LEVITICUS 19 DON’T TURN TO IDOLS

October 4

LEVITICUS 19

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. 3 Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God. 4 Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves any gods of cast metal: I am the Lord your God.5 “When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted. 6 It shall be eaten the same day you offer it or on the day after, and anything left over until the third day shall be burned up with fire. 7 If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is tainted; it will not be accepted, 8 and everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned what is holy to the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from his people.  – Leviticus 19:1-8

LEVITICUS 19 DON’T TURN TO IDOLS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

God made a covenant with his own people

They were not to worship or turn to idols

They are also to honor the day of rest

If they turn to idols, they’ll be removed from the flock

To turn to an idol is defiance and an insult to God

You become an outcast if you give your loyalty to other gods.

Why do you think God specifically commands his people not to turn to idols? The word “turn” according to Merriam Webster dictionary is both a verb and a noun with its core meaning related to rotation, changing direction, transformation and sequential order. So, you can probably understand that the command of God to his people is about prohibiting them from changing their worship from Him to another god. In other words, God requires faithfulness from his own people. In verse 2, God specifically requires from them “holiness” because he is holy. They were forbidden to stray away from him because God didn’t want them to perish from the worship of anything other than him.

Why does God forbid his people from turning to idols that do not speak or hear or see? Psalm 115:8 and Psalm 135:18 say the same thing: “Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.” Imagine making something out of an object and making them your own god. Do you remember the story of King Nebuchadnezzar? In Daniel 3:1, the king made for himself a golden image of about 60 cubits which is equivalent to 9 feet high and 3 cubits wide. Everyone was commanded to bow down to the golden image whenever they heard music and if anyone didn’t bow down, they would be burned to death. In Daniel chapter 4 we are witnesses to the account of the idol he made. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws. This was the consequence of his idol making and commanding his kingdom to bow down to it. He became an animal and deprived of humanity. This is what happens to us if we turn our backs on God and worship idols. We are stripped of God’s image.

REFLECTION

  • What are some manifestations and results of idolatry that you have witnessed in your life?

ISAIAH 44 THE FOLLY OF IDOLS

October 3

ISAIAH 44

9 All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. 10 Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together.

18 They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 19 No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” 20 He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”  – Isaiah 44:9-11,18-20

ISAIAH 44 THE FOLLY OF IDOLS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Those who believe in God will not create idols for themselves

They know that there are no other gods that are better than him

The Lord God Almighty is the only Creator of all things on earth

He is the only God who made humans in his own likeness

He is the alpha and the omega and only in him is eternity

No other gods can give life or can give love unconditionally

It is folly to create idols that will compare to who God is

Those who decide to make them become blind and deceived.

In this account, the prophet Isaiah builds a case against those who fashion or create idols. In verse 9 he seems to mock the ability of such idol makers to truly see the harm that they are doing to themselves when he said “they neither see nor know that they will be put to shame.” In other words, they become blind to foresee the aftermath of creating these gods made of materials that they think will profit them. In verse 11, it talks about craftsmen who are only human. In other words, these created things will not even stand up against a God who made everything out of nothing and only with his breath and word. Artists, craftsmen, designers and builders take days, months, years or decades of work before they make their masterpieces. God created all things within 6 days just by saying “let there be…” Who can compete with that? I used to be a painter and photographer. Most visual artists try their best to capture images, thoughts or feelings which come from their own minds and senses. Then someone else loves their work and buys them. I have that feeling of pride and accomplishment that someone appreciates what I’ve done. After 400 paintings I sold in two-decades of work, I forgot that God only used such an emotional outlet for the traumas I’ve gone through as a beginning of my healing journey. Then I began to take pride in the fact that even if I was still alive, I was able to sell those paintings. It then got to my head and thought it was what I was made for. God showed me I can’t hold on to such idolatry or I’ll be destroyed.

REFLECTION

·       Share some instances when the folly of idolatry you witnessed made Isaiah’s point here.

JONAH 2 IDOLATRY LEADS TO LOSS OF HOPE

October 2

JONAH 2

4 Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’
5 The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped about my head.6 To the roots of the mountains I went down,

to the land whose bars closed upon me forever. Yet you brought up my life from the pit,
O Lord my God. 7 When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord,
and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.
8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.
9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

                                                                                      – Jonah 2:4-9

JONAH 2 IDOLATRY LEADS TO LOSS OF HOPE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When God created you, it was for his own glory

He was exalting himself when he made you in his image

Having the same make as God is the reason for your being

Without acknowledging him, you are likely to make an idol

When you bow down to something other than the Lord

You will be defeated and will lose hope of his steadfast love

When man sinned, he twisted the image that God made in humans

Mankind now craves to know more about what he can never fathom.

