Persevering Through Suffering

Job 53:15-21, ‘But those who suffer He delivers in their suffering; He speaks to them in their suffering. He is wooing you from the joys of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. But now you are laden with the judgment due to the wicked; judgment and justice have taken hold of you. Be careful that no one entices you by riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside. Would your wealth or even all your mighty effort sustain you so you would not be in distress? Do not long for the night, to drag people away from their homes. Beware of turning to evil which you seem to prefer to affliction.’ Suffering causes discomfort to us and we try as much as possible to avoid it. But we should not despair when faced with suffering because suffering brings perseverance and perseverance builds hope and hope gives us joy in the Lord Jesus Christ that though we suffer now, it is only for a short while and our reward awaits us, those that will not give up but hold on till the end when our Lord returns. Suffering only destroys the body and its sinful desires, teaching and giving us the power to be master over our body by living a life of denial but wickedness and evil destroy our soul forever. The sinners will face judgment and suffer eternal death for their wickedness. But how many of us are so fearful of this temporary suffering, shunning it to the point of being willing to become wicked, engaging in sin, killing, stealing, and even selling their souls to the Devil, just so that they may escape this suffering. How foolish it is to trade in your treasures in heaven for treasures in jars of clay, to trade the immortal for the mortal, yet that is what most of us are doing today, seeking fleeting pleasures instead of the joy from God, preferring the love of things instead of the unconditional and boundless love of God. Rejoice in your suffering which God uses to refine and purify you, so that you may be complete and mature, lacking nothing.