“Blessed Suffering”

 At first this might sound like an oxymoron – like “jumbo shrimp” or “civil war”. But consider the words of Jesus: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).

 If we suffer for the right reasons, then we are right before God – a blessed condition indeed – since we know that God is ultimately on our side. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

 This is why so many Christians through the ages have been willing to take the heat for a good cause:

  • Martin Luther King Jr. was jailed on several occasions for leading non-violent civil rights demonstrations that are now celebrated.

  • Dietrich Bonhoeffer was jailed and ultimately killed by the Nazis during World War II for publicly opposing their evil practices on Christian grounds.

  • Peter and John were jailed for proclaiming resurrection in Jesus at the Jerusalem temple (Acts 4:1-4).

  • Jesus of Nazareth, for a ministry of love that drew crowds, was conspired against and ultimately crucified over fears of a Roman crackdown (John 11:48).

The basic lesson here is that if you stand for the truth you’re sometimes going to take some heat for it. Why bother then? Because the Christian message stands to change lives and change the world. There is nothing so valuable in the entire universe.

This is why Dr. Charles Sheldon said, “…I pledged myself at the very beginning of my ministry that no matter what happened in my own local parish or anywhere out in the great world I would never lose my faith in the ultimate victory of the things that Jesus lived and died for. If my ministry could not carry with it always the impression of beating the devil and saving the world, I declared to myself at the very beginning I had no call to be a minister. Whatever else I have held to or let go as the years have sped, I am glad to say I have never doubted the final victory of good over evil.”

Keep this in might the next time you suffer for a good reason.

 God Bless you,

                                    Pastor Andrew McHenry