Strength In Suffering

The Greek word prothesis means a resolution of the mind, a plan, or intention, and purpose. As we said in part 1 of this series - we all need purpose. We need something to aim for or otherwise what is the point? One of the main purposes in Jesus coming to earth was to die for sinners and destroy the work of the devil. 1 John 3:8 When the days drew near for Him to be taken up, He set his face to go to Jerusalem Luke 9:51  This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet ‘I have set my face like flint’. Isaiah 50:7 Jesus was known, amongst other things, as the suffering servant. He received hostility and rejection, threats and finally beatings and scourging to the point that He was unrecognisable. Yet, in spite of this, He remained focused on doing the will of the Father. He was resolute in mind and intention. The plan of God before all ages had to be accomplished and He was going to do it. The Apostle Paul, whom God called to take the Gospel to the Gentiles, was also resolute in spite of much opposition. “I know in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me” . Acts 20:23 “While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews   at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”  And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”   Acts 21:10-14 Again, like His Lord he wanted to fulfil God’s purpose for his life and even die in the process if need be. We may not all have the same calling, but the question that begs for all of us, especially for those of us who live in the relatively comfortable West is, are we resolute in mind, intention and purpose to follow Jesus whatever it takes. Do we just want purpose that gives us an easy ride? One that requires nothing of us but in reality is all about us? As I have discovered, when really tough times come, that is when the rubber really hits the road. Am I still going to follow Jesus? and seek His will and purpose for my life however hard that may be? I have personally found that when we truly put Jesus first then our lives are truly purposeful even in the midst of deep suffering. Jesus clearly experienced this, as did Paul. Unfortunately, many who are becoming Christians today are not taught to count the cost. It costs dearly to follow Jesus. Jesus illustrates this powerfully when talking about the cost of discipleship. “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost,  whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish .” Luke 14:28-30 We are called to glorify God and finish the race. That’s our ultimate purpose, to finish what God has started and do His will in the process. Can we purpose in our hearts to glorify God in the good times but also and especially in the bad times? When it seems all hell has been let loose, our purpose is to put God on display. Can we do that when we’re facing divorce or facing ill health or are in a financial crisis? When in the thick of it, it can be extremely difficult, nigh on impossible. Even Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane found it too much to bear asking for the cup of suffering to pass. But He knew His purpose was to do the will of His Father and followed through with the mission. Prayer: Dear Lord, when our struggles and trials become too much, may we know ultimately that we still have a purpose in this life. Help us to glorify You and run this race that You have set before us. Amen

And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the man who was blind, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.”   Mark 10:49 NASB So often in scripture we are exhorted to take courage, to be bold and strong - mainly from the Lord Himself. In today’s scripture, we read of a crowd telling blind Bartimaeus to ‘take courage’ for Jesus was calling for him. These people, whether they knew Bartimaeus or not, encouraged him to stand up and go to Jesus. We all need people around us who will have the same attitude towards those suffering. We need people who will come alongside us and instil in us a sense of hope. It all started when Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was coming and he cried out ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me’. The same is true for all of us when we suffer. We can and should cry out to God for help. In doing so, others should gather around to support and point us to the One who alone has the answer to our needs. Metaphorically speaking, we too can have blindness when we are plunged into a desperate situation. Where do we go for help? Which way do I turn? I know God is near (as Jesus was with Bartimaeus) but I can’t find Him or experience His touch and presence. For some people they can become so blinded by their circumstances particularly if they are a in shock such as tragedy, traumatic, sudden illness etc, that they never find God again. This is so so sad and should never be. It is understandable that these sufferings can damage our faith and cause us to become blind spiritually. Or to put it another way, our hearts can become hardened. People become hard and bitter toward God. These are difficult emotional experiences to deal with and there are no easy answers. I still find it very difficult to grasp what has happened to us with our son’s freak horrific accident. We need wisdom in order to help people overcome their blindness. We need to gently lead and guide them to Jesus. To the point where we can say, Take heart, courage. There is a way forward albeit very slowly. Some Bible versions seem to suggest that Bartimaeus wasn’t blind from birth. