I love Jesus. I love His church. I don’t write with an axe to grind or to start a new movement. I’m not going to call out Pastors and teachers to tell them what they’re “doing wrong”.
I write this for people who are like me. Whose minds latch onto a phrase or concept and get on a rollercoaster that creates confusion or guilt. I want to understand the Word and apply it in a way that’s transformative for me and the world. Maybe I can help you do the same.
The Christian Life of Suffering
We look at the passion of Jesus. We recognize the gift of God and the extraordinary price He paid.
He came and blessed the world with His presence. He taught and healed like no other. He was taken by the powers that be and was tortured, mocked, and killed. He paid for the sins of humanity with His own blood.
If Jesus, who is perfect, suffered so much, can’t we expect to suffer in the same way? This is what Jesus said:
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” – John 15:18-20
Jesus says that the world will persecute us because we don’t belong to the world. He says that if you were of the world, the world would love you.
I’ve heard this taught in different ways:
- Jesus tells us we will suffer. If you aren’t suffering, you need to take a look at your walk with Christ.
- The Christian life should be difficult and exhausting. If it’s easy, you’re doing something wrong.
Every time I hear it, I feel guilty. Life is good. Life in Christ is the best.
It is difficult and exhausting at times. And there are times of “suffering”. I say that in quotes because I just don’t know.
What is suffering, and how much is enough?
That’s not silliness to me. I was raised to have a stoic mindset. Through most pain and heartache, you need to suck it up. Have I ever really suffered?
Yes, I have. And arguably, the worst of it was suffered before following Christ. In comparison, I live a life of joy and peace. Life has anxieties attached to it regardless of standing with God. Now I know whatever happens, He will be there with me.
Plus, I live in America. All over the world the suffering is at a whole other level.
The government isn’t attacking me for His sake. I’m not being tortured or put in prison.
Whenever I hear this type of message, I start to examine my life. And there’s nothing wrong with self-examination. But after 17 years of walking with the Lord, it still hits me wrong.
So now I’m going to examine the validity of the idea that if you’re not suffering for Christ, you’re not doing it right.
The Persecuted Church
I’m going to start by giving the best defense that I can in support of this idea. When I look at the Bible, there is a lot of support saying that those who follow Jesus will suffer.
- 2 Timothy 3:12-13 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
- 1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
- John 15:18-20 If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
These are just a few of the verses that connect persecution to the Christian experience. If you know anything about the birth of the church, these are the warnings we should expect.
Almost every Apostle was murdered for his faith. All but one, and they tried more than once to kill him.
In “The Cost of Discipleship”, Dietrich Bonhoeffer says that following Christ means a willingness to face persecution. “Costly Grace” is the grace that calls Christians to endure for righteousness’ sake.
Augustine talked about how trials and suffering refine your faith. Suffering shows a commitment to God instead of to comfort.
What is Suffering?
suf·fer·ing
- the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship.
When I look out, I can see with my eyes that most of the world is suffering at some level or another. And that is just the suffering that I can see. There are conflicts that rage in hearts and minds from the least to the greatest. It’s universal.
“…For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
-Matthew 5:45
From this perspective, of course the Christian will suffer. Aligning with Jesus won’t automatically cancel out our human experience of suffering.
This could be a warning not to expect that all your troubles will just disappear since you began to follow Jesus.
Persecution is a more active suffering because of your relationship with Jesus. The world will hate you because it hates Him.
It will hate you because you stand for godly morals. Even if just in your personal life, the world will scoff and attack.
No one wants to be reminded that they are degenerate, even if you aren’t saying it, but your life is a reflection of it.
per·se·cu·tion
- hostility and ill-treatment, especially on the basis of ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation or political beliefs.
From the very beginning, Christians have been persecuted. Even today, Christians are imprisoned, tortured, and murdered for their faith. Here are some stats:
- 360 million Christians face high-level persecution, according to Open Doors’ World Watch List 2024. This number represents approx. 1 in 7 Christians worldwide.
- Over 5,000 Christians were killed for their faith in the past year. Nigeria alone accounts for nearly 90% of these deaths.
