Gold From The Word:
Learning Obedience by the Things
We Suffer

It is rather difficult for us as Christians to see suffering from a positive stand point even when we acknowledge that our salvation was the result of Christ’s own sufferings on the way to, and on the cross. We hear most of the time people saying ,”you ought to live a victorious life because Jesus had paid it all for you.”
The victory that is often referred to is that one in which the Christian does not have to encounter any difficulties as he walks the Christian road. This has led to many Christians walking in guilt and many more joining the accuser of the brethren. Those who walk in guilt think that there must be some sin in their lives to bring about undue hardship when they are doing all they can to live righteously. Those who join the accuser of the brethren think that those who have troubles are obviously guilty of some sin and thus are getting paid for it by their sufferings.
When Jesus went to the cross there were many who thought that he was being crucified for falsehood and for trouble making. Lots of his followers abandoned him and all his disciples fled. Yet we learn in Philippians 2:5-11 that he was walking the path of humility and obedience to the extent that he had to face , or rather, be submitted to the shameful death on the cross. We learn that this is the reason why He has been exalted to the highest place as his promotion.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The fifth verse of the above passage admonishes us to have the same mindset as Christ had to qualify for the father’s favor. The Apostle Paul also tells us in the Book of 2Timothy 2: 9-12 that suffering is a part of our Christian experience because suffering involves dying to self so that Christ can live in us.

9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
Again Paul points out in 2 Timothy 3:12 that Godliness will attract suffering.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

The writer of Hebrews takes up the same theme pointing out Hebrews 5: 5-9 that obedience is actually learned by the things which we suffer, and that suffering leads to learning, and learning to perfection for promotion. This is what made Christ into the author of eternal salvation to all that obey Him.

5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

It is pretty obvious that you have as a Christian met with some unfair judgment in your life, among fellow believers, some of whom may think that you are trying to be too spiritual in solely and wholeheartedly clinging to the ways of the Lord instead of doing what “normal” people do to get everything right for themselves.
Sometimes these accusations may be unbearable. But you need to understand that the Lord your God is not looking for normal people. He is looking for a remnant. You cannot have it the world’s way and be at the same time pleasing to God. If the world loves you it is because you are one of their own so they can afford to identify with you. If they hate you it is because you are not one of theirs.
If you belong to the Lord then God will not leave you without chastisement because loving fathers chastise their children especially their heirs so that they may be perfect and responsible. You cannot teach a child to obey and do things right if you compromise and fail to be tough on them. In the end they will be sloppy and bring you shame.
For this reason the Lord will allow you to undergo suffering as he trains you for obedience. See how soldiers are trained. It’s not pleasurable to them when they do inconveniencing stuff. Those who do not understand military training may even begin to ask why they have to suffer so much.
Even then only those who are ready to take risks in a battle ever get spectacular victories. The harder they come, the harder they fall. To be victorious means you have to have and engage an opponent in order to fight and win. No spectator ever leaves the boxing contest with a belt of any repute. They always go home empty handed.
As servants we have to learn how to be obedient even when it hurts. God for some time has been training us to rely on Him. When we were working we thought that we were relying on God. It felt very bad to be asked to serve Him fulltime. Immediately, we realized how little we had relied on Him for our needs and provision. It became very clear to us that we loathed leaving work because we had relied on the arm of flesh for our needs.
Then for the first few years there was a steady cash flow and we though we had had a great victory in learning to rely on God. The Dwindling of finances started revealing to us that instead of relying on God we had started relying on people. We had some anxieties and this was suffering. God did not allow this just because he wanted us to suffer. He was allowing us to suffer so that we might learn obedience in the things we suffer. Increasingly we have come to realize that our true and steady supply is only assured when we look up to him totally and completely as the only one who can meet our needs.
It has become clear that for us to be able to teach others how to live by faith, we too must be able to completely trust God for our own sustenance. It has become clear that any form of manipulation to meet our own needs will only keep us longer on the training ground.
We share these experiences with you dear partners so that you too may learn what we have learnt through suffering and stop being hard on yourself and listening to the voice that tells you can make it without being trained to obey and without any suffering on your part.
We hope you will be encouraged to know that you can learn obedience through the things that you suffer. You are a servant and you can only be as your master, not greater. If God taught him this way, he will do the same for you and will glorify you in the end.
God Bless You.~ Joshua & Priscilla.

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