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover  my sight.”   ESV He wanted to recover or regain ( NASB ) his sight. For many of us who have suffered we may well have lost our way and we to want to regain our sight spiritually speaking. We may want our faith and our passion for Jesus to be restored and things to be the way they were before. The reality is that for some of us things will never be the way the were before. For many, we are living a new normal. Things have changed, things are different. Some people may have lost a loved one. Others like ourselves are adjusting to a life changing accident. Having said that, we too like Bartimaeus can ask Jesus to restore. He is a master at restoring and bringing order out of chaos and suffering. He understands. That’s were we have to take courage  and trust Him in the process. Prayer : Dear Lord, May we take courage and look to You for restoration whatever that may look like, Help us to trust You in the process. Amen

“ I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.”  Psalm 57:2 ESV We are created for purpose. We all need something to aim for. Without purpose we can just fumble aimlessly around often going nowhere. One of the toughest things when going through deep suffering is to find any degree of purpose. Suddenly out of nowhere you can find yourself in a dark bottomless pit and it can be very difficult to find any way forward. Many people commit suicide or turn to drugs and alcohol during these difficult times because they want to escape the life of purposelessness they find themselves in. A life that feels although it is going nowhere, a life that has become no life. The great and wonderful news of the Bible is that there is a God who, 1. has created us and 2. has a purpose in creating us. When we get to know the God of the Bible as ultimately revealed in Jesus Christ we can then navigate our way in life with purpose because we know the God who works out His purposes in and through His creation and that includes you and me. Unfortunately, we have the ugliness of sin all around us which many times messes things up considerably for us even when following Christ. The good news is that we can and must trust Jesus who not only deals with our sin, but knows all things from beginning to end. In our own personal situation, we have found it incredibly difficult at times to fathom what God’s purpose is for us after having experienced such a life changing and desperately difficult situation in the aftermath of our son’s accident. I’ve always known that God has a purpose for me and have lived that out most of my life. However, when faced with extreme difficulty it’s tough to know and focus on any kind of purpose. This scripture in Psalm 57  encourages us in the fact that God says to David that He will fulfil His purpose for David. This Psalm was written when David is fleeing for his life from the threats of Saul. Throughout the Psalm which is considered a lament Psalm, David is sure that out of his current distress, 1. God will be glorified and 2. God has a purpose for David’s current trouble. A cry out to God in times of trouble is a good thing and one that God would expect. It’s when we let go of our inward distress that more often than not God is near and fully able to minister to us. God minsters here to David. David is reminded that God is high and exalted above all things including King Saul. He is reminded probably from times past that in spite of his situation God WILL perform or fulfil His purpose in David. The purposes of God always stand. Nothing and no-one can thwart Him. He alone has the last word. God wants to have the last word in our lives. It would be so easy for us to allow the circumstances we find ourselves in to control and dictate the course our lives take. But God always has other ideas. Is it easy to give God control of our lives when we have been so badly beaten up by life? No it’s not. But ultimately it is the only way. All other paths lead to destruction and don’t give us real, lasting purpose. I have often said for myself that I need to find purpose in the pain. The pain of what has happened to us is not going to go away. It will be here to stay in varying degrees. But, there IS purpose in the pain. One of the reasons we created this website is because we knew it would give us a sense of purpose. It would help us to share our feelings, to share God’s word and hopefully help others who may have suffered. Today take some time to read Psalm 57 and gain encouragement from what David shares. Prayer: Dear God, You are the one who is far above all things. We look to You in our times of desperation, that You would install in us a sense of direction and purpose. That You would lift us to a place that we can see a way forward. Use us and our difficult circumstances for Your glory and our good. Amen.

