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I think I just got it! The Bible says of Jesus that He learned obedience through the things that He suffered in Hebrews 5:7-9 which states, “…when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him…”

Before I continue I want to make it clear that this experience took place when Jesus had cloaked His divinity and took on human flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus as eternal God did not need to be perfected in any way. But Jesus did come as a sinless man, God in the flesh, referred to as the “last Adam” or “second Adam”, and experienced being human in this fallen world. And while here, He exemplified the footsteps in which we are to walk, and thus attentively learned obedience (5218 hypakoḗ) through the experience of and by heading the voice of suffering. In other words, suffering is our path.

The word for “suffering” in Greek is pásxō (3958) and refers to when something happens to us that is strongly, emotionally overwhelming to the one that is experiencing it. This happened in the past while Jesus had humbled Himself as a servant, but this learning (3129 manthánō) was objectively, unshakably real, and its lesson remains with Him who is now seated on the right hand of God, doing intercession on our behalf as our great High Priest.

We can all read that over and over and over again, and it is all just words. But, I’d been wondering about it, and been thinking on it – what the Bible terms “meditation” (as seen a lot of the Psalms). Plus, I’d been thinking on the book of James, specifically James 1:2-4 and 5:10-11. James 1:2-4, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” And James 5:10-11 goes on to say, “My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed, we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord – that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”

In short, it is through suffering that we are perfected (and no, I do not mean we will attain perfection while here). Whatever that suffering might be, whatever that trial might be, whatever that difficulty or hardship or suffering, it is there to train us, to mold and fashion us, to conform us into the image of Christ. As Romans 8:29 says, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” And Jesus humbled Himself to the lowest degree, becoming the servant of all (Philippians 2). A servant is also termed slave in Scripture, and a slave had no rights and had to obey their master’s commands, even doing the most menial tasks. Soldiers in the military were no different, and priests in service to God in the Temple were no different either. They were in “service” to whoever was above them, and when they heard a command they did not question – they just did it. Period.

This is what our Jesus did. He who made all things, and in whom all things consist and are held together by the word of His power, the One who created principalities and powers and shaped man into His own image, whose fingers formed the stars, the very One who said “let there be light”, stepped down into darkness cloaking His glory; God incarnate, bowed down low, obeying every command no matter how demeaning, even to the point of death – “for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2b)

I’ve read it time and again, but never had it touched me as it did today. Just the other night I was emoting to the Lord about how there are certain people who seemed to be very touched by His favor, and how I do not feel or appear to be favored by Him. It’s not that I even want “their” life nor do I wish them less joy. I just look at my own life and it appears so void of what everyone else has or is doing. And without going into too many details, my world is filled with pain, challenges, and grief; when one thing appear I was careful not to accuse the Lord of withholding, because that is not what I was doing. I was simply hurting and venting to the One I love the most, the One I know I can come to with any and every problem, my dearest friend and Father.

Then today I experienced great anger over the fact (and yes it is a fact) that many good things I’d been looking forward to have all be stifled by some form of suffering. Over and over again something I’d looked forward to has been dashed by some unforeseen pain or disappointment or grief. Now, no, it’s not maybe every time, but it is often enough that I can list many instances. And today all of that happiness turning to sadness time after time vented like a volcano. On top of this – not to justify my emotional explosion – so many of my dear friends are overwhelmed with physical illness and/or pain, circumstances and relationships out of their control, and are lost in a sea of emotion.

And then it hit me – Bam! We learn through suffering. Jesus did. And God’s almighty hand is fashioning us into the image of His dear Son by the same instrument of suffering. After all, the pupil is not above his/her teacher. Jesus showed us the way in which were to walk, and He walked the path of suffering. It is no wonder then that we are all walking this path. Jesus did not like it. We don’t like it. The student never likes being tested, but the test is essential. Even so, we are being tested. And this test, this suffering, is not to make us fail or weaker or make us look foolish or belittled by God. NO! God does not tempt us to fall! Ever! (James 1:13-15). But, this testing is to make us more resilient, more enduring, more sparkly more eternal and more and more like Jesus!!

Our life does not belong to us. Our lives here on earth are not about our happiness. We as Christians are not our own. We are bought with a price. We belong to God.

Even so, I am considering myself blessed because of all of my “temporal” happiness constantly turning to sorrow. I’m changing my attitude. I am choosing to count it all joy to endure my string of trials of sadness in order that I may be perfect and complete, wanting nothing. God is doing this for my good, and I am honored to be His child, that He is taking the time to carefully fashion each intricate detail, mold each divot, chisel each mark, sand each edge, sharpen what should be sharp, placing each gemstone just where it ought to be, and firing me in His kiln when necessary for both refinement and sparkle. I am not my own. I am His creation, His workmanship created for good works in Christ, His masterpiece, His little seed that must die that one day I might rise in the glory ordained for me in the eternity to come – for His praise and glory!

Rejoicing Always,

Holy Light Ministries

References:

“What Does Aorist Active Indicative Mean?” https://www.onsecrethunt.com/what-does-aorist-active-indicative-mean/

Quote: “The indicative mood (οριστική) presents the action or the event as something real or certain, in other words as an objective fact.”

Biblehub.com