Scripture passage that caught my attention today: Philippians 1:29-30. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— 30 since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Observation: Suffering for Christ can be a privilege.
Application: I was thinking this early this morning that I would really be upset (as in angry) if were to get prostate cancer. (Generally speaking I’m at low risk for this disease, but I’m not far from the age where I’ll need to have the dreaded examination.) I know full that I deserve just as much suffering as anyone else in the world but, dang it, like a hot potato, I don’t want it!
However, Paul had a different view. He saw suffering as an opportunity to bear witness to Christ and, furthermore, compared to what Christ suffered, Paul saw his own suffering as paling in comparison.
Personally, I’m not quite to that frame of mind yet. But at least in Paul I have a model of faith upon which to focus. And hopefully that will be of significant help in whatever forms of ‘suffering’ come my way. That way at least something good can come out of it.
Prayer: Lord, the less we concentrate on self and the more we concentrate on you, the better. Help me to keep such things in mind. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
(Readings today included: Song of Solomon 5-8 and Philippians 1)
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