Tag: School of Suffering

The highest class in the school of Christ

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by J.A. James

1848

“So that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:12

By patience, we mean a quiet waiting, amidst sufferings and sorrows–for the heavenly kingdom. Patience is an uncomplaining willingness to remain any length of time, and amidst any tribulation, for eternal glory.

No circumstances of life–let the sufferer hear and drink in the soul-comforting thought–no circumstances of life seem to ripen the Christian so fast or so perfectly for Heaven–as the experience of sorrow and affliction. Oh! then let our comforts go, then let our eyes weep, then let our hearts bleed–if our Father is thus ripening us for everlasting fruition and inconceivable bliss!

“But patience must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:4

When we are enabled to exercise the grace of patience, we have reached the highest class in the school of Christ, have nothing more to learn upon earth, and are ready and fit to depart, and to be with Jesus–and have then obtained as much grace as can be possessed, short of glory itself!

Patience then, sufferer, patience! The first moment, and the first glance of Heaven will be an infinite recompense for all that you suffer–for all that you lose on earth! If every step on earth is a step of suffering–then let each be a step of patience!

Weep you may–murmur you must not.

Nature may pay the tribute of a groan–but grace must pay it with a smile.

The shower of your tears may fall–but the rays of the Sun of Righteousness must reflect the beauteous rainbow of the promise.

Christian, you make your way to glory along the path of patient resignation, which, if it is like the Valley of Weeping, and has its briars and its thorns–has also its refreshing rain-pools of heavenly consolation!

by J.A. James

The School of Suffering

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A.B. Simpsonby A.B. Simpson

After that ye have suffered a while —1 Peter 5:10

Are we learning love in the school of suffering? Are our hearts being mellowed and deepened by the summer heat of trial until the fruit of the Spirit-love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance-is ripening for the harvest of His coming, and our sufferings are easily borne for His sake? This is the school of love, and the lessons make Him unutterably more dear to our hearts and us to His. In this way only can we learn with Him the heavenly charity which suffers long, and is kind.

We see that the very first and the very last features of the face of love, as delineated in Paul’s portrait of it (1 Corinthians 13), are marks of pain and patient suffering-suffers long, endureth all things. So let us learn in the school of love to suffer, to be kind and to endure all things. Surely it will not be hard to love through every circumstance when it is the heart of Jesus within us that will love and continue to love to the very end.

by A.B. Simpson