Is Christianity about being 'happy'?
- Thread starter MatthewG
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Everyone desires to be happy and joyous sure.
But what about the suffering you experience when living for Christ can you articulate it? What does that mean?
Have you yourself ever been taught it personally what it means to suffer for Christ?
Suffering for Christ is not taught in most churches not any church that have seen in my life anyway.
But what about the suffering you experience when living for Christ can you articulate it? What does that mean?
Have you yourself ever been taught it personally what it means to suffer for Christ?
Suffering for Christ is not taught in most churches not any church that have seen in my life anyway.
I do love Isaiah 48.10: 'I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.' It's not avoiding the affliction that counts, but rather throughout it knowing by faith that you are indeed chosen.... :)
The Lord Jesus said in John 16.33: 'In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.'
That's not it.
Philippians 4:4 KJV
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 KJV
Rejoice evermore.
We are commanded to rejoice. Should we obey?
Much love!
I have my afflictions . . . but that doesn't mean I don't know the reality of Jesus Christ in me, and that regardless of my afflictions here, Christ in me fills me with joyful expectation of glory.
Much love!
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
You guys your missing the point.
Sure you can rejoice and be thankful. That is a given to any believer who thanks God for their sins being washed away and being saved by grace of God.
That is the elementary teachings of it all.
The walk; the walking in faith; the walking in love; the being conformed to the image of Christ.
What does suffering mean... no one seems to know an answer to it.
You guys your missing the point.
Sure you can rejoice and be thankful. That is a given to any believer who thanks God for their sins being washed away and being saved by grace of God.
That is the elementary teachings of it all.
The walk; the walking in faith; the walking in love; the being conformed to the image of Christ.
What does suffering mean... no one seems to know an answer to it.
Focus on Jesus, and His promises to you.
Believe Him. Trust Him. Feelings follow thoughts.
Much love!
To have love to your neighbor. Who condemns you.
To have forgiveness of someone who has done you wrong.
To have mercy on those who do not deserve mercy.
To have patience with someone you do not have patience with.
I am not worried about my feelings @marks .
Philippians 3:10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
To have forgiveness of someone who has done you wrong.
To have mercy on those who do not deserve mercy.
To have patience with someone you do not have patience with.
I am not worried about my feelings @marks .
Philippians 3:10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Perhaps you are though.
We suffer in many ways, at many times. Does anyone need a primer on suffering? Just the same . . . knowing the Love of God overshadows any and all pain and misery.
Why were Paul and Silus singing praises to God after being beated and locked in stocks? Why did the apostles go away rejoicing after being beaten on order of the Sanhedrin?
God gives greater grace.
We suffer, and we rejoice. Which is stronger in me? Where is my trust?
Much love!
Rejoicing is a feeling. You are commanded to rejoice. Would you like to obey that command?
Much love!
The evidence of our senses is suffering, the answer from our faith is that we are loved, and reconciled, and that all things are working for good.
The pain of our affliction is pain indeed, but in the body, and in the mind. Meanwhile, the body, and the mind, these are not the same thing as the spirit who has been born from God.
Yes, we endure the furnace of affliction. And if we are aware, and trusting, then we also know just the same that God is giving us a precious gift through that affliction.
Having known a good deal of suffering myself, I've had first hand experience on the value of that suffering.
Now, when something difficult happens, I set myself to endure the hardship, and I look to God, thankful for His loving care.
I think of this a lot like the story of . . . The man who paid a stranger to break his son's arm while he watched. Sound's horrific! Except that his son had broken his arm camping, and it took 3 days to get him to the hospital, and his arm had already started to set crooked.
If the boy has the right perspective, he would know that even in his own pain, his father's pain is different, and somehow worse. And he would be grateful to father for not just leaving him crippled.
Much love!
Suffering mean pains, and dejection, and loss. There are many things it means. And God's love is greater than all.
Much love!
I have not suffered for CHRIST as of yet... ( meaning I have not been persecuted against for my Christian faith. ) That is what I think of when one states suffering for Christ. I do see a time soon that this might become an issue... but in the WESTERN world... we have not known or seen SUFFERING for CHRIST.
I have however suffered much in my life... Severe Chronic Depression for decades... without much reprieve... or relief... little tiny pockets of joy here and there... but not really enough to keep me afloat with HOPE... God has sustained me all these years.... finally this summer... I received a downpouring of JOY.... overflowing... unstoppable JOY.... and when I say JOY... I mean JOY unspeakable... it's not happiness... it's not something that can be described with words even.... but it is a bubbling over of gratitude... thanksgiving... and the full surrender of letting God be God.
My healing has been a very slow and long journey... and I have been to every level of despair there is... Somehow... God waited till the very last moment to relieve me of my pain... It's all gone... all washed away... and I do not remember one second of suffering... It really is a supernatural event that has occurred in my life... I fail miserably at trying to explain it... Joy is way more powerful than happiness... as happiness is a fleeting emotion ... JOY is not. Joy is an attitude of gratitude... with full knowledge that God's will is ALWAYS good and that HE is always GOOD.
When I became convinced that God actually loves me.... that is when EVERYTHING changed...
Suffering for Christ... means... not compromising on my moral position/beliefs for anyone or anything... that time is soon to come I believe.
I do love the words of Job: "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13.15).
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