December 21

Peter was writing “…in this you greatly rejoice…” and “are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy…”, to a people who were suffering. Notice that he said that they “are” filled and “do” rejoice, it was not a directive, it was a statement of fact. When I read that I felt like, “hey, I want that – ahh… I have that – ahh… where is it?! I do have joy, there is no doubt to that, but it seems too conditional for me. It comes when things go good or when I am really in the Spirit. Hmmm…. I guess I should always be in the Spirit!

There was one more thing that jumped out at me;

1 Peter 4:1 (NIV)
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.

I am still trying to wrap my mind around this one, but I will tell you this, it is true! There is suffering involved in so many things in this life in order to attain something. It seems to me at the very least that this means that if I want to be done with any sin, it will take some suffering and I have to be willing to suffer. OSL has some suffering built into the discipleship course, and it helps you overcome things and change! Willing to suffer…

I have been willing for years to suffer physically to bring about a good result Lord, I want to be done with things in my life that have plagued me, do what needs to be done Papa – I trust you.