I was sitting on a bench enjoying the company of my bride, the warmth of sunlight, the taste of coffee and the passing of Christmas shoppers. I was reading from a “throw-down” in the book of James. Before all that started, I sat next to a grandma type and considered giving her my Bible. I did a heart check. It seemed this one was not getting a Bible. She left and my bride came back having bagged her game.
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I am reading James many times currently. It is a letter to his friends. I think it pretty cool to read a personal letter. It is unlikely James would lie to his brothers and sisters of grace. That has a nice sound to it: Brothers and Sisters of Grace. I think that will describe people of Fresh Connection.
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James talks about tests and trials are like gifts from God. He then goes on to say gifts are like rivers of light flowing down from the heavens. It would seem you can conclude that tests and trials (ie suffering) can be like rivers of light flowing down from the heavens. Interesting. This brings me to the question, “Does suffering have to hurt?”
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Sometimes taking an idea to the extreme helps me understand a question better. I have read although never experience it, that martyrs going through extreme torture have told how they were outside their body watching the torture take place. I assume the pain of the torture stayed with the body and this was God’s intervention. So somewhere between the pain of someone of being “bad mouthed” and someone pulling my fingernails out lies the answer to the question.
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“Does suffering have to hurt?” I don’t know… the bajanpoet wants to know.
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God Spots 
i am going to sort of answer this with a question–hope that is okay—first, suffering certainly hurts for me and i wait for the gifts of light—i have been told by “others” that if i had enough “faith”, “belief”, “christian–good enough” then the hurting would not be so bad, nor painful—guess i am wondering is that the “truth”????? is that the problem for me?? just a question
Yeah like I said elsewhere – Jesus still had his cross to bear – along with all the pain of it – not to mention the emotional agony of Gethsemane…. even although he believed completely in his Father. The word says that he endured the suffering of the cross for the joy set before him…. he endured because the reward made it worth it. Never said anything about the suffering, the pain, being dulled because of his belief!
Hi Archie;
Of course suffering has to hurt, otherwise it would not be known as suffering. It’s all in the definition. 🙂
No pain, no gain they used to say.
Suffering has to hurt! It does hurt it will hurt, but within that hurt God brings restoration to us. The extent of our pain is not a measure of how “good or bad a christian” we are. With every season of life there will be hurts along the way snd suffering it is how we allow God to work through us and if we are surrendered fully to him how long and agonizing it will be. This is what I am learning currently in my life. It isn’t easy but God is loving and full of grace!
Thank you Michelle. You have earned the right to speak. God bless.
Look at this post based on suffering and integrity http://allm92.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/cupped-hands-2/
As Heidi says: