Hello beloved child of God, I hope you’re fine by God’s grace.
Have you ever felt a deep desire to do things for God’s glory? For example:
- Sharing The Gospel with a friend who doesn’t know about Jesus Christ.
- Praying for a colleague who is sick.
- Making a donation to your church. for the advancement of The Gospel.
- Joining a volunteer group at your Church.
- Helping people in need.
- Sponsoring a child for the glory of God’s name.
The list could go on for hours.
Have you ever felt called to do something for God?
I guess you’ve probably been.
Actually, if you’ve been called by God to do things for His glory, then you’ve probably already felt frustration in the process.
Frustration can come up at many different levels, let me give you a few examples.
For the wife trying to obey God by being submitted to her husband, she can feel extremely frustrated every time her husband misbehaves and does not apologize.
For the nice Christian guy trying to keep his relationship with his fiancée pure, it can be frustrating to have “friends” who make fun of him for saving sex for marriage.
For the Pastor who’s trying to preach God’s Word uncorrupted, it can be frustrating when people attack him/her, take his/her words out of context and say he/she is a false teacher.
For the volunteer who’s supposed to welcome people at Church for every Worship experience, it can be frustrating to deal with people who just have a bad temper and who hate listening.
For the friend who’s preaching the Gospel to his friends but who’s always being mocked and isolated because of that, there can be a big deal of frustration.
In general when we start a task for the glory of God’s name, in our minds we think “Because I am doing this for God, it has to work”, but this is not always how it happens.
Actually, because we are doing it for God, at times we face even more opposition than we would ever have imagined; spiritually, emotionally, physically, psychologically etc.
We may face persecutions and hard times and ask ourselves “Why am I going through this whereas all I am trying to do is to honour God?”
Let me share a few Bible verses with you.
2 Timothy 3:12 NLT
Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
You see, it’s no surprise that you’re facing issues though you’re trying to serve God, it’s normal, in fact it should be expected.
The devil would not try to mess up with your ministry if it were not a threat to him.
Jesus prepared His disciples for the tribulations to come. Why then are we surprised when we face opposition for trying to live our lives in a way which honours God?
John 16:33 NLT
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Today, if you’re going through a season of frustration because you are doing your best to serve God, then this blog post is for you.
This blog post is meant to encourage you and to let you know that everything you do for Jesus Christ is precious in His sight.
Here are a few things which you have to keep in your heart and in your mind in this season of frustration.
1. It’s No Surprise That You Suffer For Jesus
1 Peter 4:12 NLT
Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.
For some people it might appear as persecution, but for others it may just be the difficulties which they face in their daily tasks to live for God.
Difficulties in maintaining their relationships pure though they want to, difficulties in resisting temptations of several kinds, difficulties in finding funds to support their ministry, difficulties in producing content for their Christian YouTube channel, etc.
It may be different for everyone, and at times we may have the impression that it’s a coincidence of negative things happening in our lives which seem to only want to draw us away from our ministry, but it is not a coincidence, and we do not have to be surprised, those persecutions, and difficulties are all part of the game.
2. You Have To Be Glad That You’re Suffering For Jesus
1 Peter 4:13 NLT
Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world.
In general, it’s not easy at all to be glad to be going through hard times.
We want comfort.
We want our business to start thriving as soon as we start, we want our relationships to get restored as soon as we pray, we want people to believe The Gospel as soon as we preach it to them.
At no moment did we imagine that we would suffer on the way, that we would be persecuted, hurt, misunderstood, rejected and called unqualified. Or that we would fall sick while we were doing God’s work of evangelism.
Nevertheless, God allowed all that to happen, and not only did He allow that to happen, He wants us to be very glad when all these things happen because our Joy is that we’re not suffering for anything we did wrong, we’re suffering for The One who loves us and gave His life for us, it is a wonderful privilege.
Did Jesus not say about Paul:
Acts 9:16 KJV
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Jesus too suffered, and if it is for His Glory, then it is a great Joy for us when people accuse us wrongly because of His name, when people do everything to tempt us to fall into sin in order to discredit us because of His name, when people reject us and refuse to befriend us because of His name.
The different attacks of the devil on you and your ministry because you serve God should not make you cry but should make you very glad, because you know that the magnitude of the storm shows how significant your calling is.
The devil messed up with Job because Job was tough as a follower of God, because Job meant business. Yes those moments were painful but Job remained faithful to God, he didn’t let that crown to be taken off him.
3. You Have Nothing To Be Ashamed Of
1 Peter 4:16 NLT
But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by His name!
Can we be honest at least for a moment?
Have you noticed how much in this world those who are doing the right thing are being shamed, and those who are doing the wrong thing are being praised?
