A Meditation on Suffering and Consolation in Iesous

Suffering in the Greek is the word 'pathemata' and means:  Spiritual hardship
Consolation in the Greek is the word 'paraklesis' and means: Comfort

"For as the suffering of Christou abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christous (II Cor 1:5)."


We are identified with the Iesous when there is a radical commitment to him.  Our commitment to him engages us in a complete manner.  It is extreme living.

We must follow him.  He calls us out of ourselves into a qualitatively new life that bears his distinct image.  If we follow him completely our relationships will becomes new - beginning with ourselves.

The Iesous will make us new inside.  A real encounter with him through his saving action will make us a new creation.  He will cleanse our perception of who we thought him to be and show us the marvelous magnitude of who he really is.

There are times when I may experience suffering for my relationship with him.  The suffering that I may experience because of my relationship with him is never cast aside.

Nothing is ever lost in our experience.  The life of faith is often filled with perplexity and mystery.  I may be suddenly overtaken by a reality that causes my faith to be tested in a new way.  I may find myself in a situation that came into my life of faith and it has settled down into my life and I have prayed to God to take it away.

I could have a multitude of dissimilar situations to come into my life in an overlapping manner that threatens to overthrow me completely.  I find that they goad me to turn to the Iesous for power to negotiate the present situation.  For what I suffer in Iesous is not merely my sufferings they are his sufferings experienced through me.

He is maturing my faith in his Word as he is using my life to inspire others to trust him too, and to show that he does not leave me alone in my suffering.  He gives me consolation.  He super-abounds encouragement into me by coming along side me in suffering.  His presence supplies me with hope.  The hope that he gives is indeed confident expectation toward the future.

For more information about Dr. Josiah Rich and his ministry, please visit his website.