I always don't know where these articles will start, then I start writing and the article comes out.
This morning I was so amazed to see how the Lord is leading me through a theme of what it looks like to suffer for the Lord and while my family and I have been through a very testing time, I never really thought we were 'suffering for the Lord", but then this morning I realised we must be.
1 Peter 4: 14-16
"14 If you are [a]reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. [b]On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a [c]busybody in other people’s matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this [d]matter."
So, my family and I have been ashamed at our suffering, we have been embarrassed at the thought that we can't afford this at the moment, which we haven't had before... so now, I am going to tell my family there is no shame in going through this hardship as the Lord is shaping and moulding us into His image, making us ready and able to face the next phase of our Christian growth, our Christian walk in life.
I think God has moulded and shaped us and now He wants to temper us, that is to keep this shape, once you've moulded and shaped a pottery container into what you feel it's end shape should be you temper it... that is to apply heat and allow it to keep it's shape, it won't be mouldable again... the Lord moulds and shapes us, then he adds some heat to temper that shape... only we're not dead clay, we're alive, so we're subject to go through this process a number of times in our lives...
So, how do we go about this life, knowing that at any time, God can decide, right it's about time you had a reshape, redesign, your current form will not be fit for your future purpose, let me yank you out of it and reshape and mould you into a new one...
We look to the scriptures, where the disciples themselves, went through shaping, moulding, discipline and came out to tell us in their own words:
1 - James 1:2-4
"2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
2 - 1 Peter 4:12-16
"12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are [e]reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. [f]On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a [g]busybody in other people’s matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this [h]matter."
Why, how could they have this mindset while under constant persecution:
1 Peter 4:1-6 "4 Therefore, since Christ suffered [a]for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past [b]lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
Here you see the why, once we've gone through the trials we will be dead or cease to sin, we will no longer live subject to the flesh and those who don't allow themselves to go through these times will give an account for what they do... we will all give an account, so the choice is ours, we can choose to go through the suffering, become dead to sin and alive to obedience in Christ or we can continue to live in our sin, any disobedience is sin, so if I'm supposed to wake up for quiet time and I don' that could be sin for me... probably wouldn't be for you, but would for me, because I'm stubborn and been 'struggling' for too long with the decision to obey...
So, stop, let's just look back and see what the Lord is saying...
We suffer for a reason, 1 Peter 4:14 - Spirit of God rests on you
We don't have to be ashamed, 1 Peter 4:16 - Glorify God in suffering to remove shame
We are being moulded into our usage for our next phase, for which we need to be a different form and stronger
Once the moulding has happened there may also be a tempering, which can prove to be as painful as the moulding itself.
It's necessary to keep us from sinning going forward and to keep us humble and obedient to Christ at all times
