Joy Through Persecution and Trials

(Some of my favorite books that tell the stories of persecuted Christians)

My faith is fueled by the stories of Christians all over the world who endure persecution. They challenge me to live more sacrificially and obediently to the Lord. If you're a regular reader or listener of such stories, you'll notice something odd about them. Today, I was listening to a podcast interview of someone who has endured persecution in China and he talked about the joy he felt because of it. This is not unique to this man. I have read this numerous times from persecuted believers.
      These people aren't masochistic. They do not enjoy suffering for the pain it brings. They have discovered a spiritual truth that the writers of the different books of the Bible speak of. In James 1:2-4 (NLT) it says, "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."
      There is something beautiful that happens for many people when they are persecuted. Rather than becoming more afraid, they grow bolder in the faith. This does not mean they become less cautious or do not experience the effects of trauma (depending on how horrific the persecution they experience is). It means that they have proven that their faith in God is genuine. They have shown that they did not hold their lives as so important that they were unwilling to lose it for His sake (Acts 20:24). They are able to do this because they made Heaven their permanent home rather than earth. What they lose in this life is only a temporary loss. Such faith is closer to perfection than those who have not been tested and refined because they had a chance to set the things of this world aside in order to bring honor to God.
      First Peter 1:6-7 (NLT) says,
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold-though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
      In order to have the same mindset as our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world, we need to place a greater value on our faith (and God) than anything else. Peter says that our faith is more precious than gold, but how often do we set aside opportunities to cultivate and strengthen our faith in order to gain wealth? We need to resolve to follow God without the promise of an easy life. Jesus warned that because we believe in Him we will have trials (Matthew 10). The Bible is filled with passages telling us to endure suffering because we will need to make the choice to stay faithful to God or deny Him.
      What I find most interesting about this passage in 1 Peter 1 is that Peter was a man who experienced both sides. He denied Christ and lived faithfully for Him. He knew the anguish of denying the Lord to protect himself (Matthew 26:75). I can only imagine how much it pained him when Jesus (after rising from the dead) repeatedly asked if he loved Him (John 21:15-17). But, when Peter (along with the other apostles) was persecuted for being a Christian and flogged for the first time recorded in the Bible, he rejoiced along with the others because "God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus" (Acts 5:40-41 NLT).
      Peter, who had been on both sides, experienced joy after suffering for his Lord. This proved that his faith was genuine. Rather than looking for praise, glory, and honor on earth, he sought that of Heaven. Where will you choose to experience gain? Will it be on earth or in Heaven? The Bible tells us that wherever our treasure is, that's where our hearts will be (Matthew 6:21). The apostles and our persecuted brothers and sisters have made God their treasure and so their hearts are set on Him. That is why they can find joy in suffering for His name.
      Spend time really thinking about what and where your treasure is.

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