“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” Isaiah 53:3-4.

From time to time I get comments about how we as believers, are somehow to be always rejoicing and that we never should feel down or that we somehow, should be super-human people.

This is not scriptural, nor is it a compassionate or even a realistic viewpoint.

Are we to believe that this life that we now live in Christ is always to be paved with ease and to be free of pain?

Are we to believe that we can simply just “speak those away in the name of Jesus?”

Those who speak of such things, have an unbalanced view of the Bible, and actually, of the Christian life.

Indeed, we do and should, speak those things that are not as though they were, for our faith resides in what we do not see.

But again, if we are to be a true disciple and follower of Christ, then we must identify with Him, and the identifying is not “just” about living a life free of pain and trouble.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

When people ask, “How are you doing?” and our reply doesn’t satisfy their question, perhaps this person needs to reevaluate their own life and should be honest with themselves.

Truly, we shouldn’t wallow in our own misfortunes or circumstances — but at the same, it’s okay to say that things have been difficult lately, and that perhaps we need prayer, or at a minimum, some simple compassion directed from an understanding heart.

We as a people are called to live above our circumstances, and yet we are not robots. Simply stating Bible verses back to someone and saying, “God is good,” is not truly an honest reply. Nor is it an honest response to say, “I would never confirm or say that.”

That is like the “name-it-claim-it” false gospel that originated out of those false teachers and others from earlier years.

Are we not to learn our lesson from the ancient patriarch Job who lost everything, but even in his deepest suffering, still was able to praise God?

We know that in the end his former possessions had been taken away from him, and in the end he received them back doubly.

His flesh was healed, but his suffering was intense, and was something that perhaps only few of us, will ever encounter.

We all know about the suffering of Christ and all of the floggings and pain he endured, particularly as he faced the death on The Cross for us.

We are also told that as we are heirs with God that we will also share in his sufferings.

Let’s be honest with ourselves and others when we meet each other on the street or wherever.

 

Selah,
~ Stephen Hanson

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Stephen Hanson of In His Truth Ministries came to the LORD is a special way in 1975 and has prophesied regularly since. In these end-time birthing pangs we are reminded that judgment must first begin with the household of God. Will we be prepared and ready?

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