It’s so easy to look at the disappointments of life and think we can’t do anything about them. Many of us sink into sadness. We curl up in a ball and cry until there’s no more tears left because things look as though we don’t have other others, but this isn’t true. We continually ask God why He allowed us to go through so much, and our next step is sometimes to play the blame game and put it all on Him. This is the nature of human beings, but God has an expectation for our response to disappointment and setbacks. It is that we take a different approach and begin to continually confess and speak life into our dark situations.
Why do we suffer?
1Peter 4:13(NLT) says “Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.” Jesus Christ did not keep it a secret that we would have troubles on this earth. We will experience discomfort here, and sometimes it is more challenging than others. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered unfairly. He was without sin and walked closely with the Father, but still he endured terrible treatment during his entire sojourn on this earth. Our blessed Redeemer is our example for life and living. He patiently endured and overcame everything the devil threw at him, because of his sacrifice, we can to.
Again, there’s going to be some suffering that we will have to endure because we are the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. This Christian walk is one where we are continually denying the flesh and increasing in the Spirit. This requires that we’re always engaged in the process of surrendering the negative attributes that hold us back and grabbing on to Godliness that propels us forward. This can at times bring discomfort. 1Peter 2:21 (NLT) says, “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.” We suffer because just like Christ, we live in a dark world, and we represent God’s light. Many will reject the light, but through Christ, we have the spiritual strength to stand strong no matter what comes our way, because God always has our backs.
The suffering we endure doesn’t have to be in vain. If we trust the Lord with our whole hearts, it will stretch and strengthen in faith so that we are even more pliable and flexible to God’s Will. He’s the one with the plan, and we always need to follow His lead.
Speak the truth
One of the most valuable lessons of overcoming our suffering is the one that has to do with how we use the instrument of our mouths. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 17:20(NLT), “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” He said if we will open our mouths and speak to the mountain, tell it to move, it will happen. Genesis 1:3 tells us that God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. He spoke and things came into manifestation. Through our faith in the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has commanded us to call those things which are not as though they were, according to His Will and Word. We have the power to speak what God speaks and change the outcome of situations and circumstances.
We’re made in God’s image, so we should never tell ourselves anything different from what He says. He tells us in 1Peter 5:8 to watch out for the devil because he’s looking around to see who he can trample on next. So, we know that the devil’s objective is to completely abolish our faith. Taking us out of God’s covering by tricking us into believing and speaking the wrong things is his game, and we must recognize this. We must confess and say what God says regardless of what our eyes perceive.
Words have power
Proverbs 18:21 (NLT) says “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Our mouths have power, and they determine what comes back to us, God’s blessings or strife from the enemy. Our Master Jesus said in Matthew 12:36 (NLT), “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.” We can have more belief in the problems and troubles than we do in God’s love and His willingness to use His power on our behalves. He deserves 100% of our faith and believing in Him, and we demonstrate our trust by speaking and confessing the promises of His Word and speaking them continually over our lives.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Say What God says”, written by KLizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2023. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.