Christ said, "...in this world, you will have tribulation..." Struggle and pain are inevitable in a broken world made up of broken people -- you and I included. To say it another way, we should not be surprised by struggle or think God has abandoned us when we do. If we do not understand this we will be inclined to have a pity party or even despair when things go wrong, thinking something's *uniquelywrong with us.
We will also be tempted to posture our lives so that avoidance of pain is our primary focus i.e. we will seek comfort and make pleasure our greatest pursuit. Eat drink and be merry, we may think, for tomorrow we die.
This of course, would be a mistake since struggle is not without a **good purpose.
Is life only tribulation, struggle, suffering? No. We can legitimately rejoice in and enjoy the good gifts God provides. But, obtaining and enjoying His gifts is not meant to be our focus; God’s glory is. The irony and surprise is when we experience God's glory we also find ***our greatest joy and pleasure.
Once we understand that struggle is inevitable, the question then becomes whether we engage tribulation passively or actively; willingly or unwillingly.
There is active and Passive Suffering. Though they both ****can result in our conformity to Christ they're not the same in how we engage them.
Passivesuffering occurs when we experience loss through circumstances we do not choose i.e. outside our control e.g. someone mistreating us, sickness -- us or loved ones, loss of some gift i.e. job or material possession etc.
Activesuffering is to willingly -- and willfully -- be a living sacrifice. It is choosing daily to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Christ.
If we do not willfully (actively) participate in suffering, we will still experience passive suffering simply because the world is broken but also because God *****is always working to make us like his Son no matter how much we intentionally or unintentionally, willfully or unwillingly participate.
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*And of course something is wrong with us. I'm referring to something being uniquely wrong, when in fact we all experience the same plight i.e. that verse is not just for us alone. The “you” referred to is a universal you.
**For a fuller discussion of that good purpose click here.
*** For a fuller discussion of Gods glory being our greatest joy clickhere.
**** In both active and passive suffering, trust is central. We must trust God is working for our good -- i.e. to make us Christlike -- if we are to fully gain the benefit He intends from struggles.
*****And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
