Where Can I Find Peace From Suffering?

We suffer in many ways, some of us suffer deeply, even after years of trying to get relief.  Some of us even carry painful scars through our lives.  The Bible gives a story of a woman who had suffered deeply for years and what she did to find great peace.

"At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my clothes?'"  Mark 5:30

"Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."Mark 5:34*.

This is from the story of the woman who had an incurable flow of blood. For twelve years, she spent her money on doctors who failed to heal her. Finding Jesus in the crowd she touches his cloak thinking just touching Jesus' garment will transfer healing to her.

Having a flow of blood made her culturally unclean, an outcast, and if she was open about her condition she might have been stoned by the crowd. Her touch according to their views transferred uncleanness to whatever she touched, and touching a teacher would be a very bad thing.

In response to her touch, she is immediately healed. Jesus perceives the healing and asked the crowd who it was that touched him. She comes forward and tells all about the miracle. Then Jesus said those wonderful words. "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

There are so many encouragements in this passage. Read the passage in your Bible, (see link below) and look for these encouragements:

1. Jesus is accessible. When she pressed through the crowd she was able to touch him. So don't give up, keep trying to come. He is there waiting for you.
2. Jesus knows. He knew the woman had been to him, he knew she touched him, he knew she was healed, and he knows your hurt.
3. Miracles are rarely secret and when they are it is only for a time. We are given blessings to qualify us to testify to the glory of God. He looked for her so she could testify.
4. Faith in Jesus brought her healing, and faith in him can bring healing to us.
5. Jesus wants to bring us peace. He blessed this woman with "Go in peace." He wants to say the same to us.
6. He wanted her to be free on all levels, He said, "be freed from your suffering." It is freedom not only of the physical illness, but the emotional pain, and psychological, and even socially, since a flow of blood made one "unclean." socially. 
7. Jesus' power is awesome. He could bring complete healing to one who had an illness for so long a time. No matter how long we have suffered he can bring peace and freedom.
8. Her faith had action. She had to take the risk of being discovered as an unclean woman in a crowd, and of touching a teacher. Though she was trying to "get away with it" when the call came she came before him and fell down and told all that happened. My faith has to have action.

We hear it all the time, and it is still true even if old; come to Jesus, bring him your hurt, pain, and suffering. He is waiting to say, "Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

*To read the entire passage click here, Mark 5:27-34.

(c) Adron 6/3/13

Why Does God Not Heal Some People? 2 Corinthians 12:9

What does the Bible say about why some people don't get healing? We wonder why some of us have chronic illnesses or conditions, and others have disabilities. Why do we not receive a miracle of healing or a great cure?

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness," Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so the power of Christ may rest on me."
2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV*.

This Bible verse is from the writings of Paul the Apostle, where he describes his struggle with his own infirmities. Like many of us, the Apostle sought to be healed of a disease that troubled him. There is no explanation as to which disease, but its extremity is clear by his many prayers for deliverance.

PAUL PRAYED
Being an apostle, we can be assured of his correct prayer. If anyone should have gotten the answer he wanted, it should have been him. He did not get the healing he sought. Instead, he got an explanation.

GRACE
The grace of God is greater than healing. Some explain grace by the acronym, "God's Riches At Christ Expense." It is a nice way of putting it, but here God's grace is more; it is an active manifestation of the power of God in the life of the person suffering. God's grace, or favor toward him, is supporting him, encouraging him, and lifting him above in his sufferings. This grace is more valuable than healing since he would experience God in a greater way than if he was just healed.

PERFECT POWER
God's power is not lacking and does not need to be finished or brought to perfection since it is perfect already. This perfect is like when one is trying to turn a 10 mm nut using a 20 mm wrench it will not work, but when one takes a 10 mm wrench, they have the perfect tool to turn the nut, we didn't remake the tool into a new one we choose the perfect tool.

The "Perfect" here is the action, manifestation, expression, and experience of God's power. Our weakness is the perfect place to experience the power of God; if we were never weak we would not see the power and glory of God in our lives in the same way.

BOAST
Why would Paul boast about his weakness? We boast about things that we feel are exalted or better than inferior things. We boast about achievements because it sets us apart and above others. Paul felt that the power of God he experienced in his weakness was superior to just being healed. In boasting about his weakness, he was boasting about God's power that is his strength.

