Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great crowd of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run the race with perserverance the race marked out for us, Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2
God has marked out a race for each of us. He has a plan for each of our lives. As we know, a race is full of many obstacles that must be overcome. This let’s me know, that we are going to have to go over some hurdles as christians. It’s not a wonder to me–that God includes the verse that he is an author and finisher of our faith in the context of describing this race. We know then, that God is going to use those very obstacles to perfect our faith. During these times, we must learn to “fix our eyes on Jesus” and not on these situations.
James puts it this way, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Perseverance must finish its perfect work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:1. Trials that would have “taken you out” back in the day, you can now “press out of” because you have been there before and God brought you through. See the testing of your faith is like a muscle. After you have been tried with the 100lb weight the 50lb weight is cake! You have been pressed to the next level, so when this kind of trial comes again you know how to belive yourself through. If your faith muscle has never been tried, you will fall under the pressure of that 50lb weight everytime. But see God wants you perfect, lacking nothing! He wants you complete and mature. See faith is not about the acquisition of stuff, it is a journey! It’s an experience with God. You have to be tried…you must understand that you are going to have to go through somethings. And some of your problems are going to stick around for a while. You can’t get to mastering the 100lb weight after one day.
To understand suffering, we must not look at it from a natural point of view…we must be eternity-minded. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who perserveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Paul says it this way…”Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games go into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will last forever.” I Corinthians 9:24-25. You are going to have to train. You are going to have to lift some weights and be put under some strain in order to share the gospel. You are going to endure something to get the crown. Listen, we can’t get it for nothing!! Because we know that if we suffer with christ, we shall be glorified with christ. We must be partakers in Christ’s suffering if we want to partake in his eternal glory. But we are not the only ones that benefit…we suffer for the sake of bringing the gospel to others.
“If anyone competes as an athlete, he does not get the victors crown unless he competes according to the rules…This is my gospel to which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of God’s people, that they may too obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. If we died with him, we will also live with him. If we endure, we will also reign with him.” II Timothy 5-12.
The rules are this, if we want to win others for Christ we are going to have to go through some trials. Well how does your suffering help others, you ask? You can’t help someone if you haven’t been where they are. If I never went through anything, I couldn’t help get someone else out of their pit. Revelation 12:11 “says that we are saved by the blood of the lamb and the POWER of THEIR testimony.” Your testimony has the power to save people and get them out of their pit!!! You are going to have to go through something to win some for Christ!
Paul put it this way, “Though I am a free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law…To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do this all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in it’s blessings.” I Corinthians 9:19-23. Have you suffered through something? Has God brought you out of a low place? Use is to save the lowly! If God has humbled you…let us not exalt ourselves…but let us become low so that we may win some for Christ!. So that our testimonies may have the power to save someone else! Some christians have gone through some really dark places in life. I don’t want to minimalize anyone’s suffering, that is not my intent. But instead of letting those bad things hinder you and frustrate your faith, let it prompt you to sharing the gospel. Romans 8:18, says that because we live in a fallen and sinful world, we all suffer. Christians too! Some of us have suffered due sin caused by other people. Some really bad things have happened to some people…It’s not because God desired that bad situtation to happen to you…it’s because of the fallen world. But Paul says we groan inwardly but wait patiently for our adoption as sons, for the redemption of out bodies(23). We must stay focused on eternity–where there is no suffering, no death, no pain. Revelation 21.4. See Paul exemplified being eternity-minded. Many people will look Paul’s death as great loss. They would say despite his pursuit of the gospel, that it failed him because ultimately he was murdered. But Paul considered it great grain. In fact, he was so eternity-minded that he wanted to “get in on” the resurrection. He said,
“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have loss all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law…but the righteousness that comes from God and is by faih. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, become like him in his death, and so, somehow to attain the resurrection of the death.”
See Paul was looking at the things in heaven, not the things on this earth. Not even his own life mattered. In Phillipians 1:20-21, he said “I eagerly ecpect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or death. For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” My sincere hope is that we are not ashamed–that we may be able to look at our lives and know that we didn’t waste it on self-gain and self-preservation. We see christians in foreign lands dying for this gospel…and we consider it a great fortune that this is not own lot. Because we are looking at the temporal things…the things of this world…and we see it as a great trajedy. But Matthew 5:10 calls them Blessed!! “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righeteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” They will be greatest in the kingdom of heaven! Verse 11 says, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and falsely say all kind’s of evil against you because of you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way the persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
If you can exchange tempary greatness and comfort, for external greatness…would you do it? But we do it everyday…we groan and moan….murmur and complain. Romans 4:8 says “We are pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not abandones; struck down but now destroyed…(16) Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are renewed everyday. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us eternal glory that outweighs them all.” Let us not be weighed down by suffering in this life, because it produces eternal reward. But in this life, adversity and afflcition has its benefit as well. God calls them, bread and water! We need them like we need food–they provide strength and perseverance. God has not promised us an easy pass in life for being christians. You are going to go throught!! But God says, “When you pass through the rivers; I will be with you.” When you walk through the fire you will not be burned.” Isaiah 43:2 See the trials are not meant to bring you harm. He is right there with you! He will not allow you to be harmed. Make no mistake, the flood is coming! The fire will come! But neither will overtake you. You will be like Daniel in the lions Den…or the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnance! If we are not delivered from the furnace, he has made us conquerors over life and death! Romans 8:37-38. The frustrated christian does not understand that affliction is as necessary as bread and water. Our undue consideration for self comfort causes us to buckle under affliction, instead of allowing it to prove us. “You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver.” Psalm 66:10. Will you come forth as pure silver or gold…or avoid the refiners fire?”
