I just finished reading a biography of David Brainerd. He died at age 29, in great misery, coughing up blood after spending himself in the wilderness of New England in pursuit of the great commission. What would cause a man to burn out his life, in such a miserable state, for the reign of Christ in the lives of Native Americans who had never heard the gospel?
One of the greatest quotes from Brainerd's diaries gives us a hint towards the answer. "When I really enjoy God, I feel my desires of him the more insatiable, and my thirstings after holiness the more unquenchable.... Oh, for holiness! Oh for more of God in my soul! Oh, this pleasing pain! It makes my soul press after God.... Oh, that I might never loiter on my heavenly journey!"
What caused Brainerd to spend his short life in the relentless service of Jesus? It was superior pleasure in God shrinking the pain in his life. The longing for God, that pleasing pain (pleasing because he experienced God, painful because he longed for more), pressed him forward on his horse, in the wilderness, to those tribes who knew nothing of Christ.
He believed that "Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood. Let us then go to him outside the camp and bear the abuse he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. (Heb. 13)" And that God's "steadfast love was better than life (Psalms)".
How can we, as Christians in America, who are surrounded by comfort-loving, safety-seeking God-ignoring people who claim the name of Christ, cultivate in ourselves (because that description is far too true of me many times) and others a stronger love for God and his kingdom than for this life? We must suffer, but how does that play out in our lives in the wealthiest, safest country on earth?
i just don't know. but i struggle with it every.single.day.
ReplyDeletei want to please Him on so many levels -- in my heart, in my home, in my church, in the world. and figuring out how to enjoy Him and serve Him in a way that screams JESUS! is where i know true joy lies. i have so so far to go..... i thank Him for His amazing patience with me.
I really believe most of this comes from exercising our faith. Not only does our submission and obedience to him strengthen us in our struggle against our flesh and this world but I believe it shows others the love of Christ when we sacrifice and serve them. This is one of my biggest disappointments with the modern church is that most attempts at evangelism is through events. Yet the early church never had that LUXURY.
ReplyDeleteSmitty and I have had this discussion recently, and it seems like the NT is crystal clear about suffering being the norm for a Christian. Understandably in that day, it was, and in many parts of the world today it is as well. But I don't feel as if I suffer. I just read another verse this morning, "II Tim. 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him." And there is a plethora more just like that one.
ReplyDeleteSo, how do we define suffering in our context in America? Should we be more proactive in pursuing risk for the cause of Christ, and therefore suffer?
Is God more pleased when his children suffer?
ReplyDeleteWhat is Suffering? Is it emotional pain, physical Discipline, material loss, bodily injury, painful death? I think that it encompasses all of these, but doesn't mean that all will experience all types. If I am out hiking on a trail and I sprain my ankle in a certain spot, someone else may come along the same trail and break their leg or be attacked by a bear in another spot. So the hard path to life is the same but we will all suffer in different ways. But I believe this is why we come before the Lord and ask Him to lead us and as he leads us we will suffer in different ways.
ReplyDeleteExample: We are going to a nearby mall to raise money for the orphanage in Haiti and hand out gospel literature. I told my 14 year old daughter that I want her to come and partake in this and here was her response: "Sure, that will be good for me because I have to do community service for a project at school" and she cited another self-involved reason. I had to rebuke her IN LOVE and tell her that we shouldn't do things for Christ simply because they are convenient for us or will benefit us in some way. We do it for the Good of Him and His kingdom regardless of what it means for us. So we suffer by giving up an entire day to do this.
Some of the things that I give up are sports and having my kids in sport leagues. Why? Because they are a huge cause for distracting people from God and getting us focused on the things of this world. If I am constantly busy getting my kids to practice and going to their games then I don't really have a lot of time for study, prayer and definitely not service.
So Suffering? Going the extra mile and turning the other cheek. Giving to those who don't deserve it. Loving those who annoy or despise us. They can be simple things we do everyday that separate us from the world. Things that display our Holiness.
However, sometimes we don't see what we do as suffering because the Holy Spirit empowers us to accomplish these tasks. We are given strength and joy in these struggles and we may not really see them as suffering. We may not suffer like Paul does because we are not as passionate as Paul was. If we don't step out to make a difference and shine our light then we will not have the opportunity to be scorned or potentially beaten.
The more controversial reason we may not suffer is because we are not preaching the true gospel and when we do we are preaching it to the civilized people in society so there may be nothing but simple rejection and not the scorn or abuse we think we should get. We often water down the gospel so many simply accept it or ignore it, but start preaching that the only way to Christ is through commitment and picking up your cross and you start getting people angry. Including those that you thought were born again. Can our suffering be from stepping away from the Laodicean church that is in America? A church who is so wrapped up in their luxuries and comfort that they are not truly fruitful. By getting away from those who want to preach a different gospel we will suffer. This has been apparent for me the last couple of months as I reach out to different churches that I would assume would be good churches I see a whole different picture then what is presented in Scripture. It is disappointing, sad, lonely but that is the path of the Cross.
Read Hard to Believe (J Macarthur) & Radical Cross (AW Tozer)