*To see other translations of this verse, click on this link: Online Parallel Bible.

(c )Adron Dozat 10/22/12

WOULD YOUR KIDS LIKE BIBLE PRINTABLES EACH WEEK?

When you make your monthly pledge of only $3:50, you will receive BIBLE TIME FUN WEEKLY, a children's activity printable bulletin every week. You will receive additional material available only to patrons, as well as an editable Word Doc. It has pages of puzzles, coloring pictures, and games for the kids.  You can share it with the kids in your church, Awana Bible club, class, camp, VBS, Backyard Bible club, school, and home. Use the button below.

Become a Patron!

Thank You!

What Does a Person Who Suffered Say About Suffering? 2 Timothy 1:12

We all face suffering sooner or later. We react to suffering in different ways such as anger, despair, or like Paul, the Apostle embrace suffering knowing he had more than the suffering.

"That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." 2 Timothy 1:12, NIV.

SUFFERED
Paul suffered much for the gospel. He was betrayed, stoned, beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, and the list goes on ending in martyrdom. Paul had a focus in his life, and it wasn't himself, his problems, or his trials; but it was a focus on Jesus.

KNOW
He said, "I know." he had the confidence and assurance that comes out of knowing; not just a knowledge born from books, or classroom learning- he had something different. When you say, "I know Joe," you don't mean you recognize Joe's face but that you are acquainted with Joe, that you are friends, or companions or more.

Paul had both kinds of knowledge; he knew intellectually who he believed in and he knew personally who he believed in. He knew Jesus as a friend and Savior.  Paul knew Jesus as Savior; that as God he was sufficient to take our sins on the cross and pay completely their debt. Paul knew that only a holy God could have done that.

ENTRUSTED
Paul's knowledge of Jesus gave the greatest conviction of eternal heaven; he could have argued it from doctrine, or he could have rationalized it, but because he knew Jesus as Lord personally he knew Jesus was sufficient to the task. He had no doubts about who it was he was trusting his soul to, and he had no doubts that trusting his soul to Jesus was sufficient and more to assure his salvation and good standing in the day of judgment.

We are given strong words of assurance and confidence in this verse; we have "know", "believed," and "convinced." Knowing Christ is powerful in giving our faith strength to overcome the doubts of our eternal future. The activating word in this verse is the word "entrusted" Paul gave complete trust in the Lord Jesus to save him. The challenge that we must consider for ourselves is whether we, like Paul, have entrusted our future to Him who is able, and have trusted him have we grown to know him.

To find out how you can believe in Jesus as your Savor follow this link: click here.

(c)Adron Dozat

To Argue With God Isaiah 45:9

Sometimes we argue with God. We may not admit it but it is there in the back of our minds. We say, "Why did you make me like this?" Or, "Why did you give me this history?" We are trying to tell God he is not fair or smart.

"Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker, to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' Does your work say 'He has no hands.'" Isaiah 45:9.

WOE
This is a serious warning, you cannot succeed against God, and it is foolish to try. "Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker..." The point is clear that God is all sovereign and all-powerful and as such He is irresistible. We are not happy with being called a "potsherd," that is just a broken piece of pottery; but we, like Adam, the first man created, are just dust. We need to be humble, and submissive to God.

SAY
The real bite is, "Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?'" We often say, God, How can you make me like this? Or, why did you put this flaw in me? Or why can't I be beautiful or smart, or athletic? Who are we to tell God how to go about His business? We must remember that the All-Powerful God is also the All-Wise and the All-Loving God. We must trust in His love and wisdom as He molds and remolds us into something for good. He is God, not we.

HANDS
He does have "hands." Or more exactly he has the skill, vision, purpose, and the ability to succeed in what He is doing in our lives. God may use difficulty or pain to mold us. He may allow flaws in us to work out His purpose. He might put us in a messed up family, or a frustrating job, or poverty, or allow an illness to strike, but these are for His good purpose, and as the spinning clay on the potter's wheel we just can't see it right now.

GOD
God is in control if we like it or not, we are foolish to resist Him. We know God is good and whatever He is doing in our lives will be good. Right now God is at work in our lives, like wet clay on a potter's wheel, maybe dull, ugly and slimy; and it may not be what we want, but we must trust His hand to form something good and beautiful in us.

