Pentecost Season Devotion, July 22

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18

"Such Sufferin'"

What a life it is

The hardships, the tears

The desperate years

Such sufferin'

Gimme a Bufferin!

So writes Maurice Sendak and so sings Carole King on her Really Rosie album. (It’s also now a musical by the same name.)

In spite of Rosie’s imagined success, she still suffers. O Rosie, there is a little of you in each of us.

Since the fall into sin, there is no life that is lived without hardships and suffering. True, some suffer more than others. Sadly some suffer in seemingly unbearable ways.

It breaks my heart to hear preachers of the so called “Prosperity Gospel” declare that if you have enough faith, God’s blessings will shower wealth and health on you.  If you don’t have those things, there is something wrong with your faith.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact sometimes those who have faith experience more persecution as we see in the life of St. Paul.

So what are we to do? We can have Paul’s attitude.

Indeed we suffer.  Everyone does. But for Christian people, we know that our future is incomparably bright. So much so, that what we suffer today isn’t even worth comparing to the riches of salvation that Christ has in store for us.

His cross was the ultimate suffering for sin.  Since Jesus died there and declared, “It is finished,” we need not worry about our eternity. We will not suffer for our sins.

All that happens here and now is temporary and fleeting.  What God has done for us in Christ lasts forever. In the resurrection of the dead, all pain, suffering and tears will be gone.

Thank God that He does often grant relief to our sufferin’. It may be that He has provided Bufferin or some other medicine. He gives us support from other believers when we suffer grief or sadness. Also remember not to waste any of our hardships. Learn and grow through each of them.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that Jesus suffered for my sins upon the cross. Grant me strength and patience to bear any hardships that come my way.  Allow me to support others in their times of need. Amen.

God’s richest blessings in Christ,

Pastor Philip Quardokus