Naturally speaking, I can't think of anyone that would call suffering a blessing whether or not in disguise!Suffering is anything but pleasant! Suffering comes in many forms.
It could be unfulfilled needs, deferred hopes and dreams, the ending of a significant relationship, or loss of a loved one.
Easily, we might agree that death is preferable to suffering.
The day in and day out grinding thought of being separated from something we need or desire is intolerable compared to the finality of death.
Deep within the folds of suffering I am discovering a blessing in disguise.
It is the blessing of being present.
God is trying to get me to be here and now.
That is, He desires that I am aware and fully present in"now".
This is where God is.
This is where He lives.
This is where He works.
In fact to God, "Now" is all there is.
To have all of our willing and choosing parts in the same place, focused on one moment called now is powerful!It is life at its core and life to the fullest.
So much is happening inside of now!So much we miss! Consider that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
In Hebrews 11:1, Paul tells us exactly what type of faith is required to relate to God and conduct His business in the earth.
"Now faithis the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
" In I Corinthians 13:13, Paul tells us where faith, hope and love reside.
"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
" They reside in "Now".
They are only available for us to engage now.
The wisdom of Proverbs adds this: "Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth:" (Proverbs 7:24) Proverbs 8:32 adds that we are blessed when we follow His instructions.
Cornelius summoned Peter to speak to God's people in Acts 10:30-33.
Upon Peter's arrival Cornelius said, "Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.
" God speaks to those who are present-those that attend to here and now! Not to long ago there was a movie called "Peaceful Warrior" (2006).
It is a drama about a talented, yet distressed gymnast and Nick Nolte, the man that helps him through his distress.
At one point Nolte and the gymnast share the following exchange.
Nolte: Where are you? Gymnast: Here! Nolte: What time is it? Gymnast: Now? Nolte: What are you? Gymnast: (At) This moment? Nolte tells the gymnast, "This moment is the only thing that matters.
"In other words, the Gymnast's questions were also his answers.
How well we would serve God and one another if we remain here and now, in the moment and help others to do the same! Unfortunately, most of us are either running from our past or consumed with plotting our future.
This means that the majority of us are unavailable to attend our present.
Suffering has a way of bringing us to a crushing halt.
We can know we have reached, "here" when, we will consider things we might not otherwise have considered, when we will listen to people we ordinarily would give the time of day and when the desire for resolve exceeds the desire to maintain our dignity.
It is here that God has greatest access to you-to your heart.
And it is here that most cry out to Him.
"I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
" (Psalm 118:5) Four times in Psalm 107 we read, "Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses.
" (Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, 28) God intends to deliver you in your suffering, not necessarily from your suffering.
The blessing I am finding disguised and hidden deep within the creases of suffering is that there really is an unexplainable joy and freedom in the moment called "now".
What we call years of suffering, or even a lifetime of suffering is really a gazillion moments, collectively called "now" strung together.
Together these moments create an overwhelming sense of pain, despair and powerlessness.
However, taken one moment at a time, you will discover that with God's help you can handle it.
You can really handle it!Psalm 46:1 reads, "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
" Nine verses later we read a familiar scripture to many.
"Be still, and know that I am God;" Paul adds this to the conversation, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Suffering is undesirable to all.
But you can discover Jesus' joy in the midst of the pain by being fully present and immersed in "now".
It is truly a fight to remain present in a situation or relationship that is physically, mentally and emotionally painful.
But it is a good fight.
And a noble one at that!
It could be unfulfilled needs, deferred hopes and dreams, the ending of a significant relationship, or loss of a loved one.
Easily, we might agree that death is preferable to suffering.
The day in and day out grinding thought of being separated from something we need or desire is intolerable compared to the finality of death.
Deep within the folds of suffering I am discovering a blessing in disguise.
It is the blessing of being present.
God is trying to get me to be here and now.
That is, He desires that I am aware and fully present in"now".
This is where God is.
This is where He lives.
This is where He works.
In fact to God, "Now" is all there is.
To have all of our willing and choosing parts in the same place, focused on one moment called now is powerful!It is life at its core and life to the fullest.
So much is happening inside of now!So much we miss! Consider that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
In Hebrews 11:1, Paul tells us exactly what type of faith is required to relate to God and conduct His business in the earth.
"Now faithis the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
" In I Corinthians 13:13, Paul tells us where faith, hope and love reside.
"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
" They reside in "Now".
They are only available for us to engage now.
The wisdom of Proverbs adds this: "Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth:" (Proverbs 7:24) Proverbs 8:32 adds that we are blessed when we follow His instructions.
Cornelius summoned Peter to speak to God's people in Acts 10:30-33.
Upon Peter's arrival Cornelius said, "Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.
" God speaks to those who are present-those that attend to here and now! Not to long ago there was a movie called "Peaceful Warrior" (2006).
It is a drama about a talented, yet distressed gymnast and Nick Nolte, the man that helps him through his distress.
At one point Nolte and the gymnast share the following exchange.
Nolte: Where are you? Gymnast: Here! Nolte: What time is it? Gymnast: Now? Nolte: What are you? Gymnast: (At) This moment? Nolte tells the gymnast, "This moment is the only thing that matters.
"In other words, the Gymnast's questions were also his answers.
How well we would serve God and one another if we remain here and now, in the moment and help others to do the same! Unfortunately, most of us are either running from our past or consumed with plotting our future.
This means that the majority of us are unavailable to attend our present.
Suffering has a way of bringing us to a crushing halt.
We can know we have reached, "here" when, we will consider things we might not otherwise have considered, when we will listen to people we ordinarily would give the time of day and when the desire for resolve exceeds the desire to maintain our dignity.
It is here that God has greatest access to you-to your heart.
And it is here that most cry out to Him.
"I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
" (Psalm 118:5) Four times in Psalm 107 we read, "Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses.
" (Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, 28) God intends to deliver you in your suffering, not necessarily from your suffering.
The blessing I am finding disguised and hidden deep within the creases of suffering is that there really is an unexplainable joy and freedom in the moment called "now".
What we call years of suffering, or even a lifetime of suffering is really a gazillion moments, collectively called "now" strung together.
Together these moments create an overwhelming sense of pain, despair and powerlessness.
However, taken one moment at a time, you will discover that with God's help you can handle it.
You can really handle it!Psalm 46:1 reads, "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
" Nine verses later we read a familiar scripture to many.
"Be still, and know that I am God;" Paul adds this to the conversation, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Suffering is undesirable to all.
But you can discover Jesus' joy in the midst of the pain by being fully present and immersed in "now".
It is truly a fight to remain present in a situation or relationship that is physically, mentally and emotionally painful.
But it is a good fight.
And a noble one at that!