TUESDAY October 6, 2026
Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.”
1 Peter 3:13-14
Peter posed a rhetorical question. It was intended to make believers think about the futility of those seeking to harm them, just because they followed a pattern of doing good. In other words, it was as if Peter was saying, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Think about that. Peter was right. Who can really be against us?
We must not be fearful when confronted by anyone who opposes us. Even if we were killed for our faith, where would we be? We would be in the presence of the Lord. That is the hope that nullifies fear of death. We are not holding this temporal life dear to ourselves; we are holding fast to the hope that is in Christ: And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died (1 Corinthians 15:19-20 NLT). This truth secures our hope for eternal life. Every single day of our lives we need not feel troubled.
Going back to what Peter was teaching in verse 13, he knew believers would suffer in this evil world; but he also knew it would only be for a mere moment, because eternity is forever. As you live temporarily on earth, consider yourself part of God's kingdom––a citizen of heaven.
Meanwhile, while living in this world, believers can make an incredible contribution to society. They shine brightly as lights reflecting the love of Jesus. They are endued with power from the Holy Spirit to break the cycle of sin and evil. People will be turned to Christ by our faithful witness––by not rendering evil for evil––by being a peacemaker. We are to follow Jesus’ example of goodness. This is the call of God upon our lives.
Suffering can give us opportunities to witness. The world is a gigantic hospital; nowhere is there a greater chance to see the peace and joy of the Lord than when the journey though the valley is the darkest.
~Billy Graham~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
