Colossians 1:24-25
New International Version (NIV)
Paul’s Labor for the Church
24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—
Do you ever feel like you no matter what you try to do someone is always talking about you? Or maybe it's a different form of suffering? At that moment rejoicing is probably the furthest thing from your mind! You see suffering is just that, suffering. It's painful. It isn't enjoyable. And yet we read here that Paul rejoices in the suffering. Why in the world would anyone rejoice in suffering or pain?!
Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
John 15:20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
It's biblical. We will be persecuted and have to endure suffering. But our Jesus has already endured it and already overcome it!
What if you were going through that suffering for someone else? Would you be willing to do that? I can honestly sit here before you and tell you that I have not had to do that. I can only imagine that it would be very hard! As I am about to become a mother I think about the scenarios my children might have to face one day. What sort of persecution and suffering will I endure for them. My prayer is that I will be willing to endure it, that I will not be a selfish mother.
As a Christian I have endured persecution. I have been faced with people, even people very close to me, doing and saying everything in their power to tear me down. Or tear my faith down. But never have I had to go through any sort of suffering for another person.
This makes me think of what Jesus went through. He didn't go through all of that suffering for himself. He did it for you and for me. So that now we have a way out. In the end we have the victory!
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
This sort of faith take action. It takes being a servant. Paul says in verse 25 that he is a servant by the commission that God gave him. What commission has God given you? Where has he called you to serve? And how important is that to you? Because it by that measure, the importance God's commission holds to you, that you will be persecuted. BUT, it also by that measure that you will see the victory that is for you.
Will you serve and carry the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus will be seen?
My prayer for you and me is that God would show us the commission he has already laid on us. That our ares of service to him and his kingdom will be revealed in a way that is undeniable! Also that we would be willing to endure the suffering not only for ourselves, but for the sake of every soul that we will reach! Let God awaken you today!
~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford
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