The women who cheat on their husbands are being celebrated by other women while the wives who are being faithful out of obedience to God are mocked and criticised.
The married men who out of obedience to God are faithful to their wives are shamed by other men and called names, while the unfaithful men are praised from going from woman to woman.
The parents who are protecting their children from the dangers of sex education classes in school are the ones who are blamed, while the permissive parents who expose their 4 years old children to sex education are praised.
Those who are doing the right thing are opposed so strongly and shamed for doing the right thing.
If you’re in this situation, if you’re the classmate who’s being shamed for preaching the Gospel or for praying in class, the teen who’s being shamed for waiting to be mature enough and ready for marriage in order to start Christ-centered dating/courting, the adult who’s being shamed for avoiding alcohol because you’re trying to prevent an alcohol addiction in your life etc.
If you’re being shamed for obeying God, don’t cry about it, not for long at least. Instead praise God, count it all glory, stand tall with a big smile on your face and walk boldly because it’s a privilege to suffer for Christ.
James 1:2-4 KJV
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Don’t let their attempts to shame you delay you or get to you. Walk with assurance as you keep doing the right thing and obeying God.
4. Keep Pushing For Your Reward Is On Its Way
1 Peter 4:14, 19 NLT
If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.
At times I see God as a classroom teacher, who gives you an evaluation and who comes back later to take your paper. He takes all His time and marks it, then He rewards you with the appropriate mark.
If you did a good job, you’re going to see it on your paper. Your reward will be your mark, your A+, and at the end of the school year, all your marks are added together to give your final average.
You may not have the impression that God is rewarding you now, but when He will reward, you will receive the whole package. He doesn’t forget when you did well in the past, He takes into account all the good works which you did for Him under the direction of The Holy Spirit and He will reward you in His time.
Hebrews 6:10 NLT
For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do.
Maybe right now you’re being faithful to your spouse though the relationship between you has deteriorated ever since. You’ve chosen not to sin, but to keep praying and working on your relationship because you believe that God can save your marriage. Maybe it’s not working yet, but you have to keep pushing, remain faithful for your reward is on its way.
Perhaps you’re the only one left in your classroom who avoids cheating during evaluations and for this reason you have the impression that others are having better grades, don’t pay attention to them, focus on your Father in Heaven, He sees that you’re doing this for Him, keep doing the right thing, your reward is on its way.
You may have the impression that you are the “last single one earth” who is walking in purity, all your colleagues and classmates may be living in sexual immorality, insulting you for serving God, and it may make you feel so frustrated. Keep your eyes on God, keep pushing for your reward is on its way.
You may be the last engaged couple among all your friends who’s not married yet because of financial issues, but doing everything to keep your relationship honourable in God’s sight. Don’t envy your Christian friends who are married and don’t be jealous of your non-Christian friends who seem to be having fun and freedom though they’re living in sexual immorality. Keep your eyes focused on God, keep honouring Him in your relationship, your reward is on its way.
You may be a single woman, desperately praying for marriage, and wanting to have a child before menopause visits you. You really want to have a child but you’re waiting on God for marriage because you want to obey Him, you’ve chosen not to have sex out of wedlock, though you want a baby. You’re ready to wait on God for a husband even if it means that menopause will visit you and you won’t have a child, you prefer living your life in obedience to God. Of course you feel frustrated when your sisters, neighbors, colleagues or classmates give birth out of wedlock though you still have no husband, but you have to keep pushing, keep praying, don’t give up now, for your reward is on its way, even if it seems to take a longer time then expected, wait on God in obedience.
Habakkuk 2:3b NLT
…. it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.
Conclusion
Suffering is never easy, but if you’re suffering because you’re trying to live a life which honours God, then you’re not suffering in vain. Don’t let these sufferings discourage you. Instead of robbing your joy, they should make you even happier because you’re suffering for Jesus. Don’t let people shame you for obeying God, stand tall and keep praising Him, and keep doing the right thing, for your reward is on its way. God will never forget your acts of obedience towards Him, everything you do for Jesus is precious in His sight.
Prayer
Father Lord God Almighty, I thank You so much for the privilege of suffering for Jesus Christ. Please Lord be my joy, my strength and my comfort in seasons where I’m suffering for You. Help me through Your Holy Spirit to be patient, help me to stand tall without any shame no matter what people are telling me, and help me to remain faithful to You till the end, in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen.
It’s Now Your Turn
Thank you so much for reading up to this point.
I need you to write in the comments section what encouraged you the most as you read this blog post.
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Invitation
Click here if you’re looking for a church. I recommend Elevation Church to you. A wonderful Christ-centered Church in which you aren’t limited by your location and in which you can see what God can do through you.
God loves you so much
God bless you
Victoria Eyog
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