Sufferings

Brother Lawrence observed in worshipping God, “He requires no great matters of us: a little remembrance of Him from time to time; a little adoration; sometimes to pray for His grace, sometimes to offer Him your sufferings, and sometimes to return Him thanks for the favors He has given you, and still gives you, in the midst of your troubles, and to console yourself with Him the oftenest you can.”

What does he mean by, “…offering Him our sufferings…”?

The Lord said, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt. 6: 33-34).

The Lord knows all things, He knows we have troubles and sufferings in this life.  What is his expectation for us with regard to it?

The disciples had to wake Yeshua in the boat as a furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.  “The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’  He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’  Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” (Mark 4:37-39).  This world is full of storms and troubles.   Yeshua surely knew there was a storm even as He slept.  If God is in your boat, you are safe, but we can ask Him anything; He hears us.

Paul shared about his trouble, “…Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Cor. 12:7).  Paul got an answer from the Lord, he accepted it, and offered it to the Lord.

I am enduring a pesky continual annoyance that seems will never end.  I have asked the Lord to remove it, and so far, He has not.  I see now that faith is necessary with respect to everything in this life, good and bad.  My desire is to offer the suffering I’m experiencing to the Lord.  My treasure, my heart’s desire and longing is for the Lord.  I need God so desperately, but even as I’m seeking His kingdom and His righteousness, I must not worry about the troubles of tomorrow.  I will offer them to the Lord, just as I offer Him worship, praise, thanksgiving, and adoration.

Lord Yeshua, you know all things, you are loving and just in all your ways.  You suffered much, perhaps more than anyone, and unjustly.  We understand that we are to be conformed to you, as Paul said, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11).  Help us to offer our sufferings to you, that you may say, “Quiet, be still,” or “My grace is sufficient for you.”  In all circumstances, at all times, may the Lord’s will be done.