1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters 3 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: dot com. You're listening to Daily Devotions with Pastor John. 4 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: I'm John Stangey, and today's devotion is inspired by Philippians, 5 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: Chapter one, verse twenty nine, which says, for it has 6 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: been granted to you that for the sake of Christ, 7 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: you should not only believe in Him, but also suffer 8 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: for his sake. What did you assume the Christian life 9 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 1: would be like when you first came to faith in Christ. 10 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 1: For most of us, there's an assumption that everything is 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: going to get better and most aspects of life will 12 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: become smoother. We tend to picture a more comfortable existence 13 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: in this world. But did Jesus promise us that? Is 14 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: that what his word actually teaches? Well, it's certainly true 15 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: that the Lord is working out all things in our 16 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: lives for good. It's also true that He is present 17 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:08,759 Speaker 1: with us as our counselor and comforter. It's even true 18 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: that He is actively preparing a place for us with 19 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: him in eternity that will far outshine anything we have 20 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 1: ever seen or experienced, as far as a dwelling is concerned, 21 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: but it would be a mistake to assume that our 22 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: earthly lives will not also include suffering. Jesus suffered during 23 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 1: the course of his earthly ministry. As we follow him, 24 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: we may be called to do likewise. But He has 25 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 1: a purpose for our suffering. It may strengthen our confidence 26 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 1: in Him and our reliance on him. It may be 27 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: used as a testimony to unbelievers to help them come 28 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: to know him. It may help us shake off the 29 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: grip of sin in personal idols. Christ has a purpose 30 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: for our suffering, and he's present with us while we 31 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: endure it. If you're suffering, trust that he knows what 32 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: he's doing, and believe that he's working out his plan 33 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 1: for your greater good. Let's pray. Lord, We thank you 34 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: for your word, and we thank you for the opportunity 35 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: you've given to us to be able to look at 36 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 1: a small portion of it together today. And Lord, we're 37 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: grateful that you teach us in this portion of your 38 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: word that as we have come to faith in your 39 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: son Jesus Christ, we should be prepared not only to 40 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: trust in him, but also to suffer for his sake. Lord, 41 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: we know that this side of heaven we have all 42 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: sorts of expectations. There are all sorts of things that 43 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: we wish were a certain way. There are all sorts 44 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: of comforts that we wish we were experiencing. But you 45 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: have not promised us that our lives this side of 46 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: heaven are going to be perfect or completely comfortable. That's 47 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: not what your word assures us. When we look at 48 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: a portion of scripture like this, see that you have 49 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 1: indeed called us at times to suffer. And so Lord, 50 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: we pray that when we do so, that we would 51 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: do that in a redemptive way, that we would be 52 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 1: willing to suffer for the name of your son Jesus Christ, 53 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 1: that we would endure suffering as people who recognize that 54 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: you bring good things out of it. You teach us 55 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 1: to trust in you. You strengthen our faith, you strip 56 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: away our sins, you strip away our idols, and you 57 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: help us to recognize what's really important. Lord, I'm certain 58 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,839 Speaker 1: that many of us feel like that's exactly what you're 59 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: doing right now, and so, even though it can be 60 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: hard for us to accept, we just want to say 61 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: thank you for it. Thank you for the ways in 62 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: which you're not wasting the suffering we experience. You're using 63 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: it to help us, you're deepening our trust in you 64 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: through it, and you're assuring us of your presence with 65 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: us in the midst of it. So thank you again, 66 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: Lord for these reminders from your word. We're grateful for 67 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: the truth that we find in your word. It helps 68 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: us to understand how to navigate life, even the difficult 69 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: moments in life that we really need this kind of 70 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: reassurance to be able to see from the right perspective. 71 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: We're grateful for your love. We're grateful for your presence 72 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: with us today, and we commit this day to your 73 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 1: care and pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.