It’s All in Your Mind

.. kind of complex many times. But we should not have a martyr's complex, thinking God is going to send the worst. Many Christians are praying for growth, maturity and spiritual increase; it will probably have to come through suffering. In describing the sufferings of Christ, Hebrews 12:2 says, "70/w. ""' du ~ dud lJJD,J, H1 ~/,ou him t'Mll.lld flu.~ dnphin.q,, du J.hantL" Christ looked to the joy that was set before Him. The writer of Hebrews backtracks and explains what happened before that joy began; enduring the cross and despising the shame came before the joy. Maturity comes through suffering. In Hebrews 12:11 we read, "f'll..om. ff.f). ~ /,o-, du. p,,..wd J.llHU1h fh- In ~ hni tpU.IUJUL" That's a very human word. Grievousness causes heavy-heartedness. It causes emotional pressures. There are pressures with chastening and suffering. but the writer says, "r;Jfuudluf.ut a /J.ou ,.mJ_ i1. g1J.deJh flu. p10.P.lli.OU /,ail. tJ/, ~..u unlo t1um wluJ,, nn aumnL lluHmJ." Joy is preceded by sorrow. Suffering precedes maturity. Don't be mistaken, however, God is not against you. First Peter 5:10 reminds us, "<Bui the .f ;J.nd tJ/, all fJ.lllll, wlw kolh Nii.hd tu u.nlo- hh. efuJUil tµMtJ, hlJ, @JuiJ1 ~ a/Ju. tJud fJL /wM, m/.lullf. a ~ mn1a IJhU p.n/m [complete, mature}, . d.nl, /bJ,.,, dlWUJ,l/un., l.l'.llb. !JOU." How do you obtain these characteristics? After you have suffered awhile! There characteristics define the spiritual, mature life of the saint. Peter says, "Arm your mind, settle the fact, pay attention, Christian; you are going to suffer." I am glad that our Bible is put together as it is. I am glad that the first epistle of Peter is not placed where Romans is in the New Testament. You see, even the New Testament takes on the right order. The Gospels speak of the subject of the believer's mind. Romans speaks of the carnal, the spiritual, and the renewed mind. The Corinthian epistles speak of the same mind, the ready mind, and the willing mind. The epistles speak of one- mindedness and now Peter says here is what we should consider most of Christ-His suffering. What good is it for Peter to remind us that as Christ suffered mentally, we, too, may suffer? Peter gives us three results. First of all, "(Jo.,. lu.. lJud lw1h .w./1£llll ln. flu.. /Jn/, 7 lw1h llllHd. /.,am. .un."' The believer learns, is persuaded, and is influenced to stop sinning. One of the greatest deterrents from sin in the believer's life is suffering. With suffering, the believer begins to think about the life he is living. He starts to think about his conduct. God very often gets our attention through the flesh and the mind, not just through sickness. Much comes through the mental and emotional channels of our lives. Peter says, "Arm yourself. make up your mind that you are going to suffer, but it is not without purpose." Second, Peter says in verse two, "<:J'hal he n.tJ- li,.,,,gn. Jtm.Jd liae flu u.11 o/ lti.t Ii.nu in flu 1/nh f.o. iJu Lum. D/ mot, hut. It,. du. m1l1 o/ .{µd. " Ceasing from sin comes before a change of conduct. Suffering is going to cause you to lose the eagerness the average, normal human being has to lust. 72