Devotional Thoughts for Today
“Comfort in Suffering”
Genesis 47:13
Now there was no food in all the land, for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine.
All Christians experience suffering—whether it be in the past, present, or in the future. But just because we experience suffering as we await the redemption of our bodies, it doesn’t mean that our suffering is random or without purpose. And neither does it mean that Scripture doesn’t tell us how to think about our suffering now. Tim Keller, in Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, puts it like this:
“No matter what precautions we take, no matter how well we have put together a good life, no matter how hard we have worked to be healthy, wealthy, comfortable with friends and family, and successful with our career — something will inevitably ruin it. While other worldviews lead us to sit in the midst of life’s joys, foreseeing the coming sorrows, Christianity empowers its people to sit in the midst of this world’s sorrows, tasting the coming joy.”
For two years, the famine has been severe in Egypt and Canaan (45:5). All private reserves of wheat have been exhausted, and all the money of Egypt and Canaan had been spent in buying government grain from Joseph. And the famine lingered on and on. In desperation the Egyptians approached Joseph, reminding him of their plight. It was a time of hardship and suffering for these nations.
Are you experiencing hardships? If so, how are you handing it? We can have hope in our suffering because we know that Christ redeems our suffering for His good. We can have hope because we know suffering prepares Christians for more glory. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:17–18, “This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
If you are going through a season of hardship, be encouraged that it is not in vain. God has a purpose for it in your life. Pray that you will remain steadfast and hopeful.
Prayer: Lord, give me the strength to go through hardships with an eternal perspective. May my faith and joy grow during these seasons of my life. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 6
Lunch Break Study
Read James 1:2-4: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Questions to Consider
- Why does James say we can experience joy in the midst of trials?
- What do trials produce?
- How do you see God working in the hardships you face?
Notes
- We are to consider what we are going through as a matter of joy, not because the thing itself is something that is pleasurable, but because tribulation works patience within us. Our suffering is not an exercise in futility. God has a purpose, and that purpose is always good. We can count all things joy because God is working in all situations, even the most painful, for our sanctification and ultimate glorification.
- The word translated as “testing” occurs rarely in the Bible, appearing only three other times. In this case, “testing” deals with purification through trial. God wants our faith to grow, and often He will use trials to do that.
- Personal application.
Evening Reflection
Spend time in personal prayer. Ask the Lord to speak to you on the things you read and meditated on today.
It’s a hard concept to grasp that God uses the failures and shortcomings of His people and redeems it for His glory. I recently heard a testimony of a Christian leader who fell into the addiction of pornography. It had almost destroyed his marriage, family, and his ministry; but through the love and support of people around him, he received treatment for his addiction and now helps others with similar struggles. What a story of redemption!
The AMI QT Devotionals from February 19-25 are provided by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church (Raleigh). David, a graduate of Drexel University and Columbia International University (M.Div.) is married to Helen (“Pie”) and they have three beautiful daughters (Cara, Phoebe, and Ruth).
A few years ago, I had forgotten to pick up my daughter after school. I remember that I had gotten extremely busy that day with work and meetings and I eventually forgot what time it was. Her school eventually called me and when I picked her up, she was quick to forgive me for being late, but the reality is that no one likes to be forgotten.
Death is something that few like to think about or talk about, but we all know that death is inevitable and unavoidable. We would rather talk about living a good life, but sooner or later, we have to face our mortality. Though it may seem morbid and depressing, maybe we would be much better off, if— instead of thinking about having a good time and avoiding death—we thought about what it means to die well.
One of the most laborious and painstaking things in life is—moving. This past summer my family moved from our old apartment into our new house, and while we were thankful for God’s provision of a new home, the process was not fun at all. If you’ve moved recently, you know that it’s so much work: you pack up all of your belongings and put them in boxes, much less load up a truck, recruit help, unload, clean your old place and your new place, and the list goes on. Because there’s just so much work involved, as people get older, there is a growing desire to be settled. I’d imagine that for most of us, by the time we reach retirement age, the last thing we’d want to do is to move.
My parents came to the United States as refugees who fled from Vietnam. They, along with my sister who was a toddler at the time, immigrated with no money or possessions, and no knowledge of the culture or English. You would think that they had little chance of surviving or that they were doomed to live a life of poverty, but what they experienced was far from that. They were sponsored by a local church that gave so freely and generously to my family. This church helped my parents find housing, taught them English and how to drive, and helped find jobs and even childcare. My parents were incredibly blessed and so thankful for the lavish generosity and favor shown them by strangers.
I have distinct memories of my parents telling me starting at a very young age that it was my responsibility to be successful—that is, to grow up, do well in school, and get a good, well-paying job. The purpose was so that I could provide for my parents financially and take care of them. They would move into the house I owned that would presumably be big enough for them and my future wife and children. This is the expectation of a firstborn son, like me, in a traditional Chinese family.
The AMI QT Devotionals from February 12-18 are provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who serves as the Fenway site pastor of Symphony Church in Boston. Shan, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Jenny; and they are the proud parents of Tyler.
“Is the glass half empty or half full?” If someone answers that it’s half full, you can presume that he approaches life with optimism, but if someone says the glass is half empty, then he must be a pessimist, perceiving situations with a negative point of view. There’s no right or wrong answer, of course, but what this question shows us is that how a situation is perceived depends on one’s point of view.
The following is possibly a true story found on the Internet: “We convinced my youngest sister that she was adopted; it was fairly easy because she was a platinum blonde and the rest of us are all brunettes… She got us back by being happy that she wasn’t actually related to us.”
Perhaps one of the most amazing realities of being a Christian is the ability to speak directly to God. At any point, any place, we have access to the Father – to speak with Him, to hear Him speak to us, to enjoy His presence. How amazing this is!