Acts 5:41, “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.” What good good words to start off the work week. The apostles rejoiced in their suffering. So should we rejoice when the trials of the week attempt to take your eyes from the Glory of Jesus. Trust in Him as you go this week, for His glory you have been counted worthy. Feel free to post in the comments if you have a story to share. #SeekHimFirst
I’ll share and confess that I rarely if ever rejoice in suffering. I’m typically the one rejoicing when the suffering ends. I get sad and sometimes even easily discouraged when things are difficult. But I have grown by the grace of God. The Lord has really helped me get to a place of seeking Him (in His word, in prayer, in patience while waiting ect) when there is suffering or difficult times. But the truth is I do not have a natural and genuine act of rejoicing in moments or months of suffering. I think it’s a super natural response- much like gratitude in times of difficulty, but it’s something I hope and pray the Lord will continue to work on in me.
What amazes me is that there's no lag time. They just got beaten, and they are already rejoicing. My first question is would I run to Jesus or to sin for comfort? These guys aren't even in the same ballpark of thought that I'm in at this point in my walk. I do hope to be in theirs someday!