All who live Godly in Christ Jesus suffer persecution. 2 Tim 3:12:
Many Christians may have been erroneously told that becoming a Christian is the ‘one-shot’ vaccine to a trouble free life.
On the contrary, once you sign up to follow Christ, hell will let loose, because our adversary, Satan, the ‘territorial lord’ of this earth would not wish any of his subjects to get free from his evil grips. John 12:31-36
So get ready!
Christ remains the model and prime example for a Christian to follow. Many would think that being divine and coming into the world as God’ only begotten son, would not experience any of the existential needs.
He felt Hunger! Matthew 4: 2
He was thirsty! John 19: 18-29
His soul was heavy at some point! Mark 14: 33-36
And finally went to the cross in the most excruciating encounters with pain and death.
So what makes us feel we can be exempt from the troubles of this life?
It’ often the pains and trials of this life that’s paves way for the glory and triumphs that are in Christ. More so in those hard and difficult times God is testing us and inwardly shaping our character and prodding our trust in Him ultimately (Romans 5:3)
It’s cheap faith to only trust and be thankful to God when things go rosy, a childish wishful thinking to want to hold up the champions trophy without the drill and rigour of sacrifice and tough walk in the fields and the trenches of life.
How did Abraham felt going on so long without a child? And yet God prided in him as His friend. God’s friend, without a child, yet God is the one who has power to do all things? Mark 10:27.
Here is the departure, mere followers are the babies of the Kingdom, the disciples, those who wish to follow Christ at all cost, in the sun and in the rain, winter and summer, the soldiers of the kingdom who trudge and stomp through the wilderness and the thick forests of life, yet trusting the lord as their saviour, king and lord. Such people will share the spoils of war and prize of the kingdom in the final day.
Apostle Paul now in eternal glory fought the good fight of faith.
Fights wont be conducted in the confines of peace or in the comfort of our living rooms. It’s in the combat theatres of life; with Satan, with the bashing’s and knocks that life brings, with men, with rulers of this world, with pains and disappointments, with childlessness, with poverty and want, with failures and the jeering’s of people who don’t like you.
In the end we emerge with absolute dependence and trust in God and not man.
And finally Apostle Paul took the bow after he’s been through it all emerged as a true champion in Christ, ready for the crown (2 Tim 4:7).
That should be our sincere hope in Christ that in the end we stand fit for the crown. Amen