The story of Jonah is well known even amongst children. But many people remember only the story of Jonah being inside the belly of a whale. This Old Testament account is a premonition of the resurrection of Jesus in three days. Jonah was in the whale’s belly for three days too. It is also an account of disobedience of this prophet who was asked to go to Nineveh to pronounce repentance to its people. Instead of following his calling, he turned to the opposite direction because he was saving himself from giving a wrong prophecy in case God changed his mind to destroy that sinful city. This story is more about idolatry and pride. One cannot be idolatrous if one is humble. Idolatry is a result of pride. Pride focuses on what you think you have accomplished or possess. It is a form of thinking highly of oneself. As one thinks that way, the person will convince himself that they are better than others or have illusions that they are someone bigger than who they really are. It focuses on the abilities or gifts but not the source of those gifts that they have received. So, he has actually created an idol of himself, competing with God.

In this account, Jonah was spitted out of the whale’s belly and learned his lesson on his pride and idolatry. He wanted to save himself from being judged as a false prophet if God changed his mind when the Ninevites repent. God gave Jonah three days to let him experience the loss of hope of God’s steadfast love when he continued to exercise arrogance, pride and idolatry.

REFLECTION

  • Cite some insights as to how idolatry can make one lose sight of God’s steadfast love.

COLOSSIANS 3 PUT OFF IDOLATRY & PUT ON CHRIST

October 1

COLOSSIANS 3

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old selfwith its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. – Colossians 3:5-11

COLOSSIANS 3 PUT OFF IDOLATRY & PUT ON CHRIST

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As we are elected by God to be his people

We ought to give up all kinds of idols

No longer should we engage in impurities

Including practices of sexual immoralities

Let us let go of foul talk and all forms of greed

Instead, let us speak only what edifies others

Put off all forms of idolatry and put on Christ

Let us step away from our old life & into our new life.

What is an idol? If you ask these to younger people, they’d answer you with someone they look up to or “idolize”. They’d likely mention a popular singer or band or actor that they love to become or is fond of. These idols usually represent power, wealth, prestige, status, great skill or gift. Interestingly, most of the laws of the Lord are themed on not engaging in idols. It is also of great interest why these idols are named small letter gods in comparison to the capital letter God. In other words, they are counterfeits. They symbolize power in a different form. They are not the same divine power and sovereignty that God possesses because they are created by humans themselves and not by the One true God. In the Old Testament, we have heard of idols made out of gold or wood or any other kinds of stones which people put on a hill so that they could be seen and bowed down to. They also have household idols that they bring with them and keep them in their homes so they can worship them. An idol according to the bible is anything that counterfeits God and steals the praise and worship that is only due him. So, anything that would replace God’s hierarchy in your life could be an idol.

In this account, Paul writes to the Colossian church about another form of idolatry not mentioned in the Old Testament. He listed them here as sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth and lies. They are not visually carved in an image, but they are imprinted in the hearts of those who do not believe in God. Paul challenges the believers to let go of all these idols that we all used to have before we became a follower of Christ. A true Christian would let go of these idols. Instead, they’ll put on Christ.

REFLECTION

·       What does it mean to give up idolatry and to put on Christ?

GENESIS 3 SUFFERING AS A RESULT OF SIN

September 30

GENESIS 3

14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspringand her offspring;
he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be foryour husband,
and he shall rule over you.”17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it, ’cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

                                                                                   – Genesis 3:14-19

GENESIS 3 SUFFERING AS A RESULT OF SIN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord God created humans to have a relationship with him

But the serpent thwarted that plan and enticed them to sin

Because God is righteous and loathes sin, he can’t condone it

There has to be a consequence to such acts of disobedience

Now, the creatures have to face the result of their rebellion

Suffering became that painful aftermath from such insurgence

They will no longer have the privilege of God’s presence

Each of them will experience a certain pain and anguish.

Many unbelievers ask the question “If your God is so good, why does he allow suffering?” Only those who believe and serve God will be able to accept that suffering is part of this world, where Adam and Eve were banished. They forfeited their perfect life being with God’s presence and the purity that came with it when they were created. They are now corrupted by sin and view God differently. The fact that they hid from God after the disobedience showed that “fear” came into their hearts. It was originally filled with love. As the book of John says, perfect love casts out fear. John also says that God is love so, when they sinned, they encountered fear and cannot see God. They hid because of shame for what they have done. They can no longer perfectly love the Lord because they now love themselves more than they loved God. As a result, they began to hide in shame and did the blame game, pointing at each other which one started it all. As an aftermath of that first sin, each of them received a certain form of suffering. The serpent has to crawl on his belly and eat dust and his head shall be bruised by the offspring of the woman. This refers to Mary giving birth to Jesus who will defeat him. To Eve, the curse was labor pains in childbearing and her desire to overpower her husband. To Adam, he will have to work the ground that is full of thorns and thistles to be able to find nourishment.  They all suffered as a result of sin.

