Suffer or Endure?

Prayer – Lord, help me to endure the trials that come into my life—now and all the tomorrows ahead. Please give me a clear head and discernment to consider options and especially Your will. Thank you that I can depend on You—and that You will never give up on me.

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil. Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:12-18

 

Meditate. Consider God’s guidance in scripture.

 

Suffer…is that what God wants for us? Paul writes about suffering—he did and he advises Timothy…and us…to be prepared to endure that, too. Additionally, Paul, like Peter, reminds us not to be ashamed of the Lord.

So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don't be ashamed of me, either, even though I'm in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.  2 Timothy 1:8-10 (Underlined for emphasis.)

God didn’t promise that we would go through life without trials and tribulation—but Jesus did promise that He would be with us always.

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

We don't have to walk alone...
in our relationships with God and others.

This promise is repeated in Deuteronomy 31:8 and Hebrews 13:5. Life is full of challenges and troubles. I’ve heard it said that we have either just come out of a trial, are in one, or are headed for one. That’s life. Ups and downs. You don’t have to look far to see that in others and even yourself. But take heart—God isn’t finished with any of us yet and He does love us. We need that. We have it in our relationship with the Lord. We don't have to walk alone.All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

You can endure.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 2 Corinthians 1:6

 

© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

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