Class Opportunity - Suffering 301 - Who wants to sign up?

Can you guess what it is?

Suffering.

And I for one, know that's true.

Two years ago, one of my closest friends for more than two decades gave me a gift. She gave me these words in a frame:

"We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope." - Romans 5:3-5

I didn't even put it up anywhere. I was so tired of suffering. I put it in a closet because I didn't want to be reminded of all I had been through as if that would somehow solve it.

When I moved in May of this year, I re-gifted it to my friend Thomas who was moving to Portland. He liked it when he was helping me pack my stuff up and I said "you can have it." Thomas knows suffering too.

If you asked most Christians - do you want to be a disciple of Christ? I think they would say "sure". But if you asked them if they wanted to sign up for a Suffering 301 Class, they would say "no way".

For me, I had a choice to make in the storm. Was I going to continue to trust in my own power and strength or was I going to surrender to Jesus? Surrender is actually an act of trust as much as anything else. I made the decision in November of 08 to find out really who this Jesus is. I was always a Christian but until then, I was still in control. I didn't want to please Jesus anywhere near as much as I wanted to please myself. That changed that day as I began to leave everything behind and follow Him - just like the disciples. It's easier to travel with less baggage - as we all know. And I'm not just talking about forgiveness when I write this - I'm talking about actually deciding that my life is in His hands. I let go of everything - past regrets, hurts, incredible pain, my own way - I decided to trust in the only one who really has any real control anyway and accept His love.

With that, I know I will be walking this out for the rest of my life. I sometimes feel like I'm in some sort of 12 step program because it really is a daily decision I make. I was hard-wired to respond to the world around me so differently. I have to stay close to Jesus or I'll slip back into old behaviors. Sometimes I still find myself grabbing that wheel but I know the ride is so much better when he's driving.

I don't know how or if this will encourage you today. When my sweet friend gave me the picture - she meant it for my good but I didn't see it that way at that time. I do now. But then again perhaps the creator of the frame didn't get it right either because at the end of that verse it says "And hope does not disappoint us...."

My hope is in Jesus Christ. He is my Savior in every sense of the word. And I know for certain that my suffering led me straight to Him.

Jesus always asks though. He's a real gentleman. "Do you want to follow me?" It's your choice. Suffering can produce perseverance, character and hope or it can produce misery, pain and more desperation. Only you can decide which road to take.

If you want to see Blackhawk's teaching on this subject, please visit http://www.blackhawkchurch.org/resources/this_weeks_message.php