REFLECTION

  • Name some kinds of suffering that results from sin. Is God right to punish such evil?

HEBREWS 12 IN YOUR STRUGGLES AGAINST SIN

September 29

HEBREWS 12

4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. – Hebrews 12:4-11

HEBREWS 12 IN YOUR STRUGGLES AGAINST SIN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you are faced with struggles against sinning

Do not despair for the Lord God corrects and disciplines

He will not allow you to suffer to the point of death

He will show you a way out and you will not be defeated

While he corrects you, you may feel much pain

But take heart, because it is for your own good

The Lord will not allow you to get waylaid

Instead, he wants you to endure what is painful.

In this account, we are focusing on suffering from struggles against sin and not for suffering for righteousness. What is the difference between the two kinds of pain? One pain is about keeping your path towards righteousness while the other is about dying to your desires. It is painful to say no to our sinful nature because we still live in our bodies in this corrupt world. So, the struggle for the believers is to find the strength to say no to these lustful desires, cravings and lures from the world we live in. Until the Lord Jesus comes again and until the fulfilment of the new heaven and new earth has come into fruition, we will always have these inner battles inside of each believer. Those who aren’t Christians won’t have a problem following their cravings and lusts because they haven’t pledged allegiance to the Lord. The believer on the other hand struggles with how to deny their flesh and follow the right path. The writer of Hebrews discusses the importance of discipline in order for a Christian to stay victorious over those temptations and enticements from the world. We are called to have a life of discipline. According to Gotquestions.org, the bible defines discipline as the loving process of training, instruction, correction and testing that guides a person towards spiritual maturity and holiness. It is not just to be better in the world, but to grow in the faith so that we can be holy because that is what God requires of his people.

REFLECTION

·       Share a kind of spiritual discipline that a Christian should practically apply regularly.

PSALM 23 COMFORT THROUGH SUFFERING

September 28

PSALM 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. 3He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
 you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely,goodness and mercyshall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwellin the house of the Lord forever. – Psalm 23: 1-6

PSALM 23 COMFORT THROUGH SUFFERING

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will have joy

No amount of suffering or trials can draw you away from God

There is much comfort in knowing that the Lord never leaves you

Even though you go through the darkest times, you have hope

Because you stand on the promises of God who truly cares for you

He will lead you to paths of righteousness for his name’s sake

He won’t leave you in the dark and be defeated by evil

God will convert that suffering into strength and courage.

Psalm 23 is probably the most known chapter in the bible. Probably, even unbelievers or those who don’t know the Lord and the bible have heard this psalm during a funeral of a loved one or a friend. Why is this simple psalm read during funerals? I guess it is because of the comfort it brings to alleviate the loss of a person. Losing someone through death is probably one of the most painful experiences we can have in our lives and the biggest wound it can inflict on our souls and spirits. No wonder it is popular to be used in funerals and burials.

King David wrote this psalm but there is no clear indication in the bible when he wrote it. Scholars have mixed opinions on when it was written. Some say it was during his youth that he wrote it. Others think it was during the time when he was fleeing from Saul and some even say it may have been during his son Absalom’s mutiny against David. When it was written is immaterial. Why it was written is more important. He wrote it as a confession of his faith and knowledge of his Lord, who will never leave him and who will fulfill his promise to bring him back to the righteous path no matter how dark it was that he had been through.

I think every Christian ought to memorize and meditate on this verse because it declares our faith and knowledge of our Lord and keeps our dependence on him deeply intact. It solidifies our belief in Jesus.

REFLECTION

  • What happens to the human soul and spirit when we are not comforted during suffering?

2 CORINTHIANS 12 THORN IN THE FLESH STOPS CONCEIT

September 27

2 CORINTHIANS 12

I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

2 CORINTHIANS 12 THORN IN THE FLESH STOPS CONCEIT

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As a follower of Christ, you are required to stay humble

As his disciple, you cannot continue boasting on anything

Because you are chosen, you know that all things are made by God

Nothing you do or own is truly yours, they are loaned to you

They are to be used to give God all the praise and glory

You’re given a thorn in the flesh to remind you who is holy

The Lord is holy and he wants his people to stay pure

Let suffering strengthen you so you can embrace truth.