It is good to remind ourselves that taking courage doesn’t have to be us trying to muster up a confidence or some strength within ourselves. But rather we can choose to rely on an external source - Jesus Himself. He is fully able to remove whatever it is that is making us fear or to be downcast. “ And behold, a woman who had been suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years came up behind Him, and touched the border of His cloak; for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His cloak, I will get well.”But Jesus, turning and seeing her, said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” And at once the woman was made well.” Matthew 9:20-22 NASB In this verse, we have a woman who had been suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years. Mark and Luke also record this event but it is only Matthew who records Jesus saying ‘Take courage’. In the midst of the crowd of many, many people, this woman has the persistence and faith to try and get to Jesus. For in doing so she knew that she would be made well. “for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His cloak, I will get well.”   Matthew 9:21 In those days, Torah observant Jews’ cloaks would have had tassels on. The "fringe" or the ‘hem’ in the verse refers to the tassels (tzitzit) on the corners of a Jewish man's garment or cloak, as described in Numbers 15:38-39  and Deuteronomy 22:12 . There was nothing magical about Jesus’ cloak, but the woman would have known and understood the scripture from Malachi 4:2 about healing in His wings. “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.”   NLT Kanaf  is the Hebrew word for wing which can also be translated ‘corner’. So when the woman took a hold of Jesus’ tallit or His cloak she was taking hold of the Son of righteousness who had healing in His wings. The tzitzit or tassels would have been on the corners or wings of His garment. Later in Matthew we read of others who also wanted to be made well in this way… “And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment.  And as many as touched it were made well.” Matthew 14:34-36 ESV The Greek word used for fringe or hem is ‘ kraspedon’  and is the same word used for tassels in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. For more on this fascinating insight about healing and the hem of His garment read this… https://thebiblenerds.com/healing-in-his-wings-what-in-the-world-are-tzittzit/ Healings and miracles can happen everyday - even today. The woman here had been suffering for twelve years and no-one could help her. But she knew that when the Messiah came He would be able to not only help but heal her of her infirmity. I’ve often said that we are a miracle family. We are thankful to the doctors and the medical profession for their expertise to help our son survive, especially during those critical early days after the accident. God indeed uses and gifts such people. We are also thankful that we were able, like the woman in Matthew,  to reach out to Jesus to find help when we needed it. We were able to ask God to do in us what the medics couldn’t do. We needed courage to keep going, We needed that external assistance in our plight to help us find a way through. Looking back we can see that God was with us, helping us to take courage. Just like the crowd that may have hindered the woman in getting to Jesus sooner, there are many things that will get in the way of us coming to Jesus. Fear, lack of trust, hopelessness, and sheer exhaustion to name but a few things can all hinder us coming and reaching out to Christ. But when we do, we are rewarded just like the woman. ‘Take courage, be of good cheer woman your faith has made you well’, Jesus said. It was faith that enabled the woman to believe that Jesus could heal her. But it was faithfulness in going after Jesus to find the healing that she so longed for. We need both faith and faithfulness when we are struggling with life, or suffering and going through a dark time. We also need others to gather around us to encourage us to have a faith to believe and a faith that persists. Take courage and reach out, pursue after Jesus today. Prayer: Dear Lord, may we be a people that reach out to You in spite of the many obstacles that confront us. Like the woman may we recognise who You are and what You can do. Amen.

