Question about suffering

[Brian2944]

I’ve been trying to understand suffering in the light of offering them to Christ in unity with His passion. I’m kind of puzzled about a couple of things which I cannot find an answer for:

1. What sufferings can be applied this way? What about sufferings caused by our own sins (addictions, financial problems, marriage difficulties, self caused health problems, etc.)? Are we “able” to offer these sufferings to Christ?
2. What are some “tactics” for doing this? How do we do this? What are we thinking in able to do this?

I hope I explained this like I wanted to.

God Bless

 

[Pax]

Let’s look at some scripture first:

Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Rom 8:17
and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ-**if, in fact, we suffer with him **so that we may also be glorified with him.

2Cor 1:6-7
If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are also suffering. Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our consolation.
(we must all endure sufferings and afflictions)

Col 1:24
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,

Our sufferings are only meaningful if we offer them to God in faith, hope, and love. We must be in a state of grace and we must be following Jesus as we carry our own cross. Our sufferings can be due to past sins and mistakes, but they will only have meaning and value if we have repented and turned our love to God. The repentence gives even greater glory to God because it is by his grace that we have turned from those things that have hurt us. The scars that may remain become glorious signs of the Father’s work in our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. Accepting that part of our cross is a great blessing because it helps provide a detachment from sinful desires.

Self pity, anger, resentment, jealousy and any other such attitude that we attach to suffering will effectively make that suffering “me centered” rather than “Christ centered.” If we are me centered there is no value and what we do is not pleasing to God. We must be Christ centered in all things and ask for God’s grace of perseverance and mercy to unite our sufferings to those of the Lord Jesus.

 

[Brian2944]

Thanks Pax for the reply,

I’m still a little confused. For some reason Its so hard for me not to see sufferings by are own sins as punishment for those sins. Its very easy for me to see the sufferings like born diseases, family death, etc. because that person would be sufferings things which they did not bring on themselves.

Let’s take an example, it may not be a good one:

If somebody is having money troubles, and must go out and get an additional job. Now of course thats not really suffering compared to worse things, but lack of sleep, stress, and physical pain due to it could be called a form of suffering.

Now could it be said that if he would have went to college, or worked harder for a promotion he would be making enough money to not be in the pinch that he is in now. So his lack of work ethic has caused him problems and he is now reaping what he sowed.

Would not God respond by saying, “If you would have followed me from the beginning you would not have to struggle today”? Since he is a God of justice would He not be punishing this person?

Thanks for the help so far,
God Bless

 

[LilyM]

Suffering that is the result of your own sin can be offered by you in atonement for that sin, in union with the sufferings of Jesus which were also in atonement for your sin. IE taking your medicine for what you’ve done without complaining or flinching.

In any event, in no case can you say HOW MUCH of the suffering is justified by the sin and how much is MORE than the sin deserves. There’s almost never a perfect correlation between the two.

In any event, I tend to specially offer the suffering I know I’m going to endure while trying to do the right but difficult thing.

For example, if I were the lazy man might say ‘Lord, I know I’m in this mess because of my laziness, I resolve to work hard to pull myself out of it. It’s going to be painful but I offer that pain to you’.