Hebrews 5 - obedience through suffering

...he learned obedience through what he suffered. (Hebrews 5:8)

There is a saying that goes something like, "If you are not beaten, you don't know the pain."

Jesus learning obedience through His sufferings reminds me of this. Indeed, it is often after the chastisement of God that we know how much we have strayed and how to really submit to Him. And we know that when God chastise, it is because He still treats us as sons (Hebrews 12:5-7); for who will care about someone else's son?

And so, though we suffer chastisement, it is for our good, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin (1 Peter 4:1). I wonder if you have had experiences like this? I personally felt this chastisement from God and experienced how sufferings has made me ceased from sin. Perhaps it is because I have behold the power and might of God, and know that He is indeed true and living right here with me, how would I dare then to sin any more?

Therefore, suffering can be good.... for it helps us to learn obedience. For we will not dare to do anything against His will anymore.

However, Jesus did no wrong.

Yet, He suffered.

For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. (1 Peter 2:19-20)

Isn't this a higher level of faith now? Are we able to Level Up?

It is probably not easy. A recent Home Bible Study also raised up a similar question about life in the workplace. If our bosses show favouritism or prejudice, how do we deal with it? Being the Bible Study leader, yet with so little years of experience working in the real world, I found it difficult to simply show verses like 1 Peter 2:19-20 and ask believers to do it, because the Bible says so.

I know it is not easy, but if Jesus has showed us the example, in the flesh, we can probably do it too, by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us.

And through this kind of suffering, we will be able to learn a deeper level of obedience towards God; not just one that is of fear because I-have-suffered-chastisement-before,I-am-not-gonna-go-through-it-again, but one that allows us to truly obey God from the depths of our soul because we stand in awe of Jesus, us having tried suffering for doing good and have failed (and so we know it is not easy), yet Jesus did it, all for our sake.

What have you suffered for doing good? Keep it between yourself and God :)