GUTSY CHRISTIANS

And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Romans 8:17 (NLT)

In our society we may wonder if we share in the suffering of Christ.  After all in our community I don’t know of anyone who is imprisoned for the cause of Christ and being tortured for Him.  So what does it mean that we Christ-followers share in the suffering of Christ?  The truth is that all followers of Christ share in His suffering.  What it means is that we accept the disgrace and the humility of the crucified life for Christ’s sake.  He said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

What the Lord produces in our lives and what we are taught in the Scripture runs headlong into the ways of the world around us, and the world pushes back.  This is Christ-like suffering.   Sharing in the suffering of Christ hurts but it also makes us more like Him, and it affirms that we are heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ, and we will share His glory one day.