"The Lord IS With US IN OUR SUfferings"

Psalm 34:19 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.

This is really a remarkable passage of scripture and it’s one that is often overlooked as Christians. We have not been promised a life free from hardships. We have not been promised a trouble-free life. On the contrary, God has promised to be our rescue.

Hardship in life can come in many forms and so long as you are living in this world trouble and hardships are simply a part of life. I would even say this is the case more so, if you are a Christian because Jesus said in John 15:18-21 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belong to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to this world, but I have chosen you out of the world.

That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: A servant is not greater than his master’. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.

Now the question for us is how do we handle being hated by the world? How do we handle being persecuted by the world? Well let’s consider this passage of scripture to help us in this area.

1Peter 4: 13-16 But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and God rests on you. If you suffer it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal or even a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

When you suffer because you are a Christian, when you suffer because of your belief in the Lord, be strengthened by the word of God because the bible says you are blessed for the spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

So let me encourage you and tell you, should you face the hardships of life because you are a Christian, you’re blessed because as you

partake in the suffering because of Christ you will be overjoyed in glory when the Lord returns you will be rewarded for your Faithfulness.

And should you face the hardships of life, should you encounter the many afflictions that we all face in life, then we have a promise to hold on to and that promise is that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Regardless of the type of trouble you face or the form it comes in, so long as you are in the Lord you will overcome.