In Afflictions

2 Corinthians 6:4-5 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

This past Sunday morning as our Pastor led us through 2 Corinthians, he paused, as he has done in the past, at one of the descriptions of what the apostle Paul had undergone. I do not recall his words, but they had to do with how far removed the "Health and Wealth" gospel, so popular today, is from what the Bible teaches.

The fact is, the way that we, as Christians, handle adversity should bring glory to God. So many of those first century Christians died a martyr's death, and brought glory to God thereby. Sitting comfortably here in America, it is hard for us to fathom that even today Christians in many parts of the world are suffering similar deaths and bringing glory to the name of Jesus Christ by steadfastly refusing to deny their faith.

While none of us has any promise that such persecution will never reach our shores, for the most part, we are insulated from such things. It struck me that perhaps for many of us, the greatest trial that we will ever face is to die a lingering death due to disease. Let us pray the Lord would give us the strength to also bring glory to his name by the manner in which we face it.