Suffering as a Follower of Christ

This is from a friend of mine in Houston....too good to not share!!

MEDITATION VERSE:

" Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.And His disciples asked Him, saying, ' Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, ' Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." John 9:1-3

from the Life Application Bible Commentary

" A common belief in Jewish culture was that calamity or suffering was the result of some great sin. But Christ used this man's suffering to teach about faith and to glorify God. We live in a fallen world where good behavior is not always reward and bad behavior not always punished. Therefore, innocent people sometimes suffer. If God took suffering away whenever we asked, we would follow Him for COMFORT and CONVENIENCE, NOT OUT OF LOVE AND DEVOTION.

Regardless of the reasons for our suffering, JESUS has the power to help us deal with it. When you suffer from a disease, tragedy, or disability, try not to ask, ' Why did this happen to me?' or ' What did I do wrong?' Instead, ask God TO GIVE YOU STRENGTH for the trial and a clearer perspective on what is happening."