“And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” Acts 26:14 ESV Saul who later became the Apostle Paul had been persecuting followers of Jesus having many put to death and imprisoned. As he says himself, that he did things that were contrary to the name of Jesus. Acts 26:9 He then has this amazing encounter with the Lord Himself as he was travelling to Damascus. It was here that Jesus spoke to Saul asking why He was persecuting Him and exclaiming that it was hard for him to ‘kick against the goads’. A goad is a long, sharp stick used to prod an ox to move in a desired direction. The phrase metaphorically means it is foolish and painful to resist divine guidance or God's will, as the resistance only causes more suffering, similar to how an ox that kicks against the sharp goad will only hurt itself.   For many of us no matter what season of life we are in, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, we too can resist the will of God. We can also kick against the goad that God uses to direct our lives. Because of pain and suffering we can become trapped in a vicious cycle and a web of hurt, depression and lack of vision. In other words just like Saul we continue doing the same thing week in week out without realising that God wants to break in and do something new in and through us. Immediately after Jesus warns him about kicking against the goads, Saul asks the Lord what he wants him to do. The Lord then gives him clear instruction. Could it be that for many of us we need a new, clear revelation of Christ and His plan and purpose for our life. If we’ve suffered in any way, it can be easy for us to think that God can no longer use us. We might think He can only use the people who have it ‘all together’. Those who have degrees, those who have their children in order. Those who have marriages that are made in heaven. Those who have wealth and are at the top of the business ladder. No, Saul didn’t suffer, on the contrary he made others suffer. But he was outside the will of God because he was resisting the Lord and doing the exact opposite to what God wanted of him. As we become enveloped in our own lives, the hurts, the pain, the struggle, the day to day hardships we too can resist what God maybe saying to us. It has been said to me that God hasn’t ‘put me on the shelf’. Yet sadly that is exactly what it has felt like for much of the seasoning of deep suffering in my life. The Church must help people to move forward in their God given gifting and roles. It’s so important to remember that God can  and will  use our pain, He will use the things that we go through to further His Kingdom on earth. So individually as people and collectively as the Church we can resist God’s will. We can kick against His direction and do things our own way. Let’s be open to what God is saying and wanting to do. Maybe we need to get alongside someone who is struggling and who for whatever reason may be resisting God’s work in their lives. Together we can walk in the will and purpose of God. Prayer : Lord, may we be a people that are open to Your calling on our lives. Forgive us when we resist Your good and perfect plan. When we suffer may we look to You to see how You will use our situation for you Kingdom purposes. Amen

Nowhere in the Bible are we promised an easy ride in this life, which is contrary to what many in Christendom would have us believe. Jesus predicts that this life will be far from easy. Just before His death, He speaks at length to His disciples about His departure, about the coming of the Holy Spirit and how through His impending death and resurrection He has overcome this world.  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble . But take heart! I have overcome the world.”   John 16:33 NIV “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation . But take heart ; I have overcome the world. ” ESV "These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation , but take courage ; I have overcome the world.”   NASB  Jesus wants His disciples both then and now to have peace in the midst of any upcoming trouble or tribulation.  The word for trouble or tribulation in the Greek is Thlipsis. Helps word studies gives us a helpful definition. 2347 thlípsis – properly, pressure (what constricts or rubs together), used of a narrow place that "hems someone in"; tribulation, especially internal pressure that causes someone to feel confined (restricted, "without options”). If one is going through deep suffering, it can cause mental pressure. I personally have firsthand experience of this. This mental pressure is often given a diagnosis label ‘PTSD’ for example. Such conditions can indeed hem you in and make you feel imprisoned with no way out.  I have experienced terrible pressure in my head to the point I though it would explode any moment. External situations, sufferings and pressures can have immense impact on us.   Jesus would say to me and anyone else who is suffering, “take courage”. Because in Christ there is always a way out. In Him, we can have peace. In Him, we can overcome. In Him, we can move forward. In Him, we can breath again and find purpose in the painful experiences we go through.  Jesus warns His followers that the world will hate them because they hated Him. He was rejected, we too, will be rejected. He was persecuted, we too, will be persecuted either physically or verbally. John 15:18-20 . We are called to follow in His footsteps. 1 Peter 2:21 Following Christ and standing for truth is what cost Charlie Kirk his life. But he always took courage even when certain people laughed at him and mocked what he had to say. He endured people calling him horrible names even to the point of attacking the way he looked.  He faced it head on and was able to take courage because he knew his Lord was with him enabling to stand firm in the midst of opposition.  Sorrow filled the hearts of those first disciples at hearing about  Jesus’ departure. But He encouraged them, and He is encouraging us today to take heart in the midst of suffering or tribulation. No, we don’t go looking for tribulation, but is is a normal expectation when one follows the One who was rejected, was despised, was ridiculed and ultimately was murdered.  The enemy is out to rob, steal and destroy but Jesus gives life, life eternally and He has overcome all including death to prove it. That’s why we can and should  take courage.  I need to take heart and be courageous knowing that His presence goes with me each day. I pray that you can too.  Prayer : Father, we are so glad that You are with us enabling us to take courage whatever we face. Continue to work in us and through us so that we might become more like You, following in Your footsteps. Amen.

