Joy In Suffering

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

- Philippians 1:29 

As Christians, we ofttimes live in a bubble that once we give our life to Christ, all things will begin to work out well, and that’s the end of our suffering. We barely even hear today in churches or any Christian discussion that there is something as suffering in the Christian life.  At a certain point in our Christian journey, there comes suffering for the sake of Christ (we get persecuted for what we believe in). The bubble we once lived in is gone. At this point in our Christian journey, when the suffering sets in, we begin to wonder if we did something wrong, maybe God doesn’t love us, or at times we go to God to ask Him to take away the suffering as soon as possible. Sometimes, the suffering lingers. What do we do then? Has our Christian journey been a farce all along, or have we indeed done something wrong?

That brings us to the point that a solid foundation is necessary for a successful Christian journey and what solid foundation can anyone lay than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). From (John 1:1) we know that the word of God is God Himself and, that is the solid foundation upon which we lay our Christian life. Having established this, what does the word of God say about suffering? Are we ever to experience suffering in our Christian journey? Have we done something wrong if we experience suffering in our Christian journey?

Jesus, when giving one of His most popular sermons titled “The Beatitudes.” mentions something profound about suffering for Christ’s sake. 

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in Heaven for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – Matthew 5:11-12.

Isn’t it amazing that Jesus says to rejoice and be exceedingly glad when you suffer for His sake? It may come as a shock to you but, this is the truth (John 8:32)

The truth is, once you set your heart to live for Christ in this world, suffering in the form of revilements and persecutions is inevitable. Why is that? It is because you longer live according to the flesh, now you live according to the Spirit. The flesh is enmity with God (Romans 8:7-8)

Paul, writing to the church in Philippi, points out that it is a privilege to suffer for the sake of Christ. Isn’t that amazing that whenever we go through suffering for the sake of our belief in Christ, far from it that we have done something wrong, it is a privilege granted unto us by Christ? Paul later goes on in his letter to the Philippians that he would rather suffer the loss of everything when compared to the surpassing knowledge of Christ and prays that he may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death (Phil. 3:7-10)

Are you out there suffering for the sake of Christ, do not be discouraged. Instead, count it all joy because your reward is great in Heaven. Don’t seek to escape from the suffering. Bear it all with joy because God, in His great mercies, has granted you the privilege of sharing with Him in His sufferings.