A Pinnacle Of Suffering - What A Deception! Mother's Beware!

Some people will almost "honor themselves" because of past suffering. They will look back at their past and actually place their suffering on a Pinnacle to gaze upon and think, "Look what I have been through, most people would never have been able to suffer like that."  - This kind of thinking produces pride and God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

 Dearest Mothers,
Where is your pinnacle? Pinnacle: A lofty peak

We live in a world of suffering. It falls on the just and the unjust, afflicting all of us at some time.
"My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways" (Isaiah 55:8
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God has a reason for allowing suffering in our lives. I believe the greatest reason for the believer to suffer is to bring us on our knees to God acknowledging our need for Him and our helplessness without Him.

Some people suffer because they are Christians who actively give the gospel so others might know the Lord Jesus Christ the Only Savior and way of salvation. Just as God's Word warns- people will slander those who are active in the work of the Lord they will speak all manner of evil against you falsely for His Name sake. (But rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in Heaven!)

 Some women suffer internally because of the difficulty they are having with husbands or frustrations with children. Many women suffer sacrificially and often hold that particular sacrifice on an elevated plane. Do you know what I mean?  Sacrificially a women may resolve to "suffer for God" - secretly and be willing to go through tremendous sorrow and hardships because she believes it is for God and it is well pleasing to Him for her to suffer this way. She might even believe it gives her more favor with God as He observes her sacrifice. But this way of thinking can produce pride in the heart- a pride that some may think is humility- it's very deceptive but it is pride.

There are many examples of what I am talking about. The first is from the previous paragraph. The women suffering secretly and holding that suffering as a special sacrifice to God. A Catholic priest or nun giving their entire lives over to the Catholic Church and secretly suffering as a sacrifice to god. A Hindu monk or priest sacrificing their lives and living in a remote mountain as a secret sacrifice in meditation and worship of their idol gods. A Muslim man or woman sacrificing their time and lives over to prayer and worship of Allah secretly sacrifice their own wishes and desires and reasoning to the god they serve.

This type of suffering is a type of self-inflicted suffering. Perhaps those sacrificing and suffering think it shows a form of great humility and love. Some of these people have complexions that "Beam". They look clean and fresh in eyes and face. But the truth is- it's all from pride, a self righteousness. If a person believes their sacrifice and suffering is for a holy cause and they are in good standing with God and man, then they will feel really good about themselves and it shows in their outward lives. However it is one of the greatest deceptions I have ever seen because it is and act of human will and self motivation which will send them straight to hell for nothing good can come from the heart of man. Jeremiah 17:9-10  "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings"

 Some people will almost "honor themselves" because of past suffering. They will look back at their past and actually place their suffering on a Pinnacle to gaze upon and think, "Look what I have been through, most people would never have been able to suffer like that."  - This kind of thinking produces pride and God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

So now, why am I bringing this up? It's because there is a warning here for Christian mothers. Please be careful how you perceive the suffering you go through. Consider all suffering as a gift from God. He is merciful to allow us to go through suffering!
 Why does God allow us to go through suffering? As I said in the first paragraph of this post - I believe the greatest reason for the believer to suffer is to bring us on our knees to God acknowledging our need for Him and our helplessness without Him. What better place for a child of God to be but on our knees seeking help from our Lord Jesus and crying out to Him for mercy? Can you not see how kind it is of God to allow us to suffer to bring us closer to Him? But if you will consider suffering as a gift from God- you will no longer consider it as a sacrifice on your part.

What we must come to realize is, we have done NOTHING for God! But He has done EVERYTHING for us! If you are saved and a child of God through Jesus Christ and born again of the Spirit of God, you will come to realize how great a thing God has done. We do not deserve His mercy and forgiveness yet He saved us and is shaping and forming us into His image, and that means we must go through allot of dieing to self which means suffering and chastening. We should be on our knees thanking God for loving us so much to actually move in such a way in our lives to soften hard hearts so to be molded into His image!

"And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children, My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not? But if you be without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are you illegitimate children, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them who are trained by it. Therefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed." (Hebrews 12:5-13)

 So please count it all joy when you are allowed to suffer!

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)


In His Love,
Sarah