Why Am I Like This?

     Have you ever asked yourself this question in relation to your own: body, mind, heart or general well being? I know that I have and I think it is a question which runs rampant across the world. People everywhere want to have an explanation, an understanding, a practical way to perceive the reason why "they suffer." Because if we basically break down why we want to know the reason for being sick, unhealthy, broken, depressed or so many other conditions, we are basically saying...."why am I suffering like this?" No one in their right mind likes to suffer. Yet if it was not for some of the suffering we go through, there is one most important thing that those of us who know the Lord Jesus would surely miss out on entirely......."character development and HOPE." Romans 5:4 says "suffering produces perseverance and perseverance, character and character, hope..."      You see, if we did not suffer, then we would not become more like Jesus, who suffered the greatest among all who have and ever will live on Earth. We would also not be able to share in His glory either in a certain way. The bible says that unless we share in His sufferings, we will not share in His glory. What are His sufferings? Well, just look at all the ways that Jesus suffered and even how the Old testament speaks about His sufferings in Isaiah 53. From mocking to being persecuted. From being flogged with the "cat of nine tails," to being nailed to the Cross, Jesus went through every single kind of suffering there is. The word of God says in Isaiah 53:3-7: "He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 

⁴ Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 

⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 

⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 

⁷ He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth." 

     Jesus knows all there is to know about suffering and He sympathizes with our weaknesses and does not look upon us with disdain when we are: sick, troubled, hurting, emotionally distraught, overwhelmed or in despair. So please take comfort knowing that if there is no other good which you can yet see taking place, you DO have: perseverance, character and hope being worked into your being by what you are going through. Whether it is for the sake of the gospel or in a general manner, which does not have to do with evil doing, this is the truth. Yet even in evil doing, there is forgiveness and mercy which can be obtained from the Lord through repentance and restoration which can take place. The consequences suffered from evil doing could surely be said to do something of good for many people as well.

     With all of this said, I now hope that you can see that even though you and I may not understand "why we are suffering", we can surely understand the "outcome of much of our suffering."

God bless you today,

Rev. Jason Kruse