The school of suffering!

Hebrews 5:8 NLT

Even though Jesus was God's Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered.

Hebrews 5:8 NKJV

though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

Hebrews 5:8 TPT

But even though he was a wonderful Son, he learned to listen and obey through all his sufferings.

A Man of Sorrows acquainted with bitterest grief

I don't ever remember liking school. It was something to be endured, not enjoyed!

Oh! The joy of end of term and the long weeks of summer holidays.

That was just an ordinary school, but what about the school we all recoil from - the "school" of suffering? No one volunteers to be enrolled in that scholarship, do they? Or do they?

Because we read about Jesus, who volunteered to give up the joys of Heaven, to sign up for our wretched human plight.

He learned what it is to be hated and rejected, to be misunderstood and looked down on. He took a "PHD" in grief, when His cousin, John the Baptist, was beheaded and felt the sharp sword of injustice at His sham of a trial.

What about when one of His closest disciples denied Him 3 times and, of course, His fatal betrayer was also a chosen disciple. Can you feel His pain when ALL His followers fled at His midnight arrest?

Yes, Jesus achieved the highest degree in suffering through His Passion....all the while learning total obedience and compliance with the Father's Will during His foreordained Sacrifice.

How's my schooling going... Do I drop out of my suffering, asking for a "gap year", or, do I flunk my exams, failing time and again?

The most essential life lessons are learned during our times of struggle and turmoil.

Then we understand that there is only One Priest who can truly help us, because He's already walked that path of suffering for us.

He too cried out "why?" in His darkest hour, knew the ache of unanswered prayer, even though He prayed so hard for the "Cup" to be removed!

Luke 22:41-42

He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

The "Tutor" in our school of suffering is One who has practical and the most radical experience of it.

Hebrews 5:9-10 TPT

And after being proven perfect in this way He has now become the Source of Eternal Salvation to all those who listen to Him and obey. [10] For God has designated Him as the King-Priest who is over the priestly order of Melchizedek.

Suffering pupil, don't give up, but give in to the great High Priest, who wants you to pass with flying colours!