In our western culture of comfort, instant gratification and convenience, the reality of suffering for the cause of Christ and the spread of the gospel seems like a foreign concept. As Rankin Wilbourne and Brian Gregor state in their book The Cross Before Me, “pain and suffering, while undesirable and never to be sought in and of themselves, are necessary for knowing God.” It’s likely that we know of many Christian brothers and sisters who are suffering hardships simply because they are followers of Christ. It’s always been this way. The earliest followers of Christ were targeted because of their close proximity and identification with Jesus Christ.
We too, will be targets because of our open, professed identification with Jesus Christ. It encourages me to have the examples of the apostles and early followers of Christ, along with modern day sufferers, who endure hardship and hostility with graciousness and joy. I am encouraged by the words of Romans 8:18 - to know that the “sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
I have always been intrigued with the insight that our Lord gave to Ananias when he was sent as the instrument to restore Paul’s sight after Paul had encountered Christ on the road to Damascus. In Acts 9:15-16 our Lord tells Ananias that He will show Paul “how much he must suffer for My name’s sake”.
Being fellow heirs with Christ involves an element of suffering (see Romans 8:16-17), and it encourages me to know that he has given us His Word, His Spirit, prayer, and fellow Christians to make this journey successful. Let’s not be those who desire to follow Christ on our own terms, but those who say: “Wherever He leads, I’ll go.” We can be confident that His path leads to true joy – today, tomorrow, and forever.
Jess Murphy
Church Council Member