So often throughout the ministry of Jesus, He told people to take courage . “ But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” Matthew 14:26-27 ESV The ESV Bible version translates courage here as ‘heart’. Take heart, take courage. The NKJV ‘be of good cheer’. The word courage in Greek voices a summons to inward confidence that rests on an external source—‘God’s saving presence’. The verb never depicts self-generated optimism; it always arises from a word or act of the Lord that decisively removes the cause of fear. In very difficult times and circumstances it can be almost impossible for us to have any kind of courage or cheer or thought that there is no danger. The disciples were in great danger in this passage in the book of Matthew, and the last thing they probably needed was seeing someone looking like a ghost walking toward them. The fear they were already feeling only intensified at what they saw. It’s not until Jesus speaks that the fear begins to subside. As people heard the gunshot that ended the life of Charlie Kirk, people ran and scattered fearing for their lives. Who can blame them? What a shocking sickening situation and what a tragic devastating day for Charlie Kirk’s family, friends and followers. In an interview posted a few weeks earlier Charlie was asked what he wanted to be remembered for if he died. His answer was clear and simple. He wanted to be remembered for the courage he had for his faith. He certainly was someone who seemed to have no fear in the face of opposition. He would speak loudly, clearly, boldly but respectfully for what he believed to be truth, the truth of the Bible. If there’s one thing that Christians need to have to truly follow Jesus it is courage. It takes courage to follow Him especially when you are faced with hostility, when faced with suffering, when faced with death. Christians around the world lose their lives everyday simply because they profess the name of Jesus. They could renounce their faith and continue living on this earth, but their faith in Christ is so so important to them that they have the courage to stand up in the face of adversity and say no. They would rather live eternally in His presence than renounce Him and live this life. We, as a family, have had to take courage in our situation. It was incredibly tough in those early days and weeks following our son’s accident. But somehow we took courage as we tried to rest on God’s help, strength and presence in the situation. We still do need to take courage each and every day knowing that God’s saving presence is with us. As we pray for Charlie Kirk’s family and friends we pray that they too may have courage to keep going. I’m confident that is what Charlie would want for them. I know that God does amazing things when people take courage and press on in spite of the pain. Yes, we have to mourn and grieve in the pain, but in the midst God is continually saying to each and every one of us, “Take Courage”. I believe there is such a thing as a comfortable faith. In many ways it is comfort that is stripping the Church in the West of its real power. We need to be a people of faith that is real, that has substance and is willing to give up everything and anything for the cause of Christ. We will continue looking at this important subject of courage next time. Prayer: Dear Lord, We are thankful that You are the God who meets us in our trials. You tell us to take courage because You don’t leave us alone, You draw alongside us to help in our time of need and we thank You. Amen

We’ve looked at a couple of practical ways we can overcome darkness and walk more and more in His light. https://www.strengthinsuffering.com/post/light-overcomes-the-darkness-part-2 https://www.strengthinsuffering.com/post/light-overcomes-the-darkness-part-3 Here we look at another way that will help. If we want to overcome darkness and walk in light we must, and I emphasise, MUST read God’s word regularly. I want you to take a moment to focus on the scriptures below… “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light  to my path”.   Psalm 119:105 ESV “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires”.   Hebrews 4:12 NLT “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right”.   2 Timothy 3:16 NLT “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 NIV “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth”. John 17:17 NKJV “Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”   Jeremiah 23:29 NIV “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;”   Ephesians 6:17 NKJV There are many facets to God’s word. We have seen a sampling above. His words brings light, it is alive and powerful. It is sharp, it cuts and exposes. It teaches and corrects and brings hope and encouragement. It sets us apart and it breaks things in our lives. It’s God’s sword in the battle. We need God to do all of these things if we are to walk out of darkness and into light. To help us through suffering and into  strength and freedom. Maybe we don’t have the strength to even pick up a Bible. That’s when a friend can help. They can read for you. They can text some verses to you. Maybe listen to an audio of