LENTEN READINGS AND REFLECTIONS

DAY 37

Reading: The Letter from James, The 1st Letter of Peter, the 2nd Letter of Peter

This morning, among other things, the Lord, through Peter tells us not surprised when faced with all sorts of trials:

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.”(1st Peter 4:12)

It does come as a surprise sometimes. Here you are, minding your own business, praying in the mornings, reading your bible, going to bible study, going to church, doing all the right things and then…whack. You get hammered with some “trial”.

And you to yourself, “I’ve been so together lately, so good, why on earth would God do this to me now?”

The temptation is to think that somehow this Christianity thing isn’t working…that you are not getting what you are putting into it. You are doing all of this good work and God is letting you go through all of this suffering.

Of course, we should be careful about using the word suffering when referring to our own troubles. Peter, now he suffered. He was crucified by the Romans…upside down. Most of the apostles suffered similar fates as a sort of culmination lives filled with humiliation, beatings, stonings, imprisonments…you name it.

So I am not sure that our daily crises necessarily mount up to the level of “suffering”.

But, even so they do feel awful and, not being apostles, we are often tempted to think God is being unfair to us.

This is especially true in light of a certain brand of false teaching prevalent today, especially on television, wherein preachers proclaim a gospel of prosperity; that Jesus will make you rich, wealthy, successful, and powerful.

Or, in light of a sort of consumer faith…”God’s role is to make me happy”

And when happiness does not come into your life, God goes out the door.

How far all of this is from true Christianity!

Jesus is the Christian’s Treasure. Everlasting life with him (starting now) is the reward. The goal of the Christian life is to know and love Jesus Christ and whatever hinders that goal is dross and rubbish to be cast away.

And in any case, we should all know by now that happiness does not consist in getting what we want. Every child figures that out about two weeks after Christmas morning when the toy for which he begged incessantly for two months prior is plunked into the closet. It no longer satisfies.

No, the fact is that the goal of your life is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and the bi-product of that process of being conformed (God does it, you just cooperate) is joy…not happiness (happiness is short-lived, tied to things that pass away) but joy (deep and lasting, tied to things that are eternal).

The problem is that in order to effect this transformation into the image of Christ which produces joy, it is necessary to undergo suffering.

God uses suffering, trial, pain, anguish, sorrow and setback to remake you or forge you into the “you” he made you to be. Here’s how James puts it:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2-4)

James is not saying, "just be happy" when you face trials. Rather he's saying, "Consider" it joy. In other words, even though you do not experience your trials as joyful consider that they will ultimately produce joy in you as God uses them to grow you up into the full measure of Christ.

Think this morning about a particularly painful trial in your past. How has God used that trial produce growth and maturity in you? How has that trial brought you closer to the Lord?

Are you passing through a trial today? Pray that God will help you recognize his loving hand in your circumstances and pray that he will give you the grace to consider the joy that he will bring out of it.

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