DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Why
by Mary Alice McGinnis
If you could describe the most painful experience in your life, what would it be? For me it might be when I broke my wrist, perhaps the emotional trauma of divorce, or the pain of watching the ones I love suffer.
Paul begins today’s reading by saying, “Now, I rejoice in what I am suffering for you. . .”
What? Who rejoices over suffering? This word suffering encapsulates the connotation of undergoing tremendous affliction with endurance. But how does one endure suffering, and even rejoice in it?
If suffering has meaning, if it leads toward a bigger goal. Did you notice that Paul says, “what I am suffering for you. . ." and "for the sake of His body?” We are Christ’s body! Jesus finished His work of redemption on the cross and paid the penalty for our sin. But His story is not finished! Paul wanted to be a part of completing God’s plan. And God’s plan is still unfolding. He was using Paul and He is using us – His body – to bring to fulfillment all that He has promised – “the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
The afflictions Paul is primarily speaking about is persecution – suffering due to being a follower of Christ. I used to think that if I was a Christian and followed Him, life would be easy.
I thought that most of life’s suffering was a result of doing something wrong. But repeatedly Jesus tells us that as Jesus followers, we should expect suffering. He tells us that hardship will happen not in spite of, but BECAUSE we follow Him. Things will happen to us specifically because the realm of darkness wants to destroy us. We have targets on our backs. Satan wants nothing more than for us to give up, to quit, to stop trying, and perhaps even turn our backs on Jesus. He does not want the fulfilment of God’s plan to be realized.
Thinking back to my most painful physical experience. Hands down, I would say it was childbirth, without the aid of drugs. Not everyone has endured the pain of childbirth, but for those of us who have, we understand that only through the affliction of labor was that child brought into the world.
John 16:21 says, “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.”
This word anguish in John 16:21 is the same word used in Colossians 1:24, "Christ’s afflictions." As part of His body, He shares in our pain and anguish. He is not just looking over us, He is working through us!
Childbirth is messy! What if that woman experiencing childbirth just gave up? What if she just said, “I can’t go on, I cannot endure this?”
We, as Christ’s body have a goal – to labor to bring about the new birth of other Christ followers, “so that we present everyone fully mature in Christ.” Picture that now – enduring the labor pains of birth, to bring others into His Kingdom.
We don’t have to struggle through and endure on our own! We have the powerful life-giving energy of Christ living in us! The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in US!
“To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.”
That is our WHY!
PRAYER
Jesus, as I reflect upon all You suffered while You walked this earth, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. You are still suffering with us and through us in this broken world. When I am tempted to give up, to shrink back, to quit, help me lean into Your powerful strength. You have called me as Your servant. Help me to continue to strenuously contend with all Your energy that so powerfully works in me.
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