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Explain how the following statement relates to the reason that Christians must suffer: “… something deep in the soul must be disturbed or deep change won’t occur”.
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Christians or non-Christians, none of us enjoy suffering and we avoid it if possible. We usually turn a blind eye to what is going on deep in our souls, but suffering opens us up to it. So, because we are fallen beings, suffering is a catalyst to help us get in touch with our deep needs and realise we need God’s Spirit to change us. We can’t do it alone. We need the enlightenment that only the Spirit can bring.
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As human beings, God placed within us longings that we will seek to satisfy.
If we seek to satisfy our deepest longings in things we are not designed to be fully satisfied by, we are left empty and longing for more. In many cases our pursuit of all that doesn’t ultimately satisfy leads to a place of disturbance, and a readiness to consider God invitation to be satisfied in Him alone. -
A realization deep within the soul must occur for real change, lasting change to take place. A person must come to the place where they realize the life, they are living is not the life God intended for them to have. They have not experienced the power of redemption that will release them into the best life. their current life is void of lasting satisfaction, lasting peace and the love of God. They become tired of the way they are living and become determined to go deeper in God no matter the price.
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Unless we Christians are disturbed in our souls, we are ignorant of our deepest need to meet God for our satisfaction of sous; we are until then just complacent, thinking wrongly that the present state of being is all that we need. When we suffer out of desperation we start seeking God and find that God is all I really need.
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The level of change that God is taking us to – sanctification of our deepest soul – won’t happen without radical change. And radical change won’t seem necessary or good unless my discomfort with my current position is sufficient.