the Bible. Whatever it takes we need to hear His word. God’s scriptures enable us to overcome and keep overcoming. We are grateful to the many people who sent us scriptures and prayed scripture over us in the early days following our son’s accident. These helped and encouraged us so much when we were frozen with trauma. God’s Word does not return to Him void. “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” . Isaiah 55:11 NKJV As we walk through suffering, through darkness, through despair we can do so with His Word which is a light unto our path. It will show us the way ahead, it will make a way through and it will help us in the battle. Prayer : Dear Lord, we thank You for Your amazing Word which accomplishes so much in our lives. Help us to be about Your word. Help us to help others in accessing it in order for them to move forward. May we be people that do what Your word says. Amen

We continue here in part 3 by looking at practical ways for us to know the reality of Jesus being the light that overcomes darkness. Last time in part 2, we looked at the healthy practice of confession. https://www.strengthinsuffering.com/post/light-overcomes-the-darkness-part-2 This time we want to look at the dangers and unhealthy impact social media can have on us and therefore how, if at all, we should use it. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram and the like can very often present an unrealistic, idealised presentation of life. We are often presented with a “perfect” image which masks the everyday struggles and challenges that many go through. This can lead to negative impacts on people especially on those who are already struggling with depression, self doubt, comparison and multiple other mental health issues. We ourselves have posted pictures recently of our holiday at The Bendrigg Trust in Cumbria highlighting the many varied activities that our son was able to do. Yes, he enjoyed himself, yes, he was able to participate in activities that he would not normally be able to access. We are so thankful for this opportunity and thank God for it. However, for those looking in at JUST the photos of the smiling faces there is much that is not seen. The struggles, the pain and the challenges and hardships of each day are masked. Therefore, what we are portraying is not a true picture of the reality of life. It’s only a snippet of time, what life is like in one moment only. Christian media posts on these platforms is similar. The summer Christian music festivals post pictures and videos of thousands of people dancing along to the latest ‘worship’ personalities and call it a ‘taste of heaven’. Some of this media attention can be very unhelpful, in fact detrimental to anyone who is struggling to cope to keep following Jesus. The effect can be crushing to those who feel a failure and yet again this coverage are only a snippet of what life is really like. Worship ultimately is us giving Jesus our lives each and every minute of the day through the good, the bad and the ugly. The biggest question and challenge for us all is ‘can I still worship Jesus in the midst of struggle and pain’? The problem with social media for many of us is that it leads us down the comparison trail and does nothing to help us to worship and keep following Jesus. ‘Comparison’ can become a real killer. "Comparison is the thief of joy" is a quote, often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, that highlights how measuring your own life against others' can lead to feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and ultimately, a loss of personal happiness and gratitude. I confess, I do it all the time and it can literally rob me of any joy and peace I hope to regain after surviving devastating trauma. It can also have the knock on effect of how we view God. Is He blessing that family/person more than mine/me?, syndrome. What we post on social media as fun, enjoyment and sharing experience is often a million miles away from what following Jesus is all about. Yes, we all want to share our good times, I’m certain that God is not against any of that. But it all points to self when Jesus so often painted a picture of following in His footsteps as denial of self. Taking up our cross. Entering the Kingdom through many tribulations. Keeping our eyes on Jesus no matter what life throws at us. The key to safeguarding ourselves is to keep away as much is possible from these platforms. For us as a family it’s a way of sharing our thoughts on trauma, the miraculous healing of our son and spreading word about our website and blogs that we write. But it can be difficult to use self control and not scroll and look into the world of others who seemingly have life together and enjoying the moment. But to exercise self control, we must if we want to keep ourselves from sliding into darkness, despair and depression. If and when we do find ourselves slipping into this mode of scrolling and comparison we need to be reminded of what Paul encourages us to do, and  “take every thought captive to obey Christ” . 2 Cor 10:5 . Prayer : Dear Lord, May we more and more fix our eyes on You and not the facade of social media. Amen.

