Romans 5:3-5 NKJV 3
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Suffering for doing the right thing is never in vain. The Bible tells us that we should rejoice when we undergo this kind of suffering. For some reason some have believed that believers should not suffer and if we do then our Faith is weak or something is wrong with us. That is not so because suffering is part and parcel of our Christian faith.
The natural inclination when we suffer for doing the right thing is to think that God has forgotten us and we get into complaining and murmuring mode. When you complain and murmur against God you are sabotaging your destiny….. ask the children of Israel who constantly complained in the wilderness and that generation died in there except Joshua and Caleb.
The only way you and I can rejoice in our suffering when we do the right thing is when we have an understanding of the purpose of the suffering. The Apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. They did not complain or murmur, instead, they rejoiced.
Are you going through suffering today for standing on the truth? Then rejoice because that kind of suffering has an assignment in your life, it has a fruit it is intended to produce in you with the end game being to strengthen your faith and resolve in God.
Reflections
When was the last time you suffered because of your faith?
Why do we tend to complain when we suffer for doing the right thing, is it a sign of a lack of faith?
Who are some individuals who suffered for their faith in the bible and how did they respond to the sufferings?
