Obedience Through Suffering

Sometimes it is very hard to do something that somebody else wants you to do.

Parents want their children to make their beds, clean their rooms, take out the trash, or set the table. Teachers want their students to do their homework, study for tests, do book reports, or work long hours to finish a project. Bosses want their employees to be on time every day, complete all tasks, and treat everyone in the office kindly. These things may be very hard to do. Children do not want to obey their parents; students do not want to do study; employees like to goof off at work.

Even God’s own Son learned obedience through suffering.

“Though He were a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered (Hebrews 5:8).” Paul even told the Philippians He “…became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8).” Imagine the suffering that Christ went through! Not only as He grew, but also before and during his crucifixion. Did Jesus want to die? No! He prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but You will (Matthew 26:39).”

What if we all had an attitude like Christ?

Regardless of what we want to do, we need to do God’s will! This may cause us to suffer, but in the end it will have all been worth it. By learning to obey others, we can learn to obey God. All we have to do is read His Word and do what it says (James 1:22).

Sometimes it may be hard, but God will reward us for our efforts.