By Undre Griggs, Jr
Your willingness to continue to endure the hate and mistreatment of the world is you proclaiming there is something greater than you. If you were only doing what was best for you; you would stop offering assistance, stop offering advice, and stop proclaiming the gospel. You are expected to rejoice in your suffering (James 1:2-4); much like the Apostle Paul and Silas singing while they were imprisoned (Acts 16:25). You are to look at all suffering as a small price to pay when compared against the glory of God (Romans 8:18). While it may seem like you are suffering for an exorbitant amount of time, remember that your life is short compared to an eternity. Remember that your life is but a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow (James 4:14).
1 Peter 5:10 (ESV): And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
Remember, every time you suffer, every time you are hated, every time you are ridiculed for Christ; Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish (Greek word for: lay the foundation, grounded) you. Recall the Bible passages on Joseph and how he was sold into slavery (Genesis 37:18-36) or the passage about Job losing his wealth, health, and family (Job 1:13-20). Their suffering while great by any standard, was but for only a short time. God restored them to greater status than they originally obtained, and He used their suffering to grow His kingdom. When, like Joseph, you forgive even when you have the power and right (by the standards of the world) to do otherwise: it is a glory to God. When, like Job, you show humility and trust while you are suffering: can it be attributed to anything but God? Continue to do right when everyone else would not; and do not worry about the cost. Christ will restore you in this life or the next.
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