There are many different kinds of suffering and therefore many reasons why we may struggle with depression, despair and darkness. Last time in part 1, we outlined the fact the Jesus is the ultimate way and the answer to overcoming darkness in our lives. Here in part 2, we will look at some practical steps to help that truth become a reality for each and every one of us. Today we look at confession. Confession of sin There may be issues in our lives which are keeping us from not experiencing God’s power to overcome the darkness. Maybe we need to confess that we have looked to other things instead of prioritising our relationship with Christ. These things can end up becoming idols that ultimately want our attention. In other words we become addicted. The only real healthy addiction we need in life is that of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. So let me encourage you as indeed I encourage myself to confess anything that is consuming your time and therefore keeping you in darkness. 1 John 1:5-10 Even focusing on suffering can be a form of idolatry which needs to be confessed and repented of in order for Christ to take up His rightful place. I have written before about this form of idolatry. Let me encourage you to have a look. https://www.strengthinsuffering.com/post/on-the-cusp-of-idolatry In no way am I denying the reality of suffering and the long journey that many of us take to find a way through it and find some normality again. I have written at length in many blogs on this website regarding this. However, we do need to consider seriously how dwelling on suffering can affect us. It could be that we’ve allowed ourselves to look at things that are unhealthy. Such as pornography, drugs, the new age, other religions, social media, gambling. These things can hinder us from experiencing the penetrating light of Jesus. Therefore, we need to confess and repent because in doing so we will allow the light of Christ to penetrate those addictions so that we can walk in freedom and the life He wants for us. Confession of Christ Maybe for some reading this you haven’t yet made that commitment to following Christ. Now would be a good time to do so. Scripture is clear about this. “ …if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Romans 10:9-10 ESV See our page on ‘Journey with God’ https://www.strengthinsuffering.com/journeywithgod The word ‘save’ here is sozo in Greek. It can mean, to save, to rescue, to deliver, to heal, to preserve, to cure. So in confessing and believing we are saved from our sins, Matthew 1:21  When we are saved from our sins we are healed and delivered and rescued. Now, obviously we still experience sin, both our own and of those people around us. So the presence of sin is still very much with us. However the power of sin has been broken and we no longer need to live enslaved to sin any longer. Romans 6 If we are, then we need to go back to my first point here and seek God through repentance, confession and if need be the help of a brother or sister to help us walk through the issues. The bottom line is that in order for us to walk in the light and not darkness we need to act. For some this can be very quick and people have been delivered instantly. For others it can take time. Either way, God want us to be directed toward His light so that we are continually walking out of darkness into His wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 Someone has once said that ‘man’s hour of darkness is God’s hour of power’. God delights to meet us where we’re at so He can show His power in our lives. Prayer : Father, thank You that You want to set me free from all those things that hold me back from truly walking with You. Help me to take the steps I need to in order to live the life You have for me. May I be humble enough to reach out to ask for help when needed. Amen.

Mark 2:3-5 NLT “four men arrived carrying a paralysed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralysed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” There are moments in life when we just need to let others help us. Times when we feel so paralysed by our circumstances or suffering that we can do nothing in and of ourselves. Looking back for me, there were a few key people who really helped me in the days following our son’s accident, people who brought me to Jesus. How? you might ask. Well first and foremost by simply being there. By praying for me when I had no words. By weeping with me when tears were my closest friend. By sharing scripture with me to bring comfort and strength when I felt my whole world had been torn apart. It has been said that people can’t do what only Jesus can do. Whilst that is true, there is also a responsibility on each of us to carry those who are suffering so that they can begin to see Jesus again and reach out to Him. In the story in Mark chapter 2, there are four men bringing a paralysed man to Jesus and here we have a clear example of others carrying, because the man could not reach Jesus unless they took him. As far as we know this would mean that he wouldn’t have encountered Jesus or healing. This noble act of others enabled his life to be touched and ultimately changed. These men, whether friends or strangers took the time and effort to take him to Jesus and even dig a hole through the roof to lower him down because of the large crowd. Jesus saw that their faith was great. So often we equate faith with mental ascent, and I’m sure they believed that Jesus could heal, however, I prefer to think they