##DailyDevotion If Suffering Isn’t What You Were Promised, You Picked The Wrong Church
1 Peter 2:21-25 21This is what you were called for, seeing that Christ also suffered for you and left you an example for you to follow in His steps. 22He never sinned nor was found to be deceiving when He spoke. 23When others abused Him, He didn’t abuse them; when He suffered, He didn’t threaten but left it in the hands of Him Who judges fairly.
What is “This” that you were called for? It’s the previous verses. 19“It is a fine thing if, moved by your conscience to please God, you suffer patiently when wronged. 20What credit is it to you if you sin and patiently take a beating for it? But if you suffer for doing good and take it patiently, God is pleased with you.” I hope you are not disappointed. You hear a lot of people today, celebrities, false pastors, and the like claiming God wants you to happy, fulfilled, have a big house and expensive care, with a beautiful wife/husband, and excellent kids, along with great health and problems which lead to great things in this life. But it isn’t what Jesus promised. What did Jesus promise? John 15:20 “’A slave is no greater than his Master.’ If they persecuted Me, they’ll persecute you. If they keep My word, they’ll also keep yours.”
You too then should expect to suffer for Jesus’ sake and name. You will not suffer all the time because of the name of Jesus. However do not think your life in Christ will be a bed of rose petals. It could be a bed of roses but those roses have thorns. Look at our Lord Jesus Christ how he suffered. He was lied about, falsely charge, insulted, whipped, beaten, humiliated and crucified. When they were doing these things to him he did not fight back, curse them, or abuse them. He left all these things in the hands of his heavenly Father who judges all things fairly.
St. Peter is calling us to follow in Jesus’ footsteps in our lives and respond to evil with good. We are called to leave justice in the hands of God Almighty as well. What does Jesus tell us to do when people cause us to suffer? Matt. 5, 38“You have heard it was said: “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39“But I tell you, don’t oppose an evil man. If anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other cheek to him. 40If anyone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat, too. 41If anyone makes you go one mile, go two miles with him. 421f anyone asks you for anything, give it to him, and when anyone wants to borrow from you, don’t turn away. 43“You have heard it was said: “Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ 44 “But I tell you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. 45In this way you will show you are sons of your Father in heaven. He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good and lets rain fall on the just and the unjust.” Such is the life Jesus Christ called you to. You may have to give up all you have, possessions, friends and family. Jesus promises us though, Matt. 5, 11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, lie and tell only evil about you on account of Me. 12Rejoice and be glad because you have a great reward in heaven. That’s how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Jesus suffered and did all these things for you that he might win your soul so you may enter into eternal life. He calls to follow him in his footsteps so we might win over those who persecute us and they too may join us in his kingdom.
O Merciful Judge and Father, grant us the Spirit of your Son Jesus Christ, that we may follow in his footsteps, suffer for his name’s sake and by doing win many others into his kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.