Skip to main content

IBS 21 - Hebrews 5:8

IBS 21
Hebrews 5:8
“Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered…”

Growing up, you don’t think that suffering would ever teach you obedience. Your mom or dad would come in and punish you whether by spanking you or putting you in time out. Either way, each of those are a small form of suffering. And, most kids, are taught obedience through that. Some kids don’t care and will have to be in time out for a lot longer, but hopefully will eventually learn obedience. 
I grew up with a mean mouth in what I said and the way I said it, and a sassy attitude towards my family. I didn’t listen to what they said and I was so harsh towards my brothers. As a result, I would get punished, suffering in a way. But I learned. It took years, and I still have to work on how I say things, but I learned. I’m more aware and careful. 
Suffering doesn’t mean immediate obedience. Suffering might have to go on for a long time. Just like the potter and the clay; if the clay didn’t submit to the potter and mold the way the potter wanted it too, it would fight, struggle, and suffer. It would be on the wheel a lot longer. Some clay will mold easier then others and some have to be worked on.
My older brother hardly ever fought God. Basically from day one he’s been obedient. He, like everyone, has had their own form of suffering, but he’s never taken his eyes off of God, always longing to do what God calls him to do. Me, on the other hand, have always wanted to do what I wanted to do, not really caring about what God wanted me to do. I’ve suffered in my own way as well, learning a lot slower then my brother, the obedience that God desires for us to have. 

Application: I will write out “learning obedience from suffering” on paper and keep it in my pocket as a reminder that suffering results in more obedience. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

IBS 41 - Philippians 3:8

Philippians 3:8 “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” Losing all things to gain Christ, considering them garbage. That’s intense. That’s hard to do. It takes a lot of faith and trust to get to that point. It’s one step at a time. Growing up, I’d here this verse. “You have to get rid of everything to have Christ.” That scared me, I didn’t want to get rid of my baby dolls and nail polish. As I got older, I learned the deeper truth to this verse. It’s not just giving up items, it’s giving up bad habits, your wants, your rights. It’s giving it all to God to know Him better.  When God told me to do Potter’s Field, I said no. I didn’t want to give anything up. I wanted to keep control, doing what I wanted to do, following my own dreams, holding on to earthly possessions. As God worked on my heart, it got harder to say no....
Post a Comment
Read more

BS 32 - Luke 17:7-10

Luke 17:7-10 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Won’t he rather say, “Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”  Wow. These verses are tough. It’s always nice to be told thank you when you do something. Whether it was asked of you or not. It’s just common curtesy. But if it’s your job, then why should you be thanked? Like it says, you did what was told of you; your job!  I know I always want to be thanked when I do something. Even if it is my job or not. And all my life I have been thanked. I’ve taken those “thank you Anna”! and stored them in my heart thinking that that’s wh...
Post a Comment
Read more

IBS 10 - Ephesians 5:15-17

Ephesians 5:15-17 “Be very careful , then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.  I always sit there thinking, “If I can just make it through (whatever it is that’s going on), then I’ll be okay. I just have to get to that point, where I want to be, and I’ll be okay.” If I was in church, it’d be to make it till the sermon is over; at school it’d be till lunch, then till school’s over. I’ve always been waiting, saying just make it to the next point. “Just wait till I graduate. Till I leave for Potter’s Field. Till the Field. Till Re-entry. Till I go home. I’ve never sat there actually being present. As Tessia’s last Inductive Bible Study says, she’s been asleep. Well, me too. I’ve been living my life like a zombie, I’ve been dead. Waiting for the next thing to come along. Not ever paying attention. Dead asleep.  I’m tired of ...
Post a Comment
Read more