Getting through times of suffering.

We've all been there. Something happens to you and you're thrown out of the loop for like a week. Doesn't it really bite?
This morning I was walking to homeroom when I felt a sharp pain in my butt. At first I was like "Ah! What the dashes?!" but then I realized what it was: the world just bit me in the butt.
But whatever! I got over it! I enjoy trials, it builds character, lol.
Ever seen one of those motivational posters? You know, the ones that shows a beautiful picture, shows a word, and then puts a short sentence or two under it? Well, I remember seeing one that showed someone in the military doing an extremely tiring workout drill. The word said PAIN, and it read under it "pain is fear leaving the body.".
Have we ever been afraid of pain? Think about it: most of us run away from pain. There are very few people who will stay in a situation that causes pain.
When the human body is in danger, it unleashes hidden energy in the form of Adrenelin. Adrenelin is a chemical in your body that is realesed in times of stress or danger. It heightens your senses and gives you incredible bursts of strength. When this happens, people act in a way called the "Flight or Fight Syndrom". Basically, someone gets this energy and either runs away from the problem or stays and fights it.
I remember seeing a video on the news of when a man crashed a small helicopter into a ditch. He fell out of the helicopter and it rolled on top of him. The helicopter was holding him under the mud as his friends looked on in horror. Suddenly, his friend (who was a little on the heavy side) runs to the helicopter screaming his name. He grabs the helicopter's landing gear, and puts all of his energy into lifting the weight of the helicopter. You can hear him scream in agony as all of his life goes into moving the huge weight. He finally lifts it just enough for people to drag the pilot out from under the helicopter. This man used the "Fight" part of the "Flight or Fight Syndrom" by facing his adversary, which was the helicopter.
Have we ever been in a time of trial? Some of us have. I know I've been in a couple of life-threatening situations. I thank God that I chose to "Fight" the problem rather than run from it. (I'll go into detail about what happened in the instances in another post.)

As Christians, what do we have to lose from suffering? Think about it: how many of you know the benefits of suffering? I know it sounds crazy, but suffering does have a point to it!
Think on this verse:
Romans 5:3-4, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."
That's right! Suffering makes us harder, better, faster, stronger. Okay, maybe not quite like the song (some of you will know what I'm talking about), but it does give us perseverance, character, and hope.
Hope. It is a wonderful thing. Hope alone has kept people alive while out in the wilderness, lost. It is the will to live, the will to push forward, the knowledge that whatever you are going through at this moment wont last forever.
Think on these verses:

*1 Corinthians 4:12, "We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;"

*2 Corinthians 1:7, "And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."

*2 Corinthians 4:17, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."

*2 Timothy 2:12, "if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;"

*James 5:10, "5:10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord."

*1 Peter 4:1, "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin."

We see here that we are called to endure sufferings! Looking at this, you may even look forward to sufferings! Okay, maybe not, but you look forward to the end result.
Suffering produces:
*perseverance
*character
*hope
So tonight, let's all thank God for His guidance through our sufferings to our reward, eternal life with Him.

1 John 3:16, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."