Paul writes to the Corinthians, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (2 Corinthians 4:17). Here is a man who suffered shipwrecks, beatings, stoning, prisons and opposition of both within and outside the church.
In our culture where living a pain-free life is premium, self comfort the chiefest goal and access to every convenience a must, any suffering or pain sets us reeling. We are most miserable being miserable! Not so with Paul for he had an eternal perspective. He saw what others couldn't see in the midst of pain, suffering, loneliness, darkness and hours of feeling abandoned. His faith in God was stronger, sweeter and more sure than the day he first encountered Christ.
Our faith is of greater value than gold and it's weight can not be compared to anything else we cherish! Because it is so precious and sweet, Satan will do anything to undermine it with lies. Lies that say your failure brought on suffering (I'm not speaking of times when God may chasten us or we chose to disobey and suffer from our folly). Or the devil will say, "Ease up on being a witness to Christ!" "Relax, take it easy besides no one wants a fanatic in the office spouting off Scriptures!"
Sadly, the persecution in America comes in a different form, but it's changing rapidly becoming an aggressive persecution, it's called soft living - and it's just as deadly as being physically persecuted. The Laodicean church was neither hot or cold it says in Revelation, but lukewarm.
When we will live right before God, we will be opposed. But to avoid any suffering or opposition will only weaken us. We'll lose our passion for God and things of the world become more attractive. We'll settle down with the Enemy just for a moment of relief not realizing he is destroying bit by bit our purest faith in God.
We can go through anything in this life with Christ knowing in the end there waits an eternal glory that overcomes all our sorrow and pain!
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