“Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him.” – Acts 7:54-58

Get your arms around a really, really important truth. God is never more present in your life than when you are suffering. The harder the trial, the closer He moves toward you. Are you feeling crushed today? He is rushing toward you to stand beside you and help you.

Jesus Christ is an experienced sufferer. Lest you hold in your mind a picture of an anemic, weak Jesus, replace it with this: Jesus has His PhD in suffering. He has suffered like no other for your sin and mine. Not only does He identify with your suffering, but He is present with you in your suffering. First Peter 4:14 says, “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”

There’s a unique intimacy with Christ when you’re suffering for Him. It’s unlike anything else. Think of Stephen in Acts 7 when he was giving up his life for Christ. As the crowd began to stone him, Stephen “gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God (v.55).” If you’re a careful Bible student, you’d question, Why was Jesus standing? Hebrews makes such a big deal about how “he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (1:3).” Yet in this glimpse into glory, Stephen, at the moment of his greatest suffering, saw Jesus standing for him.

And it’s not just emotional support. As we’ve already seen, this new intimacy with Christ Paul describes as “the fellowship of His sufferings” (Philippians 3:10, NASB). Believe by faith that in the middle of your trials you are experiencing the fellowship of God’s presence that gives you new courage to not give up. I’m not going to lose my faith, God help me. I’m going to keep on. I hate this world, but I’m longing for heaven. I’m going to serve Him until I get there. I’m telling you- in those moments of faith, there’s a wave of grace that God rushes upon you. Sometimes I think I can feel His breath.

How do you keep this wave in motion? Keep your communication open with the Lord. I’m not talking casual prayers over the shoulder. I mean on your face before God – a posture that we’ve had too little of in our lives. And in that place, the Lord will meet you. If you will humble yourself, the Lord will be present with you. He is an experienced sufferer, fellowshipping with you.

God is never more present than when His children are suffering. Draw near.

© 2009 Walk in the Word – James Macdonald

On this day...

• Daniel 1 - 2023
• Jeremiah 5 - 2023
• JC Ryle Category - 2011
• Global Missions - 2011
• Unreached of the Day - Prayer - 2011
• Deuteronomy 15:15 - 2011
• ANGER - 2011
• BOLD - 2011
• BLAMELESS - 2011
• WICKED - 2010