Suffering And Renewal

Here is the third in the Steve Tanner series on Psalm 119. If you have not had a chance to read the entire Psalm yet this week, why not take a few moments now. Enjoy the reading and thanks again Steve:

Psalms 119:65-104
Key verses: Psalms 119:87-89 (New American Standard) They almost destroyed me on earth, But as for me, I did not forsake Your precepts. {88} Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth. {89} Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.

Bro. Bob recently shared a message from Romans about how God uses suffering in our lives. He pointed out where the Apostle Paul speaks to what suffering can produce in the life of a Christian: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; (4) perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4 NIV). (emphases mine)

When is the last time you suffered? When is the last time your faith got you “in trouble?” When is the last time you were singled out for persecution simply because you believed in God? In nations today where the Church is persecuted daily, one hears statements like “well, the LAST time I went to jail for reading a Bible....” Can you imagine that? I point that out not to diminish the sufferings we endure, but to point out that people really do suffer for their faith in this dawn of the third century since the birth of Christ.

For whatever reason you suffer, you, as a believer, can claim God’s promise that the suffering will produce perseverance, character, and hope. And did you notice how the psalmist dealt with the sufferings he experienced? Verse 88 says “I did not forsake Your precepts.” Precepts is one more way to refer to the Law or Word of God. And if God’s Word is sufficient to cling to in times of distress, surely it is sufficient to cling to for revival. In other words, if God’s Word will lead us out of the dark valley, surely it will also lead us to the mountain top.

Perhaps it is the lesson in suffering that brings about the reality of revival.

Pray today that you will remember God’s Word in the midst of suffering and in the desire for revival.