The Gift

 September 23, 2024

Since it contains many of the Scriptures that have been influential in my life, I want to park in Philippians for awhile. Here’s a verse we do our best to avoid:

“For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,” —Philippians 1:29 

You can see why we avoid verses like this, but they are actually pretty common in the Bible. Jesus said, “If [unbelievers] treat me this way (attack after attack), don’t be surprised at how they treat you.” At one point, he even says that it will get so bad that if the days weren’t shortened, no one would survive.  Peter tells us not to be surprised at the fiery trial that is to come.

Notice Paul’s attitude: Suffering is a gift. And it is a gift that goes hand in hand with faith in Jesus. We Americans mostly equate God’s blessings with material prosperity and smooth sailing. Jesus knows better. We prefer mountaintop experiences, but not much grows on the mountaintop. It’s in the valleys where things grow. We grow in the hard times. They drive us to our knees as easy times cannot. 

Suffering is a gift. The question is, have we unwrapped it yet, or is it still sitting under the tree?