Suffering & Prayer

Our greatest example, Jesus Christ, prayed to have it “all” (His suffering and crucifixion) removed if possible but immediately followed up with an understanding and submission to the greater glory of God - Not My will but yours be done! (Matt 26.39).

Sometimes I prayed about my problems without regards to the depth of God’s sovereignty or glory. I prayed “God, please give me money, please restore my health, please make everything good, please fix all my problems”. While those are natural desires and not necessarily wrong to pray, I need to be ready for God’s answer that may very well involve more suffering thru and without.

I should really be praying, “Lord, you know my heart and what I would like to see happen, but what is most important to me is that You are glorified in my suffering to the greatest possible degree. So, Father, I ask that You open my spiritual eyes and show me what brings You the most glory even if it does not fix my problems like I want, even if it does not grant my desire, or restore what is lost or what I am missing/craving.”

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

If God receives greater glory through my greater suffering (1Pet 3.17), then suffering is the answer to my prayers (1Pet 2.19).

If the Lord is magnified in the lives around me through a loss of material possession, then take it all.

If the Son of God is lifted up through tragedy in my life, then let the tragedies begin (1Pet 4.16)!

It’s all a question of true priorities. Which is more important - my comfort? The restoration of my marriage? My emotional healing? Our prosperity? Or is the glory of God and the Lord Jesus Christ more important(Phil 3.8-10)?

No matter what - I need to pray for and accept the answer to prayer that brings the greatest glory to God (Rom 8.18).

1 Peter 2:21 - For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps;

YES, God can be glorified by healing us, blessing us materially and restoring what is broken in our lives. But if that is where we stop, then we are settling for only a portion of God’s blessing - and a lesser portion at that. We’re setting up other Christians to have a “faith crisis” when suffering and trials become God’s will for them.

Thank you, Brent Riggs at http://www.seriousfaith.com