Participate
In The Sufferings Of Christ
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the
fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were
happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of
Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are
insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of
glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or
thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you
suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that
name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it
begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel
of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of
the ungodly and the sinner?”
So then, those who suffer according to
God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to
do good.
1 Peter 4:12-19
We all know trouble close-up – bad health,
empty bank accounts, blighted love, grief, loss of job, the list goes on and
on.
It shouldn’t surprise us that God permits
the added trials of being ridiculed and hated because we follow Christ.
Have you ever seen a golf course without
hazards? They are a part of the game. Golfers speak of the courses with the
most hazards as the most challenging, and they will travel a long way to test
their skill against the most demanding 18 holes. Oliver Wendell Holmes knew
trouble. He acknowledged that trouble creates a capacity to handle it. Meet it
as a friend. We will see a lot of trouble and we had better understand we don’t
get any special passes because we are Christians. We may even create trouble by
being Christians.
Don’t think it strange when trouble comes.
God is using it to test the stamina of our souls. The best way to handle
trouble is to commit ourselves to Him. Do good for our
faithful Creator.
Great triumphs are born
of great hardships.
Our Daily Bread – January 2, 2011