Last month we took a hard look at several psalms that all had one thing in common: They traced the pathway from suffering to glory. And along the way I have found myself repeatedly quoting verses like Romans 5:3: "suffering produces endurance." Second Thessalonians 1:4-5, where Paul says to be "[steadfast] and faith[ful] in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. [Because] this is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering." Second Timothy 1:8: "Share in suffering for the gospel." This becomes a running theme in 2 Timothy. Chapter 2, verse 3: "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus." Chapter 4, verse 5: "endure suffering." And chapter 3, verse 12 says, "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." Notice: most of the suffering described in those passages involves suffering for righteousness' sake. The New Testament portrays persecution and worldly opposition as the expected consequences of a faithful life.
If you are a true believer, and if you are faithful to the word of God, you will experience suffering. And much of the suffering you experience will be in the form of deliberate persecution at the hands of worldly people...
