"It is better to suffer for doing good... than to be punished for doing bad."
(1 Peter 3:13-18 MSG)
This sentence (in the verses listed above) stood out to me so much. Because it reminded me that I'd much rather suffer in this life than be punished in my eternal one. Nowhere in the Word does God promise that the Christian walk will be an easy one. He does however, promise that those who follow Him will endure persecution, trials, tribulations; etc. (2 Timothy 3:10-12 KJV & NLT)
A life of longsuffering.
What is Longsuffering? It is made up of two Greek words "Long" and "Temper", it means to show restraint, to literally be "long-tempered", slow to anger, to bare all things that come against you with great patience. The word itself is translated as "Patience" in the NAS version of the Bible.
Longsuffering is part of the process, "a spiritual refining process". (1 Peter 4:12-13 MSG)
A process that won't be fully complete until we are with our Father in Heaven. That's where everything, including us, will be perfect. Heaven is where the reward is. Not here. So let your thought process be eternal, and not temporal. Everything that we endure here is meant to kill off the parts of ourselves that do not reflect Christ. We are being made into His image. Each time we face something, there's an opportunity to become more like Jesus. Take it, revel in it, count it all as joy. You aren't going through anything Christ didn't endure Himself.
1 Peter 4:1-2 MSG
Personally, I'd rather go Through hell for Jesus than go To hell for satan.
- Brianna Carey ©
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