A couple of weeks ago, my pastor was preaching about the trials of Job, and he was telling the old story of how Job went from one trial to another, one affliction to another. His friends thought he had sinned, and kept telling him to admit what he had done wrong, and ask God for forgiveness, and his wife told hime to curse God and die. But through it all, Job stood strong in his faith, never failing God, or his belief in him. He kept on serving God to the best of his ability, no matter what came his way. We all know the story of how it was God allowing Satan to do all this to Job, because Satan thought he could find a way to make Job turn from God, but God knew Job’s heart, and knew how dedicated Job was to him, just as he knows each of our hearts.
About a week after that sermon, I was riding in my car, listening to the radio, and a similar message was on Focus on the Family, about why Christians have to suffer, so you know that caught my attention. I thought to myself, “Why do I have to be driving, instead of at home, so I can get my Bible, and turn to the passage they were talking about?” I tried to remember the passage, because I knew I wouldn’t be home for a while, and I prayed to God for him to remind me, and you know what? He did! It’s 2 Corinthians 1:4, 7, 9, and 11. Each of these verses explains four different reasons why Christians suffers. Read each part of the verse, and the answer to the suffering is followed by the word “that“.
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
We suffer afflictions, and tribulations, so that we can help others in their time of need. The Bible says we are going to suffer for the call no matter what, and we should expect that. (1 Thessalonians 3:3-5) Another thought you may want to remember about suffering for Christ is, if Christ, being Holy, came down from Heaven, leaving all that he had, to walk this earth and set the example for mankind, died on the cross for our sins, suffering in agony and alone, being rejected by many, after being brutally beaten, are we any better than HE?
HE is royalty, but HE left HIS royal home in Heaven to die for us unworthy sinners. We are never going to be worthy of what he did for us. We will never repay the price, never be able to thank Jesus enough for giving HIS life for us, as the ULTIMATE sacrifice for SIN. HE did it because HE knew it was the ONLY WAY to reconcile us back to GOD! So many people turn their backs to on Jesus, thinking they have plenty of time, and the next instant, they are in etenity forevermore. I would hate to face God, and hear him say to me, “DEPART FROM ME, I NEVER KNEW YOU!“ This is something everyone needs to really think about, and not wait another minute before giving their hearts to God.
THE SUFFERING HERE FOR CHRIST IS MINIMAL, AND THE REWARD IN HEAVEN IS BOUNTIFUL, COMPARED TO THE ETERNAL SUFFERING YOU WILL HAVE IN HELL IF YOU DON’T GIVE YOU HEART TO GOD!
DON’T WAIT TOO LATE! JESUS LOVED YOU SO MUCH, HE STRETCHED OUT HIS ARMS AND DIED FOR YOU!
