For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to
believe in him, but also to suffer for him. Philippians 1:29
A majority of Christian walk is filled with challenges, crisis and
struggle. It's vile to associate Christian life with prosperity, wellness &
materialistic contentment. We embrace a lifestyle of crisis yet never broken or
lost, unless we choose to give up on God. Paul summarizes this beautifully in 2
Corinthians 4 8-19, “We are afflicted on every way, but not crushed; we
are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are
struck down but not destroyed.”. Any preaching that tells Christian
life does not have challenges and struggles it is undoubtedly false theology.
God keeps pruning and shaping us on earth through struggles and crisis to
perfect us in order to attain glorious eternity. Paul exhorted the disciples
and strengthened them to continue in the faith in Acts 14:22, ,
“it is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”. The
Bible also says “He comforts us in our affliction so that we may be
able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we
ourselves receive from God.”. 2 Corinthians 1:4.
The key verse emphasizes that it has been granted to us on
Christ's behalf not only to believe in Him, but also suffer for Him (Philippians
1:29). It is crucial to understand God shapes a person in his crisis,
not in his luxury. Luxury dulls our need for God. If indeed God has given us
luxury, it is only to share with the less privileged and the needy. Let us be
aware that the blessings we receive is not for us alone, but is given so that
we generously share it with others. The rich young man in the Bible came to
Jesus to know how he would inherit the kingdom of God. He was blessed with all
the materialistic blessing and also followed all the commandments ardently from
his young age, but returned sorrowful when Jesus told him, “you lack
one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven. Then come, and follow me.” Mark 10:21. The next
verse says, “but he was dismayed by this demand and he went away
grieving, because he had many possessions.”. The final culmination
point is that God is trying to teach us to live one day at a time as stated in
the Lord’s prayer, “give us each day our daily bread.” Luke
11:3.
Life of Jesus fascinates me in two passages. First, in John 7:30
it says, “No man laid his hand on him, because his hour had not yet
come.”. Second, a few days later He was again teaching in the temple
and the crowd was enraged by His claims, yet still, “no one seized him,
because his hour had not yet come. “ John 8:20. The inference is that
the suffering was stalled for Jesus until the fullness of the time or in
the appointed time which was about to come. Today we comfort each other saying
good times are ahead. God allows perpetual crisis to prune us and increase our
God-reliance over our self-reliance. Never forget the words of Jesus, “In
this world you will have tribulation”. John 16:33. We have hope in
Jesus because of the victory as He encourages saying, “but be of good
cheer, I have overcome the world.”. In our final destination with God,
we come to a perfect future as stated in Revelation 21:4, “And God
shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and death will be no more , nor
sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things are
passed away.”. Note, the former things, which is the present age has
promised suffering and crisis in abundance. But soon we will reach our eternal
destination where there is joy in abundance and joy eternal. In this earth we
cannot escape problems and crisis but His promises are eternal, notably, He
will never leave us nor forsake us..
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