Where is God When Things Get Tough?

That's the title of my new series related to Suffering. When I was a kid playing basketball, we dreaded the end of practice. Often coach would send us to the end of the court under the basket, and we prepared to "run lines!" We started at the end line, went to the near free throw line, back to the end, to mid court and back, to the other free throw line and back, and then from one end of the court to the other! He would be yelling for us to "Hustle!" Sometimes there were 3 groups of guys, so you had a short break before you ran the same drill again! It was a challenge!

Life seems like that sometimes, too! "Get started! Keep going! Run harder! Oh, you thought you were done? Do it again!" But what the Coach knew (that we didn't always remember) was that he was building our stamina so we had energy left at the end of the game! Our "Suffering" was for a purpose! He was using it to make us stronger!

God often us that same technique! He knows that we often get lazy, complacent and comfortable. So He puts us into positions where we are stretched beyond our comfort zone, in order to make us better warriors! In the opening sermon in this series, I shared that we suffer for several reasons: Life Happens; We make Bad Decisions/Rebel against God; Other People do things to Hurt us; the Devil Attacks us; or God Shapes us with His "Tests."

When we suffer, we can choose how to Respond. If we "do the Right Thing," we will Follow Christ's Example (and Be an Example!); Bless Others (even our Enemies) and Rejoice that we are Worthy to Suffer for His Name! These Responses bring about Good Results like Growing in Trusting God; Allowing Him to Transform us; and remembering

that God always has the Last Word!

This week, my wife Misty will be sharing about what it means to "Suffer for the Lord", as many of our missionaries do. Are we willing to suffer to spread God's Word to lost people? What price will you pay? Hopefully you'll be able to join us for a passionate, challenging message this week!

But don't miss the rest of the series! We'll also be learning that God uses Suffering to Discipline us, Make us Humble, and Purify/Deepen us. If you are suffering, don't run. Stop and ask the Lord what He is trying to teach you. I guarantee you: It has a Purpose.

The Big Question is: Will We Discover that Purpose and Learn the Lesson?