MONDAY April 24, 2023

Suffering for Christ’s Sake

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Acts 9:15-16

Saul became a chosen vessel to preach to the Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel. He was a broken man whose sins had been forgiven.

I believe, some Christians have read this verse and noticed that in Saul’s call, he would suffer for Jesus’ name’s sake. They may say, “Wait a minute. When I become a Christian that means I have to suffer?” Yes, suffering is a part of a Christian’s life––it is not always an easy journey.

Later, Saul, later known as Paul the apostle, recorded in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, some of the things he suffered in his Christian journey:

...I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

Second Timothy, an epistle written by Paul, shows that he knew all too well that Christians suffer. He wrote: Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). The truth is, we do not know what is ahead of us, but God does, and He is with us.

As a Christian, I first experienced suffering when visiting with family. They could not stand me, and I endured their hatefulness. Later, God touched their lives through my testimony, and they became saved. Know that God is at work through seasons of 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~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!