theology of risk and suffering

I am not sure where to begin when it comes to yesterday's training sessions. The fact is I haven't slept much because my mind was literally chewing on these gold nugget truths of Scripture. I think that I have a long way to go to truly understanding all of what Scripture says about risk and suffering, but I am grateful that I am gaining a more biblical mindset of how God views both.It can almost be a disservice to call it a theology of suffering, especially once I have looked over so many Scriptures that in the end there is joy and rejoicing in the suffering. The fruit of the suffering far outweighs the actual suffering and if we ALLOW the suffering to have its way with us and let it work through us we will find gold in us that has been refined.

I don't think that I could go into all that I processed through as I am still processing; however, here are some points that I have pulled out.

1. there are many, many variations of suffering (for Christ's sake and name) and we need to not judge our situation any more or less than anyone else's.

2. we are not promised anywhere exemption from suffering, nor understanding (that was a huge one for me), nor ease.

3. Christ never leaves us, no matter how we feel, he NEVER leaves us

Gosh, there are so many more truths. We spent so much time looking at biblical examples of risk and suffering and there are lists upon lists, especially in the Hunger theme scriptures that Back2Back is doing this year that so many godly men and women experienced for the name of Christ.

I think for me where a community or any team works and ministers and serves together, this is where people's theology of suffering really play out. Am I able to join with my brother or sister in Christ rejoicing in their blessing while my own life seemingly is falling apart with hardship? Or am I able to in freedom express my own blessing while my teammate is suffering, knowing in reality that my blessing is here and now and my friend's might be in the eternal. Is joy taking place either way, through tears of happiness or through tears of heartache, but BOTH end in rejoicing and praising our Lord and Father? Because I believe that this is where the world will see a group of people that doesn't "fit" the mold of the world and they will wonder, what is it they have that I don't....... and the Holy Spirit does its work and new christ followers are found. I get excited about this and I want to be a part of this ministry......

Okay, so I know a bit heady, but thanks for listening. Today there is no training, and we are going to OLA to see the children. Agnes (the one little girl who was being adopted) left yesterday so I can imagine one little girl who is needing some encouragement there today. Pictures tomorrow.

P.S. The pictures above are of a medical clinic we did as a staff team with a group. And the top one is not me doing the training, just me communicating what our team came up with for an excercise.