“Does any among uou suffer?”

  • Suffering refers to more than just sickness (James 5:9–14):
    • Suffering refers to discipline, trials, injustice, persecution, and oppression as well as illness.
    • No matter what the cost of perseverence may be, there is the challenge to bear-up under the difficulty and do it well, because we don’t know what God is intending to do and bring about in the midst of the trial.
    • The point is communion with God—meeting God where He desires to be met.
  • As a believer in Jesus Christ, you are a soldier (2 Timothy 2:1–6), and will suffer the trials of a soldier. As a soldier, know this (courtesy of former chaplain at Arlington National Cemetery):
    • You must say goodbye to the world you once knew.
    • The world around you will continue to change.
    • There is always an enemy.
    • You’ve got to maintain success in a highly competitive world and situation.
    • Severity involved in service and training is to be expected.
    • Soldiers are not designed for garrison life.
    • There is a great celebration at home for victory.
  • Suffering may be for discipline (Hebrews 12:1–17):
    • This is the suffering for Jesus Christ—the suffering under the hand of a mighty God who would cause us to be more like Him.
    • The call is to pray, to commune with your Father.
    • Let God do the determining of the ultimate lesson.
  • Remember you are a soldier, and remember you are a son.

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