Goal #2: Resurrection Power & Suffering

Please take a moment and think of a Christian you respect and admire, someone worthy of emulating for how they follow Jesus. Seriously, picture this person and think about their testimony. I’m guessing they have walked through challenging seasons and overcome a thing or two or ten! They paid a price for the wisdom they carry, and the character forged in the fires of life.

The power of God flowing through their lives results from the pressure they endured and overcame. Similarly, Jesus was resurrected AFTER he suffered, died, was buried, and in the ground for two days.

Everyone celebrates resurrection power that brings dead things to life, physically and spiritually, healing and wholeness and yielding the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). However, we are less than enthused when hard times come and linger into hard seasons.

If we are honest, we resent hard seasons and are tempted to complain through them, missing the unique opportunity to yield to Jesus freshly.

“And then, after your brief suffering, the God of all loving grace, who has called you to share in his eternal glory in Christ, will personally and powerfully restore you and make you stronger than ever. Yes, he will set you firmly in place and build you up.”  1 Peter 5:10 TPT

This is one of my favorite verses on suffering that the Lord gave me after a challenging period of nearly seven years. I clung to this verse when I knew He revealed it to me, believing it was true despite my circumstances.

I can honestly see this manifesting in me and each of my family members beyond my wildest dreams. We are individually and as a family being established, and it brings me so much joy to behold. The joy is so intense that I believe it is healing the depths of pain from the past decade.

As Christians, we must hold the resurrection power of Jesus Christ and suffering in tension as two sides to the same coin. We need to expect trials and tribulations as opportunities to grow and be established for all the Lord calls us to (1 Peter 5:10).

That is why one of the goals of Secret Spring is to be a place where we hold these in tension yet walk with one another with compassion. We sit with one another in hard places and painful times without judgment or condemnation. We give them space to feel and process and encourage them that they are not alone. We are present with one another so Holy Spirit can minister and bring revelation to our brothers and sisters.

Lord, thank You for bringing us into Your family and the gift of brothers and sisters in You. Expand our vision for ourselves and our family, and give us the grace to embrace You in every season so we may love You and others well. In Your Mighty Name. Amen.

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