suffering

  

if you are not prepared to suffer for Christ when you have accepted Him as your Saviour, turn around and walk away from Him................

we are in Lent.  the 7 weeks before Jesus was crucified.  in two weeks we will celebrate His resurrection. the greatest day in History if you are a Believer.  everybody wants the perks that goes with the Believing.  but i don't think everyone wants to accepts the suffering that is guaranteed when you Believe.

i am not talking about the way people who believe are suffering in countries where you are literally persecuted because you believe Jesus died for your sins.  i am talking about suffering in our every day lives, because we Believe.

i am talking about the way you suffer when you have to say NO to certain things that everyone else says YES to.  they way you suffer when your spouse is not a Believer.  the way you suffer when you have to let go of relationships because it is not glorifying God.  they way some people look at you, shake their heads and whisper among each other - "she/he is taking this Jesus-thing a little too far".  the way you sometimes know that you will lose business because you are not ashamed to proclaim your belief in Jesus.  the way you suffer when people are just waiting for you to slip up as a Christian..............  

  two things are guaranteed when  you choose Him as your Saviour. you will have Eternal Life and you will suffer for your belief in Him.

so, if you are not prepared to suffer for Christ, turn around and walk away............