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Walking by the Sea
If I were Jesus’ therapist, there is one moment in particular that I’d love to process Read More
For the past couple of years, I have been intensely studying suffering. Who can remain unscathed from it throughout their lifetime? I have created a one-year adult Sunday school class on suffering. Below are a few thoughts from that.
Suffering can crush us. It can destroy our motivation, our plans, and our future. But resilience to those outcomes increases when we have options. As Christians, we have the greatest option of all: an all-knowing, all-powerful God who is faithful and who cares about us.
When we are in the midst of a trial, rather than focusing on the “why,” let’s ask, “What now?” We can go from being a victim to being a survivor to being a change-maker. Or better yet, we can skip the victim and survivor stages altogether. We can use our suffering to become more like Christ. Is the fear of going forward greater than the fear of where we are?
Here is a table that I created contrasting the attitudes of someone who has a victim mentality versus having a God-centered mentality. Focusing on God and God’s promises can turn us away from wallowing in paralysis to confident victory.
| Victim Mentality | God Centered Mentality | Scripture |
| Feeling lack of choices | Guidance from an omniscient God | Psalm 32:8, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you". |
| Denial – Unable to accept reality | Acceptance of the situation, but trust in a faithful God | Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” |
| Feelings of powerlessness or hopelessness | Abundant grace to see us through | 2 Corinthians 12:9, “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” |
| Feeling a lack of control | Strength from God to do what is right | Isaiah 41:10, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." |
| Fear-based living | Confidence based living | 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” |
| “Why me?” | Knowing that all types of suffering are common, but God comes along side of us | 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” |
| Questioning faith | We draw closer to a God who cares | Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” |
| Feeling broken | Feeling healing | Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” |
| Feeling shame | Feeling blessing | Romans 8:1, “Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus.” |
Studies have shown that people who ruminate on a negative event are four times more likely to get clinical depression. I encourage you to ruminate on God and God’s word instead. As Christians, we always have hope and can always cling to God’s promises such as Ephesians 2:10, “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
The mission of The Upper Room daily devotional guide is to provide a practical way to listen to scripture, connect with believers around the world, and spend time with God each day. Read more about The Upper Room here.
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Image by: Guy MOLL