Are You Willing to Suffer?

Acts 5:12-42 

I’ve always heard the saying, ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’; but thinking on this today I wonder if this is meant in the sense of the tough stand stronger or the tough run the other way? When walking the path God has lain before you, do we stand strong and suffer a little pain to continue, or do we just give up and take the easy way out? I believe in too many instances, we give up and take the easy road instead of persevering and gaining the victory. Not to say that we turn away from God, but instead of pushing through the pain and defeating this mountain, we look for the shortest way around the problem without actually having to deal with the problem! Leaving it for another day, hoping our faith will be stronger and better able to fight the climb.

I think back to so many stories in the Bible where the apostles/disciples were beaten, broken, stoned and imprisoned because of their stand for Christ; and we can’t even walk a road with freedom to share Christ’s love without whining and complaining about how tough it is. Get over it!!! We have it so easy compared to the many that have walked this road before us; we don’t face abuse or death because of being a Christian or proclaiming and sharing God’s Word. We should count ourselves privileged to walk this road and to suffer daily to share Jesus’ love. We can freely share a word of encouragement or have prayer with anyone who asks and at any time without the fear of facing prison or being beaten.

Have you chosen to walk this road and feel you have been left alone to make the climb? Fear not, for God will send His angels to release you from your prison at the exact and appointed time for you to receive your victory! Rejoice while facing this trial, even though it’s hard and you see no end in sight, know that through this time of sorrow, suffering and shame, you are growing and receiving from the Lord. And when you think you can hold on no longer, the angel of the Lord will open the prison doors, sit you on top of the mountain where you can share your victory with someone else facing this trial.

Today, who do you choose to obey – man or your Heavenly Father? Do you choose to walk this road, face the pain, suffer for the cross and endure until the end? Or will you choose to give up and take the path of least resistance, knowing you’ll have to face this battle again? Who will you choose?

Author: Michelle Drummond

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