Paul talks about boasting in this account in a different light. We usually boast about our accomplishments or possessions but that is not the kind of boasting that Paul is talking about here. He is referring to boasting only in Christ in verse 5. What does “boasting in Christ” mean? It is to boast only of what Christ has done for us. It is to give emphasis to his finished work on the cross which manifests his great love for mankind and it is to make Christ known to others.

In verse 7, Paul mentions the thorn in the flesh sent to him through a messenger of Satan to harass him. There has been much speculation what this truly meant because there was no specific ailment or suffering mentioned in the chapter. Many scholars think it is a figure of speech which can mean any pain or difficulty one might encounter such as temptations, enticements, trials, adversities and sufferings that a believer faces so that he cannot continue to boast.

REFLECTION

·       What thorn in the flesh has stopped you from being proud and conceited?

2 TIMOTHY 1 EMBRACE SUFFERING TO DO YOUR HOLY CALLING

September 26

2 TIMOTHY 1

6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us toa holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. 13 Follow the pattern of the soundwords that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. – 2 Timothy 1:6-14

2 TIMOTHY 1 EMBRACE SUFFERING TO DO YOUR HOLY CALLING

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you are a follower of Christ, suffering is inevitable

When you embrace it as it comes, it equips you to face them all

It was meant to be your tool to do your holy calling

Without adversities, you fail at gaining strength and courage

Allow suffering to transform you from innocence and ignorance

It gives you endurance and it grows your faith and your patience.

It is interesting how your life changes when you allow suffering to teach you lessons in life. I just heard a podcast of Mel Robbins with Martha Beck as her guest today and Martha is a sociologist, life coach and author but was also shunned in the Mormon community when she spoke about her own father who was an elder in that church abusing her since she was a child. As I listened to her, I just realized all these blogs I have been writing about suffering and she teaches that she embraced and invited suffering in her life after those dark years that she was shunned out of her religious community when she exposed how her own father who was very much respected by that church actually raped her. She claimed to have experienced a near death experience during one of her surgeries that she incurred in her body from her past sexual traumas from her own father. In that near death experience, she claimed to see a very bright light that reassured her that she is loved and that she is never alone. I wished I could talk to her and explain that she just experienced God’s presence as John described the Lord as light and love. She obviously didn’t get that revelation that it was the one true God that carried her through all those sufferings. One day, I pray that she will know the Lord. It just goes to prove Psalm 34:18 was true to her life when God says I am near to those who are broken-hearted and crushed in spirit. Martha Beck has written books acclaimed to be New York Times bestsellers and have been helping people to heal. We can use suffering to be able to discover our calling in life.

REFLECTION

·       How has your suffering led you to your holy calling in life?

ACTS 14 SUFFERING STRENGTHENS & ENCOURAGES

September 25

ACTS 14

19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. – Act14:19-23

ACTS 14 SUFFERING STRENGTHENS & ENCOURAGES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If you find yourself in the deepest and most painful trial

Don’t despair but brace yourself for you will be strengthened

There is an upside to suffering and that is encouraging

Hardships can build up your strength and character

The road to God’s kingdom is a narrow gate

Suffering is one way that you can go through it.

In this account, we see how Paul and his followers were being stoned and dragged out of the city. What cruelty he had to bear so that he can bring the gospel to that city and make disciples. Someone who used to be persecuting Christians is now himself being persecuted for spreading the Good News. How many believers do we know who would bear such stoning? I’m sure, many Christian evangelists and missionaries experience some sort of persecution. Interestingly, Paul seemed to be more motivated to get into that city where he was stoned. He knew that this city needed to hear more of the gospel than anywhere else. Their stoning didn’t derail him from doing his mission. In verse 21, it seemed like they made many more disciples after that incident. It also became a way of strengthening the believers as they pressed on to such persecutions.

We clearly saw in this account how such suffering had led to their strength and encouragement to press on and do their mission. How often do we view persecution and difficulties with this kind of mindset? It is easy to just pull back when things don’t go right with our plans. Paul sets a great example for any believer to not let any hindrances or obstacles stop a follower of Christ from spreading the gospel and making disciples. It clearly is not a human feat but a divine work of the Spirit that made Paul and the disciples persist in doing the kingdom work for God. When we bear the burdens that we face, we allow the Holy Spirit to strengthen us to accomplish the work that God assigns for us to do. It makes one resilient and strong when they face adversities head on instead of avoiding them.

REFLECTION

·       How does suffering make us stronger and become an encouragement to others?