The Product of Your Suffering

All things work together for good.*

This is a promise for God’s children.

This is a promise for the obedient child of God.

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.John 14:23-24

SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD: Biblical teaching that God possesses all power and is the ruler of all things. God rules and works according to His eternal purpose, even through events that seem to contradict or oppose His rule.

“A true recognition of God’s sovereignty will avow God’s perfect right to do with us as He wills. The one who bows to the pleasure of the Almighty will acknowledge His absolute right to do with us as seemeth Him good. If He chooses to send poverty, sickness, domestic bereavements, even while the heart is bleeding at every pore, it will say, ‘Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right!’ Often there will be a struggle, for the carnal mind remains in the believer to the end of his earthly pilgrimage. But though there may be a conflict within his breast, nevertheless, to the one who has really yielded himself to this blessed truth there will presently be heard that Voice saying, as of old it said to the turbulent Gennesaret, ‘Peace be still’; and the tempestuous flood within will be quieted and the subdued soul will lift a tearful but confident eye to Heaven and say, ‘Thy will be done.’” A.W. Pink.

God knew that you would be saved and He put together a plan for your life.

Your life is not random, but sovereignly designed.

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.Jeremiah 1:5

Even your suffering is ordained by God.

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.Job 1:20-21

God’s plan for your life is to make you like Jesus.

Our continued sanctification is the will of God. He uses suffering to accomplish His will.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.1 Peter 5:10

We have been predestined to be made like Jesus.

Jesus is our big brother to show us how to please the Father.

Jesus gives us an example to follow.

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:1 Peter 2:21

Jesus teaches us humility and service.

So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.John 13:12-16

Jesus is to be preeminent above all.

He is preeminent in the body of Christ.

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.Colossians 1:18

He is the head of God’s family.

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,Ephesians 1:21-22

God’s plan is simple.

God predestines us to conform to the image of Jesus.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.Romans 8:29

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,Ephesians 1:5

God calls us according to His purpose and grace.

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,2 Timothy 1:9

The process of salvation displays God’s work in His children.

God justifies us by faith.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:Romans 5:1

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.Galatians 2:16

God will ultimately glorify His children, transforming us to share in His glory.

Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.Philippians 3:21

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.Colossians 3:4

If Christianity has left you unchanged, you’re doing something wrong.

If your suffering has pushed you away from the Father, you missed the purpose.

If you aren’t being changed to be like Jesus, you aren’t following the plan.

The greatest good God could accomplish in you is to make you like His Son.