Meditate. Can it be a privilege to suffer?
Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it. Philippians 1:27-30
Citizen of
Heaven…not just a citizen of our town, state, nation…but of heaven! We belong
to heaven…to the Almighty God and Jesus as the King of kings, Lord of
lord—ruling the great high heaven—our ultimate home. Glorify Him.
You are privileged to trust
Christ…to allow Him to have suffered for your sin—to have forgiven you—and to
guide you on the path that you follow into the future. A passage in the Old
Testament gives us the wisdom for that trust.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on
your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which
path to take. Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD
and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength
for your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8
Suffering isn’t something that any
one chooses willingly—although there are those in the world that are mentally
unstable who are engaging in a practice of cutting themselves—self-punishment
that brings them some sort of bizarre satisfaction. There have been people like
that throughout history who harm themselves—but that is not the suffering that
we may have to endure or that Paul wrote about.
Each time he (God) said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
 |
| Like these sheep grazing in Israel, you are not alone. God is always with you. |
- So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. Deuteronomy 31:6
- Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you." Hebrews 13:5
Go ahead. Face your trials and persecution head on. God is right there with you. Have some memorized scripture in your heart and mind so that you can have peace and strength as you face whatever troubles come your way. Any of these scripture passages mentioned above are good ones to hang on to and memorize, or consider a long passage like Psalm 119. It is full of great promises from the Lord. You are privileged to know the Lord…to trust Him…and suffer with Him.
Prayer ~ Lord, Joyful are people of integrity, who follow Your instructions. Joyful are those who obey Your laws and search for You with all their hearts. ... I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:1-2, 11
Available as an e-book
or paperback at Amazon.com
No comments:
Post a Comment