Something akin to that ‘foot steps in the sand’ thing?
“Even when you may, at times, feel abandoned by God, when bad things are happening to you, when your spiritual disciplines of prayer and reading the Bible does not seem to ‘work’, He is/was none-the-less always there for you. You may not know it, acknowledge it, or be thankful for it, but when you finally reach the top of that pinnacle, when you surmount that life struggle, He was behind you all along, like a father watching his small child struggling up a flight of stairs, waiting to encourage you and catch you if/when you fall.”
What, if anything, is wrong with this perspective on suffering experienced by disciples of Christ? Is this a biblical perspective of how a disciple of Christ is to view the role and purpose of suffering in one’s life? Is this a biblically correct perspective of God’s influence and purpose in respect to the trials in our lives? Does it diminish the role of suffering? Is there room for real faith to be found therein? Is there perhaps, without intent, an issue of misplaced focus in the aforementioned paraphrase?
————————————————————————————————-
- Romans 8:15-18(NAS)
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
- Hebrews 12:5
And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
- 1 Peter 4:12-16(NIV)
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
- 1 Peter 1:3-9 (ESV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
- 2 Corinthians 12:10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong.
