Suffering on Behalf of the Church

Many Faces of Wisdom Faith and Wisdom in James Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5)    Faith and Wisdom Colossians 1:24-29 The Message 24-25 I want you to know how glad I am that it’s me sitting here in this jail and not you. There’s a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world—the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church’s part of that suffering. When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God’s way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth. 26-29 This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery, in a nutshell, is just this: Christ is in you, so, therefore, you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That’s what I’m working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.   For Reflection At its worst, suffering is painful. At best, it becomes our motive for spiritual growth. Paul had both the faith and capacity to see beyond his pain into the will of God. He saw his suffering as an opportunity to write about the truth of God's will for all to share in God's capacity for goodness. Pray Pray and grow into spiritual maturity. Pray and share the goodness of God. Forward to a friend