Suffering for Christ’s Sake (2)

Dearly beloved, I trust this finds you well and bubbling in the Lord. Yesterday, we looked at the fact that believers do suffer. Now, the Bible distinguishes between suffering for good and suffering for doing evil. 1 Peter 3v17 (NIV) says “For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” God looks at suffering for doing good as something that is commendable. If you are suffering for doing good, know God commends you for that. 1 Peter 2v19-21 (AMPC) tells us that “For one is regarded favorably (is approved, acceptable, and thankworthy) if, as in the sight of God, he endures the pain of unjust suffering. [After all] what kind of glory [is there in it] if, when you do wrong and are punished for it, you take it patiently? But if you bear patiently with suffering [which results] when you do right and that is undeserved, it is acceptable and pleasing to God. For even to this were you called [it is inseparable from your vocation]. For Christ also suffered for you, leaving you [His personal] example, so that you should follow in His footsteps.”

We are encouraged to endure, to persevere in times of suffering, and to know that it is pleasing to God. We have several examples of people who did right but suffered. In Genesis 35, 37, 39 40, and 41, we see how Joseph who lost his Mum at an early age, was deeply loved by his father, was envied by his brothers and was sold into slavery by this same brothers. In Egypt, where he served as a slave, he wouldn’t sleep with his master’s wife because he couldn’t do such a thing to his master who had entrusted great responsibilities on him, and he wouldn’t sin against God. His master’s wife told a lie that Joseph tried to rape her, and Joseph was thrown into prison. God was with him in prison and exalted him at the end of the day. We see Daniel too, a man who was excellent at what he did and had the Spirit of God. He was envied by his colleagues who said, “We shall not find any occasion [to bring accusation] against this Daniel except we find it against him concerning the law of his God” (Daniel 2v5, AMPC). They plotted to make a decree that said no one should pray to any man or god except the king knowing that Daniel would pray to God, and because he did pray to God, Daniel was thrown in a den of lions. God delivered him (see Daniel 2). Child of God, there are times we would suffer for righteousness sake, but know that this is commendable with God, and that we are encouraged to endure, and God will see you through. Amen.

 

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Word this day. We thank You for men and women of faith who have gone ahead of us to show Your faithfulness in time of trials and tribulation. We thank You because You are with us through everything that we go through and we are assured of victory in Jesus name, amen.

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