Comfort and Joy

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Isaiah 49:13: Sing for you, O heavens, and exult O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted. 

Christians have one common denominator. We have Jesus who underwent excruciating pain and agony, grief, sorrow, and humiliation as well. Jesus endured the cross, scorning its' shame in order to unite us to God the Father. God the Son is the one time sacrifice for all sins of all people in every age until He returns. When Jesus returns, time is complete, eternity has begun. Suffering and struggles are over. Because of what Jesus did, we have comfort and joy.

But before we break out the Christmas song, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," let's examine a little more the impact that Jesus' suffering and death on our lives.

There is a common misconception amongst Christians that because Jesus went through all of the horrid persecution, torture, humiliation, and pain, we will not. The misconception grows as we build ourselves up into thinking that when we became believers, we will have a perfected life and therefore face no more hardship and no more pain. That is not true at all.

We will continue to experience pain, suffering, humiliation, and pain. Sin still exits in the world. It still hangs around in us. Satan works overtime on us trying to lead us away from Jesus and what He did. Satan uses sinful people and situations to torment us so that we say, "I'm tired of this. Why am I suffering and struggling? Where is God in all of this? I believed that God saved me from sin, death, and the influence of Satan. If that is true, why am I being beaten up? Why am I struggling? I just want to be pain free and free from all of this."

It is a human desire to be pain free, to no longer struggle and suffer. And it is a promise from God that it will happen. It will happen after we die and rise to be with God in heaven forever. No more sorrow, no more pain. It will happen for us. It is God's promise. This is the reality of the comfort that we have. This is the reality of the encouragement we have as we live out the rest of our days of pilgrimage.

It is the encouragement to stand and face the suffering that Satan throws at us. We have peace and comfort and joy. It is our motivator to live out our faith every day throughout the struggles. In this way, we say to Satan, "Give it your best shot. I have forgiveness of my sins from Jesus. I am a child of God. No matter what you through at me, I have comfort and joy. I am saved and I will go through all the sufferings that you throw at me. I am God's child. I believe with all my heart. And I WILL carry my cross and follow Jesus." Dear God, encourage me to live these words, Amen.