Some would reign now on this earth, and we may say with Paul, 'Would you did reign, that we might reign with you.' But the members of the mystical body must be conformed to the Head. In Christ, sufferings went before glory. And so it must be with us. Satan and the world both offer immediate glory, but this glory will be followed by eternal suffering. First, the good things of this life, and then eternal misery is the way of this world and its god (Luke 16:25). (63, emphasis mine)
One of my daughters was feeling under it this afternoon; she was suffering. She was feeling unloved, unnoticed, and unappreciated. And this was leading into a pity party. My wife, with grace and wisdom, took her to the Bible.
This daughter 'gets' the Bible; it speaks to her clearly. My wife was about to read to her from the Psalms, a wise choice. But she opted to go in another direction. "You think you've got it bad? Let me read you about a guy in the Bible named Job."
And my daughter got it. She giggled as she considered her own suffering in light of Job's. Some might think this would invalidate her own suffering. This would be problematic; her suffering is significant and real. Yet, Job's story, holy Scripture mind you, did the opposite. It gave her a godly perspective on her suffering.
She realized if Job could rely on God's goodness in his circumstances, so could she. Great work mom; you were a little more effective than my 'Suck it up' would have been.
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