By Jon Burnett
24 March 2005
Suffering carries it�s course around us every day. We all know of people losing their lives to violent acts, natural disasters, civil war, disease, starvation, and tyranny. We turn on the news only to see man at his worst; destroying life, defiling children, and too many stealing the gift of purity from those around them without regard for anything but their own desires. As Christians we�re to expect suffering (2 Tim 3:12). In the grand majority of cases this doesn�t mean a threat to life, it means rejection by society, belittled by academia, and often mocking by your so-called �friends.�
God created us to be social creatures; to desire the friendship of man and a loving family. So why would godliness separate us from these? Why is it that we have to give up so much to serve God? Peter said it best, �Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who suffered in the flesh has ceased to sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles�In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation� (1 Pet 4:1-4).
Why serve Jesus? Because He served us. Why make sacrifices for an unseen God? Because He made the ultimate sacrifice. We clothe ourselves modestly because we dress for God, not man (1 Pet 3:3,4). We�re not selfish because there is a purpose and calling much greater than ourselves (Matt 26:39,42). We don�t indulge in alcohol because of the many greater things fill ourselves (Eph 5:18).
Yes, sacrifice is part of Christianity, as it is the rest of life, but thanks to the grace of God that pain is only temporary. Beating lust is going to mean giving some things up, but God�s will will be done and He will reward those who diligently serve Him, �Assuredly I say to you, there is no one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel�s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time�and in the age to come, eternal life� (Mk 10:29,30). Pain is temporary, the promise is forever!