Why Suffer?

Blessed are the poor in spirit. —Matthew 5:3

Source: Our Daily Bread email subscription...

Jesus taught that the world seen from God’s viewpoint is tilted in favor of the oppressed. This teaching emerges in the Sermon on the Mount and other statements of Jesus: the first will be last (Matt. 19:30; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30), and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 14:11; 18:14). But why would God single out the oppressed for special attention?

1. Suffering helps us realize our urgent need for redemption.

2. Suffering helps us experience our dependence on God and our interdependence with one another.

3. Suffering helps us distinguish between necessities and luxuries.

4. Suffering helps us respond to the call of the gospel because we may have become so desperate that we cry out to God.

The poor, the hungry, the mourners, and those who suffer are blessed (Matt. 5:3-6) because their lack of self-sufficiency is obvious to them every day. They must turn somewhere for strength. People who are rich, successful, and beautiful may go through life relying on their natural gifts. But people who are needy, dependent, and dissatisfied with life are more likely to welcome God’s free gift of love.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Why? Because “theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3). —Philip Yancey

The hardships we experience,
The trials that we face,
Will teach us that we’re strongest when
We’re trusting in God’s grace. —Sper

The weaker we feel, the harder we lean on God.

************************************************

With a world going crazy all the time, and with people values changing from bad to worst. It's not going to be easy holding on to what you believe.

Even dreams that lifted you up, could be heartbreaking. Well, truth hurts.

Just the other day, while at my mum's, we started talking about my childhood again. Growing up in my family wasn't easy. Well, even though being the youngest was already taking it easy, still, life was tough.

As much as i could remember, my childhood days were violent. either I witness my parents fighting, my sisters being beaten or myself being whacked.

Mum was thankful that Dad didn't kill me on several occassions. She was sharing with me how my 2nd sis witness a father hitting a child so badly, that the child couldn't stop bleeding. Soon ambulance came.

So that's when i shared what happened when i was about 10 or 11. Dad was mad at me coz i was home late. I was at my friend's home preparing a gift for my 2nd sis. I recalled he asked me to bathe, and thereafter, hang up the laundry.

While doing the laundry, i somehow accidentally broke a chopstick. Dad stormed into the kitchen, grabbed my face, and slapped me to and fro. Kinda like most of the Stephen Chow movies, where he slaps the ugly woman that way.

In the end, my left cheek was bruised and swollen, coz his back hand was heavier. He put my sis's whitening solution or whatsoever on it, and ask me to take money from my mum, and to lie that i fell down if she asked. At that time, mum was working as a cashier in a nearby gas station.

So i went and asked. Mum saw my swollen cheek and asked what happen.

So i said, "I fell down lor"

I thank God for mum, coz she knew me so so well.

Mum replied," If you really fell down, that'll be the first thing you say to me once you step thru the door!"

And of course dad got his share of scolding and mum comforted me =) And i did give my 2nd sis the jotter book filled with activities, which afterwards either she or me, felt it was too childish. Ah well..

Looking back, even through my adolescent years as I was working. I would say, God has His hand holding on to me all the time =)

Thank You Lord.

ps. In case you're wondering, yes I still forgave my dad =)