For the first time, in my ministry journey, I’ll stand on Resurrection Sunday morning and deliver God’s message. This may not seem like a big deal to most but it’s huge to me. And get this, God had already given me my message on the way to service but it didn’t resonate until Pastor announced, I’d be speaking. So, I began to look at what God has given me to jot down, an hour before. And it blew my mind because God had given me, “David’s suffering, Jesus’ sacrifice.” You’ll have to tune in that Sunday morning for the full message but as I looked it over, it donned on me that David’s suffering in the Old Testament was the prophecy of Jesus’ sacrifice in the New Testament. And somebody, reading this, is in the midst of suffering. You can’t understand why things are happening to you. You can’t make sense of why folk, who used to love you, are now plotting your death. You can’t reason with why your name stays on the tip of folk’s tongue. Why it’s always you. Why it’s always your business being told. Why it’s your home being attacked. And it’s leaving you to cry out, like David from a dark place because you can’t seem to wrap your head around it. I mean, you didn’t ask for the anointing. You didn’t ask for this gift. You were simply being obedient to God’s called assignment on your life yet now you’re catching hell.
Well beloved, this might just be your Old Testament suffering making room for your New Testament blessing. Yea, you may be suffering now in order to enjoy the fruits of your labor later. You might be suffering now but it’s just laying the foundation for your faithfulness later. Don’t discount your suffering, it has its purpose. Don’t count out your suffering, it has its place. All you have to do is stay in it, move when God says move and trust Him. Yes, you’re going to make some mistakes, ask David. You’re going to lose some people and stuff, ask David. You’re going to have to hide out in enemy territory, ask David. You may even have to fight for your life a few times but it’ll all be worth it, when you’re standing in front of the biggest blessing of your life saying, “It is finished!” You are suffering now in order get the blessing later.
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” – 1 Peter 5:10
Lakisha, the Author 