This week’s devotions are based on Week 5 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)
Would you be open to suffering?
Ephesians 3:13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
Sometimes we can be oblivious.
For example, as American citizens we intellectually know that we live on the backs of many men and women who have suffered and sacrificed to protect and preserve this nation that we enjoy. We can easily take the freedoms we do enjoy in this country and forget the sacrifice that was given.
However, when we pause to reflect on it, such as on Memorial Day or the Fourth of July or Veterans Day, we perhaps have a saddened emotion as we recognize the huge cost it has taken to establish and preserve our country. Yet, when you talk to almost any veteran, they were honored to serve and any family who has lost a loved one in combat, proud of their soldier. They don’t want you to be discouraged by their suffering, but rather enjoy the blessing that came through their suffering.
Have you ever thought about this in regard to your faith life? Do you have any part of your faith story that someone had to go through hardship to bring the Gospel to you? Maybe we don’t often think about this, but if your parents had a primary influence in your life, they probably had many days that they didn’t want to get up and bring you to church, but they did. Maybe they sacrificed their time and energy to make sure you had a Christian education. Perhaps in some settings you had a relative that risked rejection from the rest of the family and still taught you the Bible stories. Maybe your family was so opposed to Christianity that you yourself had to risk being kicked out of the family to become a Christian.
The Apostle Paul knew that as he was a servant of the Gospel, he would undergo suffering and was undergoing suffering for the sake of bringing the Gospel to the people of Ephesus. It seems like some were “discouraged” that all this was happening to Paul just to bring them the message of Jesus.
But Paul saw it as part of the role of a servant and realized the privilege of suffering for the sake of the Gospel. The Lord Jesus through Annanias said there would be suffering involved in bringing Jesus to the nations.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
Paul was used to causing suffering to people connected to the name of Jesus. Now he was on the receiving end of the very same thing. Yet he realized that suffering for the cause of the Gospel was to the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
So he was willing to do it.
And the Ephesians were blessed by it.
And so are we.
Suffering is part of being a servant of the Gospel. But know that when you suffer to bring Jesus to someone else, the suffering isn’t easy, but the impact on the souls of others is eternal.
Apply: Have you had to suffer for the sake of the Gospel? What witness opportunities have you avoided because of fear of suffering?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for all your faithful servants who have been willing to suffer for the sake of bringing your Gospel to others. Give me courage as well, as one of your servants, to be willing to suffer to bring your message to others. AMEN.