Imitating Christ in Suffering
Thursday, September 19
So you received this message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 1:6)
When we are happy in spite of suffering because of the Gospel, we imitate Christ and Paul. How is this? We all know that Paul suffered to preach the Gospel. In 2 Corinthians 11:25-28, Paul gave us a log of his suffering for the sake of the Gospel: “Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.”
In Philippians 3:10, Paul wrote about his desire: “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death.” Noticed Paul did not write in the past tense. He wants to suffer with Him. He wants to share in His death. The only way we can access the power of resurrection is death and suffering. Christ is not suffering now, nor is He still in the grave. But identification with Christ also means we suffer and die. That is what He meant when He commanded us to take up our crosses and follow Him. But we are not to follow without joy.
Do you know why we rejoice when we suffer because of the Gospel? We look like Christ in it! In Acts of the Apostles 5:40-41, we read: “[The Jewish authorities] called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.” This attitude is the pinnacle of devotion to Christ. Christ Himself was happy to do God’s will. And this will is suffering to save us from sin and death.
When we rejoice in the Lord for the Gospel in spite of suffering, we are imitating Christ and the apostles.
Doing the Word
Be happy in the Holy Spirit when you suffer.
Prayer
Dear Father, grant me grace to be happy in the Holy Spirit no matter what I face because I believe in and serve You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.