had something that is called in Hebrew, ‘chutzpah’ . They had a dogged determination  to get this man to Jesus and because of that, Jesus rewarded that faith. The text doesn’t suggest that the man paralysed had any faith, but the men who got him through certainly did. There are times when we need to push through for the sake of the one suffering. They may or may not know God but could have suffered to such an extent that they don’t experience Him any longer. That’s where those around us who do know Jesus need to step up. Sometimes the numbness, pain, helplessness and darkness that our circumstances can leave us in can mean we are just too exhausted to reach out to the Lord for help. Perhaps some are able to hang on by fingertip faith. Hang on for dear life. https://www.strengthinsuffering.com/post/fingertip-faith Thankfully in my life, others stepped in to help, others needed to wash my feet and help me back up so I could start to walk again. I recently spoke on washing one another’s feet. https://www.strengthinsuffering.com/post/following-jesus-example-footwashing When people are suffering, there is a great opportunity for each of us to reach out and help, washing feet so to speak. Of course wisdom and patience and so many other things are needed when supporting those who are hurting. But reach out we must. Go the extra mile we must. Even when that person is seemingly doing well and back on track, we need to check in on them to make sure they’re experiencing Jesus. So often we want quick fixes in life and then to move onto the next thing, but very often it is not like that and there are people with whom you will need to be there for for the long haul. That’s where this idea of chutzpah comes in. A dogged, persistence, I won’t let you go until you bless me attitude. We need that for ourselves but we also need that in order to reach out to those in need. Prayer: Dear Lord, we know that You long to touch people’s lives. May we be an instrument in that process. Help us take up the opportunities that You put before us. Amen

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it”   John 1:5 NLT. For anyone who has suffered in some way, darkness can be a very present reality. Mental darkness is something that many people face today particularly since Covid. Depression, anxiety and stress are a few examples of mental pressures upon us. Charles Spurgeon who suffered bouts of depression throughout his life wrote: “The mind can descend far lower than the body. For [the mind] there are bottomless pits. The flesh can bear only a certain number of wounds and no more, but the soul can bleed in ten thousand ways, and die over and over again each hour”. Imagine being in a pitch black physical environment for a long period with absolutely no light whatsoever, not even a glimpse. This is what it can feel like for people suffering with mental darkness too. They can’t seem to find a way out. Sometimes people try and find a glimpse of light by using alcohol, drugs, pornography etc. The problem is, these things are just another form of darkness that exacerbates the darkness they already have. It’s never the solution. We will often try anything to get away from the terrible darkness that we feel. We all know that when we turn the light on at night, it expels the darkness. Therefore light is the only solution to darkness. Jesus said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 Jesus is the true light and He alone can deal with darkness. When we follow Him we have the light with us - the light of life. I have followed Jesus for 33 years and yet when my son had an horrific accident I was plunged into a depth of mental darkness that I didn’t know was possible. Jesus hadn’t changed but my circumstances had. My life changed within a split second but Jesus was still the same. Often our situations in life can cloud us from walking in light. We find ourselves ending up walking in darkness, not by choice but by circumstance. I have to make a conscious decision each and every day and throughout the day to follow Jesus and walk in light. Darkness is never that far away for any of us but especially if you have suffered greatly. In fact for some darkness is so close it has, in a sense, become a friend. The psalmist experienced this feeling in Psalm 88:18. Jesus the light bearer walks with us in the darkness until there is a time when we come out of the darkness. That’s always His desire, that we are not under a constant cloud of depression and despair. We know on a cloudy gloomy day that the sun is only behind the clouds. The clouds, however, limit the sun’s true effectiveness. Once the clouds begin to break the sun can then shine in its brilliance. We all need God to break the clouds of mental struggle. I am able to write this today because I have a reason for the “hope that is in me”   1 Peter 3:15 . God has helped me through desperate times of darkness and He can for you too. In our struggles let us hold onto Jesus, the hope of the world, the light of the world. May we echo the words of the prophet, “Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light” Yes there will be times of darkness but Jesus the Lord is greater. Next time we will look at some steps that we can take to help us better overcome darkness. Prayer: Dear Lord, You know what it’s like to suffer mental anguish especially as You approached the cross. You therefore sympathise with us in our weakness and we thank You. Help each of us to hold onto You and help us to point others to You in their struggles. Amen