Whatever hardships you face remember God is doing a work of love in your life.

(c) Adron. 2/15/11

A Reason Why God Allows Suffering in my Life. Hosea 6:1

God Loves You

Many of us feel torn to pieces as if every part of our life is coming apart at the seams. No matter what we do there is no relief. Illness, loss, betrayal, loneliness, and more surround us like attacking dogs. We say to God, “Why did you do this to me?” One answer is offered by an ancient prophet.

“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.” Hosea 6:1

COME
The most beautiful word in this promise verse is “Come,” God is calling us to come to Him. Sometimes He uses blessings to draw us to Him but sometimes He must allow anguish to enter our lives so we will look to Him. God is a loving God and does not rejoice in our suffering, indeed, the Bible says He grieves over our hurt; but there are times when we have gone our own way for too long and are in danger of greater loss if we don’t “come” to God.

LET US
These two words suggest a choice. Do not put obstacles in the way of coming to the Lord. “Let us,” humble ourselves, and admit that God is right and we should repent; God is just and wants us to confess our wrongdoing and sin.

RETURN TO THE LORD
Our trials are meant to cause us to "Return to the Lord." Return is hopeful. Mankind in innocence once had a dear friendship with his Creator but in rebellion went his own way. Now God offers not only forgiveness, friendship, and salvation in Christ but also son-ship and all the privileges that come with it. He did everything for our salvation by sending his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross and pay for our sin and satisfy the judgment our sins deserve. He asks that we receive salvation by trusting Him to save us.

HEAL
God does not do evil but He has given us free will and this allows us to hurt ourselves and others. Though it is mankind who causes pain God takes ownership and promises to heal us and bind our wounds. He is the loving physician who longs to give us full recovery. He is calling for us to come to experience this healing of our deepest hurts. He will “heal,” and “bind up our wounds;” He will not overlook any- no matter how many they are.

Come back to the Lord through his Son, Jesus, and He will heal you and bind up the wounds you bear.

If you want to learn more about coming to God click here to read my other post on the Gospel

____________________________

Thank you for visiting and reading my blog. I sincerely hope this post is helpful and an encouragement.  For more like this see the most popular post in the sidebar, or use the search box above.  

Adron

Use the share buttons below to save and share this to your social networks. 

(c) Adron

Is There Good In My Suffering? Romans 8:28.

Does the suffering I go through have any good purpose?

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18.

THE AUTHORITY ON SUFFERING
The Apostle Paul, who wrote the quote, was persecuted, outcast, flogged, stoned, beaten with rods, castaway at sea, imprisoned unjustly, abandoned by friends and supporters, afflicted with an incurable ailment he dubbed the “thorn in the flesh,” and finally a martyr’s death. Yet, he states these, "sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us."

PAUL
Paul the intellectual said, "I consider," this great thinker came to a great conclusion, "Look beyond this life." We should focus on God’s purpose and not our problems. Heaven is the home of God who is infinite, so His Heaven must also be infinite; infinitely beautiful, immeasurable, joyous, safe, peaceful, abundant, etc.

COMPARE
To compare is to note the differences and similarities. The difference between our suffering and God’s purposes are so infinitely great that there is no comparison. If you measured your troubles in inches the measure of God’s Glory in us would be light-years. Paul is saying, “God’s glory in us is so great I just can’t ponder it.”

GLORY
No one understands God’s Glory. To see God’s glory meant death in the Old Testament yet He is revealing it in those who have faith in Him. God is working in our lives, we may have a problem with temper or lying, and of course, God is gently working on those things but this “glory” is much higher than character improvement.

YOUR HARDSHIP
No matter what trial you face you can endure testing with hope. God wants us to trust Him. In the Bible God always rewarded trust, the deepest test asks deeper trust which brings fuller blessings in this life and beyond, so don’t compare- trust. Our present afflictions are only for a time. Remember this life is not all, maybe it is just a shadow of the truth. Our loving Father is making us ready for a greater reality; He is making us ready for Himself, heaven, and for Glory.

To read Romans 8 in its entirety click here.

(c) Adron