Are you learning obedience through the things you suffer?

Hebrews 5:8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. Even though Jesus was the Son of God, He still had to learn obedience. Do you find that puzzling or hard to grasp, as I do? Certainly it’s because our tendency is to focus on Jesus’ divinity, which typically entails omniscience and sovereignty. The author in the previous verses put the spotlight on Jesus’ humanity—his partaking of flesh with its weaknesses when facing suffering and temptations in this world on our behalf. Jesus suffered many things. Matthew 16:21 states, “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.” We learn from this verse that he learned obedience from all these things. Do we all agree that learning obedience is a good thing? Would you also agree with me that its a good thing for God to orchestrate things in our lives so we can also learn obedience? Let’s unpack this idea that suffering is necessary if one is to learn obedience. Do we learn obedience if we like the circumstances? For instance, what’s the difference between a parent commanding a child to finish eating all his ice cream and commanding the child to finish eating all of his brussel sprouts (I’m assuming the child doesn’t like them)? The difference is that eating the ice cream doesn’t require overcoming an internal reluctance or dislike. Suffering rarely feels like eating ice cream. However, to eat something one doesn’t like in order to please a parent reveals the strength and direction of heart motivations and desires. The child must choose to please his parents more than gratify himself. In doing so, he learns what it is to obey and receives the reward both internally as His conscience approves and externally as his parents respond with joy. That’s a simple illustration, but it makes the point. Jesus received well the things He suffered. He believed they came from His Father who loves Him and has His highest good in mind. Jesus’ highest good is to glorify the Father by finding His deepest satisfaction in His Father’s will and purposes. He knew His Father’s purpose in all things was for Him to reveal the life and love of His Father in every situation as He trusted Him, received grace from His Father, and then spoke or did what reflected the Father’s glory. Obedience was the fruit of processing life through such a God-centered worldview. Jesus learned obedience by applying His Father’s worldview or mind in one circumstance after another, day by day—through the things which He suffered. This is exactly how loving with Jesus is. We must learn obedience to His command to believe in Him and love others by the things we suffer in this life. Every circumstance is God-given. We must receive it well meaning we apply these three foundational truths. 1) There’s only one God from whom are all things, and He is love. 2) The love of Jesus is enough. His love, presence, and will satisfy the deepest needs of my soul. and 3) God’s purpose in all things is to reveal Christ in me and prepare me for glory. Faith and loving obedience are the fruit of such practice. Are you learning obedience through the things you suffer?