Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

If you have been living life long enough, you know that suffering is an inevitable reality for humans. We experience death, loss, sickness, betrayal, depression, etc. There are so many ways that remind us of just how broken this world is. The source of this suffering dates all the way back to Genesis 3. We read about just how violent sin is and how seriously God takes it. After the fall of Adam and Eve, something had to die for atonement to be made. God does not take sin lightly and we see throughout scripture that there will be a day when the Lord will judge the whole earth. Scripture tells us this day will bring great suffering but that the name of the Lord will be glorified even still!

As the seven angels are pouring out the seven bowls of God’s wrath, they are singing something that might seem odd for the circumstances. They are singing of God’s justice and holiness! Even in necessary pain, there is still room and reason to praise God for who He is. We see this theme woven throughout all scripture.

An example of this is evident in the life of Job. God allowed the trials and afflictions that came upon Job for a great purpose. The pain that he experienced was not at the hands of a cruel ruler, but rather a surgeon. Sometimes the suffering we experience is God’s method of refining our faith and righteousness. In the process of sanctification, Job is brought to his knees by the power of who God is and the purpose in his might. You see, when we pause long enough to recognize the power of God, we cannot help but worship him!

Another example is in the life and ministry of Paul. Paul was all too familiar with suffering and the tribulations one can experience while doing life with Jesus Christ. Paul’s salvation came from an encounter with God where his eyesight was taken away from him. Not to mention many of the letters that Paul wrote to churches were written from inside prisons. Even still, Paul worshiped God for what he had done in his life and went on to spread the message of the Gospel!

The greatest picture of praise coming from suffering is that of Jesus giving his life on the cross so that we might accept the gift of salvation. Nothing can compare to the suffering that Jesus experienced as he took on our sins and was given up by the Father. He could have chosen a different route, but he chose obedience to God’s will and demonstrated the greatest act of worship which allows us to experience salvation today.

The lives of so many in scripture and the praises present in Revelation 16:5-7 should be an encouragement to us when we encounter suffering. Praise keeps our hearts alert so that we are less likely to miss what the Lord wants to do in and through our lives. So today, tune into what God is doing, and give Him praise!

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Stop and praise God now!
• In Scripture, whose life encourages you in your suffering? Pray and thank God for His Word, His witnesses, and the encouragement they offer Followers of Christ.
• Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for using my pain and suffering even when I can’t see it. You never promised that this life would be easy, but You did promise that You would be with us in the deepest and darkest valley! I will choose to trust You in my suffering. In Jesus' name, amen!

Family Devo: Revelation 16

By: Paige Russum

When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.   

Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset  

Head

Good morning friends! Today, we're diving into another exciting chapter from the Bible - Revelation 16. In this chapter, we get a glimpse of God's mighty power. It's like watching a superhero movie! The chapter talks about seven bowls filled with God's anger. That sounds a little strange, doesn’t it? Remember, many of the words John used to describe things actually just represent other things. So, while it may seem odd, we'll see how it all fits into God's incredible plan. 

Heart

In this part of John’s vision, God is angry because of the way people have been living. He has given them the ability to do great things, but they chose not to. Can you imagine your favorite superhero not using his powers? That is the way God sees us when we don’t use the talents He gave us! By reading this, we know that God wants us to do good things and use the talents He has given us to help others. But exactly how do we know just what to do so that we don’t make God angry? We can continue to pray for guidance. We can read our Bible to learn more. We can come to church and even serve! Those are all things that we KNOW He wants us to do!

Hands

Keep shining your superhero light and remember that God is always with you in this incredible adventure-filled life! 

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for being the greatest superhero of all time! We read about Your mighty acts in Revelation 16, and it reminds us of Your power and love. Help us be good superheroes by using our talents to help others. Guide us as we learn more about Your amazing plan in the Bible. Help us trust Your plan, even when things seem confusing. We know You are always in control, and we can rely on You.