Working Out Our Faith
When Jesus calls us to follow Him, He calls us to a counter-culture life. We are to serve others instead of ourselves, practice self-discipline, resist temptation, love the unlovable, and speak and live by the truth of God’s Word. That can lead to some very uncomfortable situations and difficult sacrifices. It can even lead to pain and suffering.

However, we don’t like pain and suffering. Kind of like my workouts, we tend to do enough to feel like we are doing something, but not so much that it will actually hurt. Then we can pat ourselves on the back, without much sacrifice or suffering. How much good does that do, though?

For You and For Others
Jesus warns us that there will be suffering. We will have crosses to bear. This suffering does nothing for our salvation. That’s entirely accomplished by Christ. However, the suffering is good both for us and for those around us.

• For us – We grow in our faith as we face hardship and suffering in Christ’s name. We learn to trust. Instead of just reading about it, we truly experience God’s strength, provision, and comfort.
• For others – We show the love of Christ to them. We live out God’s Word instead of just talking about it. They can see and hear Jesus in our witness.

Jesus suffered for you. He didn’t go halfway. He went all the way…to the cross. Because of our faith in Him, the world will hate us as it hates Him. It will mock us like it mocked him. It will rejoice in our failures and despise our successes.

We can rejoice, too.

We can rejoice as we see God at work in our lives. We can rejoice as we see God at work in the lives of those around us, broken lives healed, spiritually dead people brought to life. We can rejoice in God’s forgiveness when we do fail.

Yes, we can rejoice even in our suffering for we know God will never leave us nor forsake us. He will bring us through every valley, even the valley of the shadow of death, and He will reward us in heaven.

So, let’s step out in faith. Let’s live differently. Let’s live boldly. Let’s live for Him who died for us.

Dear Jesus,

You gave everything for me. Give me the strength and courage to live for You, not going halfway, but giving my all. When I fail, help me to trust in Your grace. Grow me in my faith and may others come to know you through my witness.

Amen.