Why should it be a joy, you ask??? Well first of all because it has such an amazing ability to help us grow in holiness. Probably more so than other thing we do here on earth. What is that verse again?? Something about endurance? Hold on a sec.... Let me google that one.
There it is, Romans 5:3-5. That's a good one. And here is the thing, WE ALL SUFFER. Right??? You might come across some wonderful person who either is always happy, and skips around singing La La La, but I know their secret. They are suffering.
Then there are those other people who will flat out tell you that they are super happy, and everything is going their way. They are the ones that post amazing pictures on Facebook and you think their lives are perfect. Guess what, they are suffering too.
WE ARE ALL SUFFERING. I know this, because if you are a human being and you live on earth then it is true. Some of us more than others, but we are all doing it. I mean really, if this world were Perfect, than why would anyone want to go to Heaven???
So here is my thing, I need to deal with all my suffering with a little more GRACE. I am terrible. I moan, and complain, and vent and whine, and I medicate until the pain goes away. And if the pain doesn't go away, I moan and complain and vent a whine some more. Oh dear God. Help me to suffer better.
I keep thinking of that Romans verse again. Think of the ENDURANCE I could be producing right now??? And then imagine the character that would begin to develop. (I would have a really cool character.) And then that would turn into such HOPE. Oh Boy. Who doesn't need more HOPE. Hopefulness is what makes any sort of suffering more bearable.
Now then there is this crazy little Catholic Thing we do called, "Offering it up." Have you all heard this one??? I hate this. I went on a two week mission trip where we had to take freezing cold showers in the middle of a gym, with some homemade contraption thing set up to help with privacy. (It didn't help, so everyone showered with bathing suits on for two weeks.) It was highly ineffective. The leaders, kept reminding us all to Offer it up for the poor souls in purgatory. I was so confused. How could my cold ineffective shower help bring people to heaven. TO be honest I still don't get it entirely. I will have to google that one too...
Check out this link on offering our suffering up for others...
In fact just Google that yourselves. There is so much good stuff out there, that I couldn't possibly fit it all in here. But I am glad we got the conversation started!!!
Thank you Jesus, for allowing me to suffer with you. What a privelege, what an honor!!! Help me to suffer with grace, and endure the pain until it ends!
AMEN.
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