July 26, 2024 – Experiencing Growth Through Suffering
John 16:33
Sermon: 2470 Learning to Endure, Part 2
Pray Over This
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
Ponder This
Don’t get the idea that the Christian life is all sunlight and roses without any heartaches. There is tribulation, and Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation.” If you’re going through deep sorrow, trouble, pain, anguish, and disappointment, that doesn’t mean something has gone wrong; it means that the Word of God is true. So, when you face temptation from the enemy, what should you do? You should pray and praise God.
I was looking this morning at Psalm 4:1. The psalmist said, “Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress” (KJV). When have you grown the most—when you had no problems or when stress came? More often than not, we grow when problems have come and we have learned to endure. Not only does enjoyment come, but enlargement comes. Maturity comes. Your physical body is under stress when you’re lifting weights, but then your muscles begin to grow. If we want to be mature Christians, we need to understand the place endurance and hardship have in our faith. These are the places where we grow.
- When have you experienced growth by enduring a difficult time?
- What does it look like to praise God in a difficult time? Who has been an example of such an attitude in your life?
Practice This
Encourage someone you know who is facing difficulty right now.
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