after God's own heart" by God must have been because he thought about God and endured such ambiguous sufferings.
A black singer named Noland Hayes had a recital in Berlin, Germany. But the people at this recital were mostly white. As the curtain rises and Nolan Hayes is about to sing, someone says, "I can't hear black people sing. Various objects flew along with the profanity saying, “Put away the song, nigger.” Noland Hayes was disgraceful. Heize got angry and started swearing at him.
And as I was about to turn around, I had a fantasy that was blocking Noland Hayes. It was a vision of Jesus standing in Pilate's court. It was the image of the Lord standing without a word despite all the insults. After seeing this vision, Hayes turned to the audience. I bowed my head for a while and prayed before God.
Tears fell like rain from his eyes. The audience, watching this, also began to become quiet. About 10 minutes passed? Noland Hayes began to sing quietly. The audience began to be moved by the song sung with tears in their eyes. It was a recital that captured the hearts of the audience. When the song ended, there was a thunderous applause. And that recital became the most beautiful and wonderful recital of his life.
Then, saints!
What is the first thing we should do when we are faced with an unfair thing? You have to be patient. And it is said that patience is the most beautiful thing in the sight of God, not to the extent of being true, but not to the extent of forcibly quenching your anger.
If I start to come forward to find my rights, there is nothing for God to do. Therefore, we must be patient so that God can come forward to solve the problem. What is clear is that better results come when God solves it than when I solve it.
Second, we must consider the example of suffering Jesus showed us (verses 21-23).
When we are vaguely suffering, we are told to be patient, but in reality, it is not easy to endure. So, Apostle Peter speaks about Jesus who suffered vaguely, but set the example of suffering. That's right. Although our Lord suffered vaguely, it is the 'example of suffering' that endured the suffering.
When men are in the military, different people often talk about the most difficult time differently. However, there is one thing in common: guerrilla training, which must be taken once a year, is difficult for all soldiers. The reason why the guerrilla training that soldiers receive is difficult is not because of the training itself, but because the assistants keep giving them pressure for whatever reason until the end of the training.
In fact, it's not that difficult or difficult to go around the course. And there's nothing you can't do. But there are things that I think are really difficult. It is the last course and is the 'Descent Course', where you go down the rope and fall into the river. Everyone gets very nervous when they come to this course.
Sometimes I've only seen it on TV, but I'm afraid I can actually do it? If you get close to it, your legs will tremble and your neck will ache. Everyone is reminded of the face. However, when it comes to finding courage, the teaching assistant first demonstrates. And those who have confidence are told to 'descent' first. Then some of them get on the rope and go down vigorously. Then, at first, people who are not confident and have a fearful mind will think that I can do it too.
Dear saints!
Do you find it hard to endure when you suffer vaguely? Somebody gave an example first. The suffering He suffered is beyond our daring to compare. It was the suffering that He Himself gave up on the cross.
However, although he was vaguely insulted, he did not curse. He suffered vaguely, but he did not threaten him. Rather, he entrusted to God who judges everything with justice.
What do you think is the first thing we do when we encounter something unfair? Most of them use 'words' to defend their injustice or 'get angry'. But even when Jesus suffered this, there was no deceit in his mouth.
That is why the prophet Isaiah said, “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb to the slaughter, and a sheep that is silent before its shearers, he did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).
Everyone!
What is the best attitude we can take when faced with misunderstanding and suffering? It is 'silence'.
Also, when we encounter something unfair, the behavior we can show is to threaten the other person. In other words, I want to take revenge. But our Lord says he did not threaten. And it is said that he only asked God for everything.
Therefore, dear saints!
When we suffer vaguely, we should consider the example Christ set us. Our attitude should be determined by the example of the Lord.
In simple terms, the word 'see' here means 'to copy'. In modern language, it means 'to copy'.
I bought a copier last Tuesday. The person who installed the copier installed it and tried to copy a single document as a test. But I couldn't really tell which one was the real one or the copy.
This should be the case, says Peter, when we suffer vaguely. They say that it should be the same copy as the 'pattern' that Jesus showed. It is said that this is the action we should take when we suffer vaguely.
Third, we must have an attitude of seeking the benefit of others in the midst of suffering.
(Verses 24-25)
Although our Lord suffered hardships, he lived a life of seeking the interests of others rather than our own rights and seeking the interests of others. In other words, through His suffering on the cross, we have eternal life.
Therefore, saints! Even if we suffer, if it brings benefit to others, we need an attitude of willingness to suffer.
In this age we live in today, there is no sacrifice for others. Selfishness that thinks only of oneself thoroughly rather than thinking of others is prevalent. Even Christians are not willing to sacrifice.
There was once a terrible epidemic in Marseilles, France. The symptoms were so severe that even doctors died just by touching the patient, so people continued to die without even knowing the cause of the disease.
In this situation, one day, a doctor named Ki Yong said in a very serious tone, “Tomorrow morning, around dawn, you will be able to see the records of dissecting a person with this disease.” All the doctors who heard this wondered how they could see the records when no one had ever touched the patient.
However, after saying those words, Ki-yong returned to his place and prayed to God all night long. As a result, it was possible to determine the cause of such a dreadful epidemic, and a cure for the disease became possible. But the moment it became possible, the doctor died.
Dear saints!
As we go through life, perhaps 'hardship' may be an inevitable part of life. How would you deal with adversity in that case? Even if we suffer, we should be willing to suffer if it can benefit others.
I will conclude
In the fight against Goliath, numerous Israeli armies were suppressed by Goliath's appearance and could not even breathe properly. But David saw Goliath's face and forehead bigger than the others, big enough for him to hit with the slingshot he had always used.
Likewise, it is easy for us to become frustrated when we look at suffering itself. But even in the midst of suffering, we will be guaranteed a victorious life when we endure suffering while thinking of God and looking at the example of Jesus Christ, who set the example of suffering.
I bless you in the name of the Lord that this grace may overflow to you.