ARC Session 3: What to Do With Trouble When It Is Spelled Pain

The title is a little trickery. Believers must develop and are developing as a result of being believers! This is a biblical concept. Believers are also to respond to God and to His providence--including pain--in a God-honouring way. Some may deny the validity of such a statement. God brings hard providences to some people, but not to others, however, none have had harder providences than Christ. The cross is foolishness for those perishing, but wisdom for those being saved (1 Corinthians 1:18ff). The Bible gives precedence for the God-honouring approach we are to take in all areas of life: we are to grieve God's way (1 Thessalonians 4:13); we are to comfort and love God's way (2 Corinthians 1:3-4; 1 John 4:7-12); and we are to be fearful and angry God's way (Ephesians 4:26; James 1:19-20). If God both expects us and equips us to respond to trouble in a God-honoring way, then we must learn how to do it. Our discussion now moves to growth in Christ, or, progressive sanctification.