“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
2 Timothy 4:3-5 ESV
We are going to suffer. We need to stop seeking pastors and preachers to prophesy over us our skimming over suffering or getting through hard times. Why are we going to man to hear what has already been promised to us? We know that “Trouble don’t last always.” Better yet, the Word says “Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)
Suffering is TEMPORARY! It is also unavoidable. As a matter of fact, the Lord warned us and practically guaranteed that it will. “In this world you will have trouble..."(John 16:33) "“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.”(James 1:2) Then there’s 1 Peter 4:19.
“Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
1 Peter 4:19 ESV
We need to stop allowing preachers and teachers to tickle our ears with promises of wealth, promotion, and status because it sets us up with a skewed expectation of what a life of following Christ looks like. Also, we ministers need to stop pumping and priming people and FEED them. Show them how to endure suffering rather than having them hopeful of avoiding it.