- More than 5,000 churches and Christian buildings were attacked or closed, especially in China and India.
- About 4,000 Christians were arrested or imprisoned without a fair trial due to their beliefs.
- Religious nationalism, authoritarian regimes, and violent extremism have caused a rise in persecution over the last decade.
Suffering and persecution can be a big part of the Christian experience.
As an American I don’t experience any of that. It would be exceptional if I even got verbally abused. Is it persecution when people call you names because you believe in abstinence? Or because you argue the case for the life of the newborn?
It doesn’t seem so.
If You’re Not Suffering, Then You Aren’t Doing It Right
This is the part that causes me to pause. I have heard it a lot. If you aren’t suffering for Jesus, then you aren’t living out the Christian life.
The problem is that I think it sets up a false measurement for your walk. If I’m not suffering, then I’m not living rightly?
I haven’t been able to find a verse that says this in the Bible. If you know of one, then send it to me. I’m not ashamed to get schooled.
There are many verses that say to expect suffering. But that is different than to suggest that if you aren’t suffering, you aren’t living a good Christian life.
With this idea, isn’t there a danger of establishing perverse incentives? What does that mean?
Imagine if you were taught that if you die as a martyr, it means automatic access to heaven and pleasures that mortals only dream of. Might that not establish a culture of martyrdom for the sake of escaping the pain of life directly to the joys of heaven? I can think of one culture where it has.
More often it sets in motion a silent guilt that eats away at your conscious because you recognize that you aren’t really “suffering”. I reject that idea.
I recognize that this life has the potential for much pain and suffering for Christ. We see it all over the world.
I live in the truth of the invitation that Jesus extended in Matt 11:28-30
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Jesus says the yoke we share and the burden we bear is easy and light. So, measuring my life by the level of difficulty I face seems contradictory.
I don’t take this as a promise that we won’t suffer but that with Christ Jesus bearing the burden with us, it is easy and light.
The Opportunity
If you’re one of the lucky ones who bear such a “light momentary affliction” (like me), what can I take away from this? In Luke 12:48 it says
“… Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”
Just because I’m not suffering directly doesn’t mean that I should be sitting on the couch all day.
If I’m free from persecution, I have an opportunity to use that freedom to advance the gospel and the kingdom of God. If I have a greater freedom I have a greater opportunity and even a greater obligation.
If I don’t have the actual authorities putting me in prison for my faith, how much more should I be able to speak out? If a mob of people aren’t trying to kill me, how much bolder should I be for Jesus?
The Cost of Sacrifice
The ideas of suffering and sacrifice are similar. Neither are just trials to be endured but meaningful acts that lead to a greater purpose.
I think of David when he bought the field of Araunah to build an altar to the Lord. Araunah was willing to just hand the field over. But David wouldn’t have it.
“But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.” – 2 Sam 24:24
Our sacrifice is valuable because it costs us. Paul describes the Christian life as a living sacrifice.
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” – Romans 12:1
The more we have, the greater our sacrifice can be. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that too often, the more we have, the less we give in proportion to our wealth. Unfortunately.
These warnings are now becoming extremely relevant.
Be the Living Sacrifice
How can you live a life of sacrifice? Find ways to live intentionally in service to Jesus.
- Give strangers the gospel when you are in line (or going about your day). In the US alone, Americans spend roughly 37 billion hours each year waiting in line. You will feel awkward for a moment. But that will become an eternal glory to God.
- Find a way to be of service in your church. By some estimates, only 30% of church attendees actively serve.
- Be in the Word and in prayer and apply what you learn. Applying what is revealed in the Word and in prayer in your life is the most powerful work you can do.
- Be generous. With your time, money, and attention.
- Let go of resentment and pray for your enemies. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
– Ephesian 6:12
These ideas are not extensive. There are as many ways to serve Jesus as people.
If you want a measurement by which to mark your walk with Jesus I have one I think works better than measuring your suffering.
“Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” -Matt. 7:16-20
What is the fruit of the Spirit?
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” – Gal. 22-23
Be fruitful.
